The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-01
A LOST BOY.
A FruitIess Search and an Accidental Dis
covery.

| A FruitIess Search and an Accidental Dis
eovery.
Such a lovely spring day! But dear
Aunt Molly, in her country home, was
among the clouds. Not that she was
at all fled up from this earthly sphere.
Oh! no. She was in the midst Of a.
dreadful fright and worry as ever had
darkened her sweet country home.
Tommy, that nephew of hers, always
into some unheard OF exploration--that
child Of nine summers, who had been
left in Aunt Molly's care while his
parents took a trip to Europe-ths ini-
portant individual had been miss ng
ever since morniag. and now it was long
past dnner-time. Wasn't that enough
to put conscientious maiden Lady, who
knew but lttlo about children; into the
clouds of despair
..lf that child ever gets safe into his
mothers arms l never will take care Of
another while my name is Mary Cheese
boro," said Aunt Molly.
They searched the house, she and the
hired man, who had always been right
foolish over Tommy. giving him many
ride on the great garden gate-=i lux.
ury strictly forbidden the youthful pop
hlation Of Hawleyville. The village
doctor started In the search with his
gigs Johnny Smith whifled away on his
bicycle; Mary Perry proft1enaded of on
her roller skates; Felix Morton gal
Hoped forth on his pony; ard, In fact,
the whole village was In arms, or more
literally, on Its legs. in search OF the
lost boy.
Aunt Molly wisely kept plate Of hot
dinner for the hopeful result, and then
sat down and cried heartily, assisted In
her lachrynose condition by loud bursts
of sorrow from the hired girl, who now
and then wiped her tears with her apron
and comforted Aunt Molly with such
remarks of the departed as these:
Sure, but he was beautiful by! We
niver shall see the loiks of him again.
Little did think this mornin' when lie
was attn his bread and milk that
should niver see his swate face again.
Bridget says he, will ye give me
some cookies, phase, to put in my
pocket; for we know, good Bridget, l
might mate hungry little by. Och!
the dear child-niver to have u
funeralr' -and at this, an added mis-
fortune in the lrishwcman's eyes, she
walled afresh.
By the time the doetor's gig, Mary
Perry's skates, Felix's pony and the
other messengers had returned without
any news, anxiety was written more
deeply on every countenance. Aunt
Molly thought Of the gyps.es who had
gone by Yesterday, and shuddered as
she remembered the long look that one
Of the men had given Tommy amy, N Mhat
She went out again to the great barn,
hardly knowing why, but feeling that
she must continue the search some
where, although they had hunted the
barn over dozen times, and shouted
ssTommy." in. dozen different keys,
all around it. Peering through her
glasses in every direction, she caught a
glimpse of some bright feathers up in
the hay-loft
''Now, wonder" she said, indig-
nantly. what on airth that old hen is
pryin' around up in the hay-loft for;
she amt got no business up there-just
as inquisitive as the roosters are, if
must say-pryin' round as though She d
got family to bring up. And what a
time she's making-acts il she's
caught fast to somethin'."
Without further speculation she
climbed to the hay-loft as nimbly rs q
girl, and there. what do you suppose
she foundP Tommy! fast asleep, and
that old hen with string around her
leg, fastened to beam, and making
Intellectual attempts to reach one Of
Bridget's cakes in the hand Of the con.
siderate young man who thought he