The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-11-03
The Lost Boys.

Inc Lost Boys.
Harhe and Percy were two little boys
that lived in large city just across the
river from New York. Can you tell its
name?
Though only FIVE and three years old,
they sometimes did very strange things,
and once gave their mother a great
fright.
Alter breakfast one morning they were
playing on the wide stone walk In front
of their house, but they kept getting a
little farther off, first to see this sight and
then that, unit! they were many blocks
away.
Their mother was so busy in the house
she did not miss them until about ten
o'clock, when she looked all over the
large house, and called up and down the
street, but she could not find them. She
then went to the police station, and told
the man in charge OF her missing boys,
their ages, and how they were dressed.
But though many of the men with
brass buttons and clubs were hunting TOR
the little runaways eleven, twelve, one,
two, three, four and FIVE clock went by,
and they could learn othing about them.
The father and mother and brothers and
sisters were almost wild with fears. What
if some gypsies had carried them off, or
they had been stolen like little Charlie
Ross, or they had gone to the river and
were drowned But 1 cannot tell you
how very badly they felt, and the many
fears they had during this long, sad day,
that seemed like weeks or even months
to them, it was 30 awful
About FIVE clock as the mother stop.
ped walking the floor and went to look
out OF the window, whom should she see
coming up the steps, whistling as happy
as could be, but little Harfe?
But where Is dear little brother ?"
asked the mother, as she clasped Harfe
In her arms.
don't know, mamma; I haven't
seen him this good while; he wouldn't
come with me. But I'll find him if you
don't cry SO, SAID Harfe, for the first
time thinking something very bad had
been done.
The mother and Harfe started at once,
and as he led the way through street after
street and alley after alley, the mother
felt sure she should never find her baby
boy. At last they met a stout, busting
Irish woman, who said, Indade, ma am,
have you lost boy? 1t met one not
long since, crying like his heart would
break, but | couldn't git him to come in,
the poor little dear T.
Here's where we played all day,
mamma, said Harfe, stopping in front
of a long, dingy looking feedstore, " and
l left him here" But the mother learn
ed of the clerk that he had been gone
some two hours, going from there towards
the river.
Oh-hl" thought the mother, as she
stood looking at the blue river, eff my
baby is drowned p Just then a dirty,
ragged little boy stepped up to her and
said, Pat and Nike has just gone to the
station with boy they found it's right
down this street four blocks, ma am.
You cannot know how happy these
words made the mother feel, and how
good this dirty, ragged little boy looked
to her; and after giving him some pen
MES, and thanking him, she went as fast
as she could to the station. But they had
Just cent him home in charge OF the boys
who found him.
1t was quite late and dark VIII n Har-
fie and his mother reached home, but they
could see crowd OF boys around the
steps and hear them quarrel over the re-
ward for a half block away.
Here's your boy, ma am found
him J. came from some twenty boys at
once.
But the first thing the mother did was
to take little Percy in her arms and kiss
him then she gave Pat and Mike each
dollar, and all the boys went of.
You never saw such tired, dirty little
fellows in your life az the mother bathed
and put to bed that night and as they
saw how pale she looked, and heard hGr
cry as she held and kissed them, and told
them how sad she had been all day, they
said, Don't cry so, mamma we won
never do 80 any more"
And l am glad to tell you they never
did Christian at Work.
A little girl, who is Just at the age
when her table manners are beginning to
L 4 II