The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-01
again on this earth The signs don't

again on this earth The signs dom
fail me"
remember that set up dreadful
howl. in which l was joined by my
brothers and sisters. Father and oul
friends began an immediate and
thorough search for Danny, but nc
trace of him could be found. Grand
mother encouraged us by saying, from
time TO time, between her broken sobs
Its no use to hunt for him. He:
gone. He'll never be seen again on
this earth"
Mother broke down entirely after a
short time, and lay crying on lounge.
with one of my aunts bathing her tenn
pies and talking soothingly to her.
We looked everywhere-in places
that the little feet could never have
strayed into.
In the highest and the lowest and the lOnelt
| est spot
They eagerly sought but they found hin
| not"
at looks to me like case of kid
naping," said one of my visiting un-
cles to father.
80 it does" said father; "and yet
it don't seem possible that -
at amt possible, David" inter-
rupted grandmother. I'm satisfied
that l hadn't been asleep ten minutes
when you folks came home; and
k1sOa0 that no one was near the house
before you came. No, no, David. hu.
man hands never touched our Danny.
didn't dream of white colts with four
wings apiece for nothing"
"What on earth would colts of any
kind want with Danny?" asked one OF
my aunts.
An hour and more passed, and Dan
ny was not found. We hurried to the
nearest neighbors. They had not seen
any suspicious characters in the neigh
borhood, and knew nothing about
Danny's disappearance. They came
to our house in great numbers, full OF
sympathy and narrowing "reminiscences
of similar disappearances in which the
missing children were either found
dead or were never found at all
The evening drew on. The sun went
down. Mother had said over and over
again that we must find her baby be-
fore night came on. She could not en-
dure the thought of having him away
when the darkness came. Father be-
gan to grow pale and his voice trem.
bled when he spoke. Parties of men
and boys were searching the neigh
boring woods and planning to drag
the streams. 1t was nearly dark, and
we were sitting, fearful and anxious
in mothers room, when we heard a
loud commotion outside. In a mo-.
ment the door was thrown open and
there stood our big. jolly Uncle Darius
Bertram, and, higa on his shoulder,
laughing and making a desperate eff
fort to .,lk. sat-Danny!
"Well, such time and nobody tC
itr' said Uncle Darius, as he put Danny
into mothers outstretched arms.
40 Darius! where did you find him?'
cried mother
Il Hound him lying in his bed about
half past three this afternoon. My
wife and l were driving into town and
called here to see you. but found no
one at home but grandmother and the
baby. Grand mother was asleep and
baby seemed to be having a lonely sort
of time of it kicking up his heels in
his cradle. So wife and thought we'd
take him out for an airing, the day ke-
ing so fine. | wrote little note on
leaf of my pocket-dairy, telling you
we had him. Didn'tyou find it,"
NO" said father; "where did you
put it?"
"Why, l pinned it to baby's pillow,
didn't /? l know wife said for me to.
But I'm such forgetful fellow that /
don't know really where did put that
note. 1t was written on small leaf
like this" He drew out his pocket
diary as he spoke, opened it. and sat
down looking very foolish.
"Wel, Iswan" he said. "ef I didn't
clean forget to tear the note out after
I'd written it. L must be getting
loonyr'
1--WE were detained in the village
much longer than we expected" said
Aunt Harriet, Uncle Darius wife, "and
1 was afraid you would worry about
baby; but he has been just as good IS
he could be. and he seemed to enjoy
the ride so very much. couldn't find
his cloak to put on him, but l had
light shawl with me, and 1 found his
little everyday sun-bonnet out in the
yard. 1t was good enough TO wear.
To Mink of the anxiety the little chaps
ride has cost you!''
Grandmother was down on her
knees crying over Danny. and of course
not one of us said a word to her about
those unfulfilled omens. 1t was months
before the words "signs'' and
"omens" passed her lips. Then she
spoke of them rs though they were
things beneath her notice.
They certainly had no power over
Danny. for have often heard him tell
ing this story to his own children. ~
j. l.. Harbour, an Youths Companion
Broken Rails in Winter.
g ~