The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-09-28

river Itefe tI,S old s|,ineIs she<
nsea t. be, &as long !; 81 s.|s.
where men Refe h0siIy Il work ssl,ll
S0yers .a huSiazt &c k0esn al sunef-
q 4
large supply was piled aud stacked all
ready for the marKet. Everything
was moving along merrily.
1t was toward noon when Soyers
left his work and went to the house.
Half way between the gate and the
porch he stopped beside frame sup
porting a flower pot of unique de-
sign, in which was growing bloom
ing geranium. The pot was artisti-
calIy draped in cool, gray Spanish
moss. but peeping under this one
could see that the vessel was an old,
bottomless, jug turned upside down.
Soyers touched the leaves tendery,
for it was favOrite flower with him
and belonged exclusively to Annette.
Just then Mrs. Soyers came out on
the porch, and when she saw her hus
band she greeted him with a glad
smile. Her face. however, in mo-
ment took on a look of anxiety as
she asked: Ibid you leaye Annette
at the river %
II have not seen her. Is she not
at home ~
mo. She asked me nearly half
an hour ago if she could go down
and call you to dinner. as she usually
does, and L gave her permission to
60"
MY God!" exclaimed Soyers.
"Where can she have gone ?"
With that he turned and ran to-
ward the river. his wife following
close behind him.
the men were still at work, but
when they saw Soyers running they
stopped, for they felt intuitiyely that
something had happened.
"Have any of you seen little An
nette?" shouted Soyers.
They all shook their heads.
"She is lost. Hurry up, friends,
and help to find her."
They left their work and scattered
in every direction. searching eagerly
in every place that could possibly be
a hiding place for the little one. or
where there could have been any dam
ger along the path.
Soyers followed the bank of the
river. He had not gone far when he
saw floating upon the water Annette's
little bonnet, and close beside it a
bunch of flowers. His heart stood
still for a moment, and he gasped
hard for breath. But it was for mo-
ment only that he thus staggered.
for the next he plunged into the
water and swan with all his strength
to where the little bonnet and flow
ers were whirling around and around,
the playthings of small eddy. He
reached the place and grasped the
articles with nervous fingers. Then
he looked around to see if he could
find any sign of her he loved above
anything else on earth, but he looked
in vain. The water flowed along
smoothly, with not even breath OF
wind just then to ripple the bright
surface. SOyer's heart sank within
him. A sense of irreparable loss took
possession of him, and he floated
with the current, holding Annette's
bonnet and flowers clasped closely to
his breast. caring not if he ever trod
the green earth again.
Then came shout from the shore,
Soyers looked, and there, held high
in the air, in the strong arms of one
of the men, was Annette
At the sight Soyers reused himself
and swan eagerly to the bank. When
he reached the bank, wet as he was
he clasped his darling in his arms
and the glad tears came to his eyes
"God is good" he muttered, as he
tenderly kissed Annette again and
again.
Annette had been found asleep in 6
skiff tied to some low bending will
lows on the bank. She was sitting
down in the bottom of the boat wher
found. her head resting on her arms
folded on the stern sheets, where she
very likely had placed her bonnet
and flowers also, and where some
passing gust of summer wind hac
swept them into the river.
May heaven always keep and guarC
and guide thee. sweet Annette y
NeW Orleans Times Democrat.