The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-06-07

remembering II WAS a woman ne spoke
TO.
..Ye're wrong 'bont Rilly.r he con-
tinued. She amt the wust child.
She's the best child. the lovin'est. gem
erousest. brayest. best child that's
goin'. It's her way that makes ye
think different. AN ways depends on
p'ints an view. Rilly amt so bad.
bein' rough. as some is bein' smooth.
IF her mother wuz liyin'-wall. she
showed what she'd ave done when she
gave her that purity name. Amarillo.
Shed ave made her the purtiest be-
haved child on the mountain. But no
other woman don't botherm
Mr.. Pclter made an awkward bow
and walked of toward his cabin. aud
Mrs. Fromer went into the house 10
think IL over. leaving little Jerry out
side. She was very glad that he had so
soon forgotten Rilly's Invitation and
his own disappointment.
No child on the mountain-or of
the mountain. for that matter-was
quite so good as little Jerry Fromer.
His father believed IL and his mother
knew 1t. He made no trouble ut all,
but amused himself in all sorts of
pretty little ways, leaving his busy
mother free TO attend To the great
amount of work which every house,
keeper-even in the mountain cabin in
California always finds to do.
Almost always the weather per-
mitted him to play out OF doors. so that
be was far happier, as well as far
healthier, than il he were shut up in
the house. And as he never thought of
running away. this was all very salts
factory TO the mother. Sometimes she
did not have to look after him from
noon until supper time.
This afternoon was one OF those for
tunate times All through the long.
pleasant time Of sunshine the careful
housewife was left undisturbed to work
and TO think. She thought most Of her
own child. of course. but she thought a
good deal about Pete Peters child
also. Perhaps people were little too
hard on Rilly, after all. Perhaps If the
neighbor women would only take a
little more friendly interest in her she
would not be such rude little ruflian.
Really she never knew of the child do
ing anything actually wicked. But shs
was such rowdy.
AT length she noticed that the sun
shine had grown dim. Evening was
coming and Jerry's father would soon
be home, and she must bring the little
fellow In and make him neat, as she
always did for the fathers home com
Ing.
She went to tile door but Jerry was
not where she had left him. She looked
quickly about, but her child was no
where in sight. She called; no answer
came. In panic she ran all about the
house aud up and down the road. call
ing as she went; neither sight nor sound
OF her child could she gain. Little
Jerry was lost
That girl! That dreadful girl" Mrs.
Fromer moaned as she realized that her
baby was gone. But then | would
have heard her IL she had come about. v
Desperate and heartbroken she con-
tinued her fruitless search. growing
more and more excited with every min
ute. When Mr.. Fromer came home he
found his wife SO nearly frantic that he
could hardly learn from her what had
happened.
Ii was terrible thing when he did
learn aud realize 1t. There was no
knowing how long the child had been
gone, but with darkness coming swift
ly on he would have time before he
could be found 10 get hopelessly lost in
the forest that was not very far away.
He might be- wandering there even
now; and IL was no safe place for q
child To wander. To say nothing of
the dangers OF starvation or exhaustion,
wild beasts were not unknown there.
More than once or twice mountain
lions had boon seen or heard not very
far from the little scattered settlement.
Very quickly Mr.. Fromer satisfied
himself that his child was indeed gone,
aud he was about starting away TO
summon the neighbors to help him in
the search. when Pete Pelter appeared
There was trouble ia his face and
anxiety in his voice.
WAS Rilly here ag'in after left yep'
he asked of Mrs. Fromer.
NO
"Shc amt TO hum. an | amt been
able fur TO find her, an I'm Uneasy
bout her il must be- lowed"
Have you lost your child, tooP"
Mr. Fromer exclaimed In establishment.
II was just coming TO ask you to help
find ours. He's gone. God knows
wherelN
He stopped speaking with that break
in his voice which it is always so hard
TO listen 10. Even in his own grief and
trouble Peter Pelter felt keen sympathy
with this other bereaved man. and was
about TO say so. but an exclamation
from Mrs. Fromer checked him.
That girl" Jerry's mother cried
out. And 1t was easy TO know from her
tone what she was thinking of.
-.