Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-11-28
LOST AND FOUND.
A Little Boys Adventure in a Big Field of
Wheat.


A Little Boys Adventure In Big Field of
Wheat.
1t was day in July; the thermometer
ran high in the nineties, and the air
was so oppressive that even the birds
and insects seemed to have entirely dis
appeared.
1t had been an unusually busy morn
ing for Mrs. Holt; she had been up
since three o'clock, for tomorrow the
harvesting would begin, and there were
great preparations going on, as in this
prairie home it was the gala time of all
the year, when the nearest neighbors
came to help gather the beautiful grain
that waved in the sunlight and covered
q thousand acres or more of the sur
rounding country. Nothing but sea
of yellow in every direction.
Little six.year-old Clifford thought
there never had been such day since
he could remember. Mamma was so
busy she did not want him in the kitch-
en-, and it was so hot out of doors that
he could not play at all.
At last he ran to his mother just as
she was making her last tins of biscuit,
and said: Mamma, please put me to
bed; am SO sleepy and tired. Rover
is asleep and Kittie and will go toe" "
Run away, Clifford am too busy. If
you are so sleepy go upstairs and lie
down in your cot; bpt you had better
play until after dinner, then take nap
with me-"
Clifford did not like the idea of going
ups tairs alone, so he ran outdoors to
play as his mother told him. But the
shade was only in such little place by
the house, and he would iustgo over there
by the wheat; it looked cooler there as
the grain waved in the breeze. So he
trotted over the road to the edge of the
grain, and sure enough it really was
cooler; so he sat down in the shadow OF
the tops that stood four feet high. As
he sat there his attention was attracted
by some little red birds that were fly.
ing back and forth into the wheat
Suddenly he remembered what his
papa had told him the night before
about these birds, who had built theil
nests all through the grain. And Cliff
ford had felt so sorry for the baby birds
that would be so cruelty killed by the
big machine. All at once he thought
81 will go little way in and find some
nests, and l will put them in my ha
and carry them out in the orchard; hov
glad the poor mamma birds will b,
when | save the little brides lives"
Now, Clitford's mamma had often tolC
him never to go away from the hous
alone, but he had forgotten all els
now, in his wish to save the lives of th
young birds that were in such peril
SO into the forest of yellow glory h
made his way. On and on h
went, hunting for the nests. Finally
the poor little man was so tired o
making his way and of searching il
vain for the birds that, after an hour
tramp, he decided to go home ito hi
mamma" So he turned around, an
started back; but which way was back
He was so small that, in coming through
he had not broken single stalk, bu
had slipped between them, and so ha
not left trace behind.
He turned back, expecting, of course
to come right out in sight of mamma
kitchen-door, and ne wondered if dir
nef would be ready, and if MANN
would be glad to see him now. So h
made his way little farther, and the
he thought he would sit down and res
just little while, and perhaps he woul
hear the dinner-horn blow; then b
would run on home.
When Mrs. Holt finished the biscuit
it was time to prepare the dinner. Ono
or twice the thought of Clifford's fushe
face came to her, and she thought h
must have gone upstairs after all, b.
cause it had been such long time sine
she had seen any thing of him. Whe
noon came shrill blast of the long ii
horn brought Mr.. Holt and his two me
home to their dinner. TO Mr.. Holt
inquiry: "Where is Clifford?" Mr.
Holt replied Asleep, upstairs" II
dinner was carefully put away for hin
and the men returned to their work.
Late in the afternoon Mrs. Holtawol
with start from the long nap she ha
taken on the dining-room sofa, whel
she had thrown herself for little re
before going upstairs. Her first thougl
was of Clifford, and upstairs she fle'
into the little room where his cot stoo
He had not been there at all, nor in h
room. Thoroughly alarmed she wei
up into the garret, where he sometime
!, played; but all was silent and empt
|, The next instant the horn sent its ca
echoing over the prairie in blast aft
blast, recalling Mr.. Holt in great hast
All was confusion nowl What had b
come of Clifford? ?
The first thought was of the sms
creek that ran half a mile beyond Il
house, and its banks we're searched
vain for trace. They went along {
|, road for miles in each direction, b
nothing was to be seen except {
golden-headed grain on either sid
nodding their good night to the setti
!, sun. At length, as the great full mo
was rising they returned home I
: father, in hopeless despair, not kno
ing what was to be done next to fl
:, his child, whether alive or dead. NJ
Holt was living over the morning il
d perfect agony of remOrse for the hai