Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-05-30

think II 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 off
the mountain. for that matter-was
quite so good as little Jerry Fromer.
His father believed it and his mother
knew it. He made no trouble at 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
he was far happier, as well as far
healthier, than if 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 q
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 ruilian.
Really she never knew of the child do
ing anything actually wicked. But she
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 the 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 and 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 l would
have heard her if she had come about"
Desperate and heartbroken she con-
tinucd 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.
1t was terrible thing when he did
L., -
knowing how long the child had been
gone, but with darkness coming swift
ly on he would have time before he
could be found TO get hopelessly lost in
the forest that was not very far away.
He might be wandering there even
now; and it was no safe place for
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 been seen or heard not very
far from the little scattered settlement.
Very quickly Mr.. Fromer satisfied
himself that his child was indeed gone,
and he was about starting away TO
summon the neighbors to help him in
the search. when Pete Pelter appeared.
There was trouble in his face and
anxiety in his voice.
WAS Rilly here ag'in after left YET"
he asked of Mrs. Fromer.
No"
"She amt to hum, an l amt been
able fur to find her, an I'm Uneasy
bout her it must be lowed"
Have you lost your child, toop"
Mr.. Fromer exclaimed in establishment.
IL was just coming to ask you to help
find ours. He's gone, God knows
wherei"
He stopped speaking with that break
in his voice which it is always so hard
to listen to. Even in his own grief and
trouble Peter Pelter felt keen sympathy
with this other bereayed man. and was
about to say so. but an exclamation
from Mrs. Fromer checked him.
That girl" Jerry's mother cried
out. And it was easy to know from her
tone what she was thinking of.
Her husband laid his hand on her
shoulder and stopped her from saying
more. Pete PeTter heard the words
and noted the movement, but he only
said:
"Tll help We to hunt fur yer child. l
kin hunt for mine later. Or mebbe wei.
find 'em together. reckon that's most
likely"
All night long these two men, with
the help of all the men in the settle
ment, searched the forest with torches
for their lost children and found no
trace of either of them. One little bit
of information was given by man who
came TO join the searching party.
In the afternoon, while on shoulder
of the mountain near the settlement,
he had stopped to look down at the
houses and the road. He saw little
child going along the road toward the
forest. He thought that was not safe,
SO he started down the slope to capture
the little rover. He was a good while
getting to the road. and when he got
there he saw only Rilly Pelter and her
dog. He asked her about the child he
had seen, but she only looked at him
and started off toward her fathers
house. Thinking he had been fright
ened without reason, the man had gone
his way without giving any alarm.
What time might that ha' been?"
asked Peter Pelter.
''Bout o'clock, reckon"
II war home Jest aforc that. Left