The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-06-27

kJ,Tcl11KAIQ ing llohh my Nh"ih
MTETYTSEM Der window, early
one morning, | observed nm unusual
commotion in the village-men, wom-
en-, and children collected in groups ut
different points. and all seeming great
ly excited, | hurried out TO learn the
cause, and was informed that n little
girl OF five years, the daughter OF a
widow living some two miles from the
place, had been missing since about
four o'clock OF theprevious afternoon,
and it was supposed she had wandered
of into an extensive wood, not far
from the dwelling, and had got lost.
The nearly distracted mother, with
some of her nearest neighbours, had
searched for her the day preceding as
long as thy could see, and during the
night a messenger had arrived at the
village with an appeal to the citizens
toturn out en- masse, and endeavor to
recover the missing one, which many
were preparing TO do. / Immediately
resolved 20 make one OF the number,
and in less than half an hour was on
my way 70 the wood with a party of
friends, and where were soon collected
not less than a hundred persons OF
both sexes, and some Of them quite
venerable.
After n general consultation, we
divided into small parties, each take
ing a certain portion Of the wood, and
agreeing 70 meet upon the summit of
a hill which was visible from our
place OF starting; but in case the child
should be found before reaching the
hill, a messenger was to be instantly
despatched to the village, and have
a six-pounder discharged, ~ Il signal
that success had crowned their efforts.
As the different parties were about
TO commence their search, each under
the guidance Of a neighbor living in the
vicinity, my attention was called TO
n woman running across the fields
and gesticulating wildly, and some
one remarked that il was the almost
frantic mother herself. We waited
till she came up to us, and / do not
Nllliik 4 tNtI ndW IlOIt ifITlDlt HTltl
depicted on human c%ountenance than
was expressed in her pallid face. She
was IN reality only thirty years OF
age, and naturally rather handsome;
but the deep lines OF grief and anxiety,
now drawn OF her expressive features,
gave her the look OF sixty. Her eyes,
red from weeping, were wild and un-
settled; her lips were ashy and culver
ing; Her hair was dishevelled, and her
dress was badly torn in different
places, "a il from rushing among
bushes and brambles, with clasped
hands and wild, hurried ~glances from
one TO another, she ran up TO where |
was standing, exclaiming i'm the most
piteous, heart-touching tones: ooh,
Tor heavens sake, find my childl My
darlingl-my sweet little Innocent"
III possible, madam, we surely will"
] answered.
ooh, find her. sir, or / shall 90 madl"
DOUBTLESS we shall find her before
the day is ovcrl" | reioined; 'but you
must try and be calm, for this wild ex-
citement will do you an injury"
"Calml" she cried, with a look that
was almost fierce. "who talks TO me OF
being calm when mylittleAda il wander
ing in unknown wilds, and dying ofstar-
vation2 Oh. heavensl will no one find
her and restore her to her mothers
arms2 But | will seek her myself |
will have herl She shall not be lost"
Saying this, abe started and ran i'm
10 n thicket neat at hand, regardless of
tearing her clothes and laceratipg her
flesh with the brambles. Fearing she
might lose her reason, and either do
herself an injury, or wander of and get
lost also, two gentlemen and myself
Immediately started after her. We
had some difficulty in catching her, for
she plunged through the bushes like n
will beast. took hold Of her, using
considerable force, and told her, i'm a
stern. determined tone, that We should
not permit her TO act i'm such an
unreasonable manner; and that II
she wanted us TO search for and
find her child. she mnst be quiet. and
permit herself TO be wholly under the
guidance of the ladies present. At
first she was disposed TO treat our
advice with contempt. and declared,
with a strange wild look, she would
do M she pleased but when she found
We would not let her GO unless she
promised compliance with our re-
quest. she became more reasonable,
and declared she would do anything
ii we would only set forward and find
hce darling child
We now began our search in earnest,
sp uading out Our party TN a line,
some Zen or fifteen feet apart, and