The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-05-04
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY ADELINE KNAPP.


Gray shadows were creeping over the
sand dunes beyond Pacific Heights.
Only here and there a lanceolate beam
touched the hills, from the crimson ball
going out to sea through the golden
gate. There was a scent of lilies in the
air, mingling with the more wonted
perfume of February roses. The hum
OF 7he Gig zraIsded far away, and the
song of a meadow lark could be heard
from a treetop. -, .E..
The door of the house stood open, re-
vealing a broad hall. There was a sug-
gestion, in the dim light, of waving ferns
and the silvery CLEAN of a fountain, in
the conservatory at one side. From
the doorjamb there Gwayed in the
breeze long ends of soft, snowy ribbon,
holding in place a cluster of white
roses.
In the center of a stately apartment
that opened upon the hall stood q tiny
white casl<et on slender pillars. Two
candles burned at its head. BY a Win
dow man sat gazing with unseeing
eyes, in the creeping shadows of the
among the pillows of divan. Neither
had moved for long time. The little
form in the white casllet had been their
all. Now it lay scarcely stiller than
they.
Suddenly tho silence was broken by
the sound of a woman's voice, high
pitched and clear.
willy! Willy! oh, Wiily!" it cried.
A friend within the house FASTENED to
the door. Along a pathway through
the shrlbbery a handsome y-tlressed
woman appeared. OH" she eX-
claimed, advancing; "haye you seen
little BOY about four years old? My lit
tie boy is lost! Some one said they saw
him come III here. / cannot find him;
and [ am afraid he has fallen some
where in the sand dunes"
''HaVe you notified the police?"
Long ago. They are all ON the
lookout for him. But he may be buried
in the sand. We have been searching
for hours. Oh, L have lost two little
ones through death, but L never felt as
L do this moment"
The mothers heart walled forth be-
hind the cultured woman's enforced
composure.
The woman who had been lying
among the cushions came through the
hall to the door.
What is it?" she asked.
The friend put her arm about her and
would have drawn her back; but the
stranger spoke.
MY little boy is lost she said, ex-
citedly. HE is only four years old.
We are afraid he is among the sand
dunes"
'Oh!" cried the younger woman,
Il am so sorry! Is there nothing we
can do? Cannot we help you look for
him? The poor little fellow! Think of
him ali alone In the dunes. How did
it happen?" And she put her hand in
the strangers for sympathy.
The latter was full of her story of
coming home from a round of calls to
find the child missing and the other
children seeking him. Even as she
spoke, voices could be heard. calling
from the sand dunes: Willy! Willy.
On, Willy"
Il must 60" cried the mother. "Oh,
NV heart is breaking! Willy! Willy:
Where can he be?"
AS she turned passing zephyr blew
the white ribbon on the doorpost
straight out across her cheek. She
started back, dismayed.
why" she cried, you have dead
child in this housed"
Yes" said the other mother; my
only child. little boy just four years
old, died this morning"
Tears came into the strangers eyes
oh she cried, 'do forgive me!
am so sorry. L did not know. Dear
heart! to think I should have troubled
YOU. I, too, have lost two children by
death: but this is more terrible. My
little boyi You see, l do :'Gt know
where he is"
Il know" the other said. calmly
1'You must let us do what we can fol
YOU. Oh, / am sure you will find him
Let NE GO with you. We will search
together Not to know where yolll
baby is, An, what trouble there IS II
the world!'
She seized wrap, and the two WON
en- went down the walk together. a
the corner they were met by boy %
perhaps a dozen years. ftlEL
sSome children say they met a lifti
boy like yourn goin' down toward Nortl
Beach," he said.
They hurried down the hilly street.
"Have you seen anything of a littt
boz. about four years old, playing abou
hereq" asked WHY'S mother of home