Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-08-13
The Lost Children.

Ahc CniluTens
Marjorie, Sophie and Bessie lived in
the city. Their home was pretty fiat,
and the elevator carried them up to it
when they had been out anywhere.
From the windows they could Gee
streets running in all directions, tall
churches, banks, big buildings of every
sort. They could hear the scream Of
the whistles on the elevated road and
the jangle of trolley cars. With an
opera glass Of their mothers they
could look far, far away over the tops
of small buildings, and still it was all
streets and avenues, stores and bust
ness places-oh, so many, many build
ings!
That was what the world was to
them, except when they were taken to
the Central Park now and then. Papa
was such a busy man that he could
not often get away from business, and
mamma would not leave him alone
while she went to the mountains or
the seaside with the children. But at
last, one summer, papa had a holiday,
and they could all go for month
a whole, long month-and they did go
to the loveliest place in the world.
To the children it was like fairyland,
and they did find shells on the beach,
and such bright pebbles, only they
never looked so shiny when they were
dry.
After awhile the children got to
know the place SO we'll that their
mother was not afraid to let them go
out to walk without any grown-up
person, and 3D. came about an ad-
venture.
Sophie and Bessie had been to get
moss and lichen in a wonderful little
nook where great trees shaded big
rocks and there were toadstools and
frogs. A big tortoise used to come out
and creep about. The children were
going home with their boxes full, when
suddenly Bessie cried out: "Oh look
here! What funny place" She had
been peeping through some thick
bushes beside the road, and when she
cried out the others ran also. There
was a great hollow and little path
seemed to run down into it, with
stones here and there like steps.
What o funny place!" cried the other
children; lets go down." So they
went, and when they were at the bot
tenn of the hollow they found it more
curious than it had seemed from above,
for It was all covered with stones and
pebbles like the beach, with big white
rocks here and there, and such a nice
place to run about in. Round and
round they went, jumping up on the
rocks and hiding behind them and
picking up such funny little scraps of
stones, until suddenly Sophie said:
"Why, how dark it isl" and Marjorie
cried out: 1.-THE sun must have set; we
must climb up and 60 home;;" and they
began to look for the path they had
assembled by, but it seemed to have
actually disappeared. By the time they
found way to get out of the hollow
it was really dark, and as the moon
rose late that night they found it hard
to make their way through the full
grass that grew about them to a path
that they hoped was the way home.
1t must be, Marjorie said, for she could
see the church spire, and all the way
from the place where they got the
moss to the .arm the church spire
could be seen. Still it grew darker,
for as they had left the tall grass they
found that big trees were about them,
and every now and then they struck
against one. Marjorie and Sophie held
Bessie's hands tight, and she did her
best not to cry
"Why, you silly children, they'll fluid
u.s." said Marjorie. pretending that ske
felt no fear herself, though she was
really quivering all over with fright.
1.-THE bears will find us first" gasped
BESSIE. 81 hear one, oh, l hear one
listen"
All listened, and certainly they did
hear a strange noise. Something NOV
ing about with heavy tread and
loud breathing.
Its bear" said Bessie, and she
clune to Marjorie ITS bear!"
Marjorie lifted her up in her arms
and held her tight. BE quiet" she
whispered. 1.-THE bear cannot see US