Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-05-06
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY ADELINE KNAPP.

Gray shadows were creeping over the
sand dunes beyond Pacific Heights.
Only here and there lanceolate beam
touched the hills, from the crimson ball
going out to sea through the golden
gate. There was scent of lilies in the
air, mingling with the more wonted
perfume of February roses. The hum
OF the city sounded far away, and the
song of a meadow lark could be heard
from treetop.
The door of the house stood open, re-
vealing broad hall. There was sug-
gestion, in the dim light, of waving ferns
and the silvery CLEAN of fountain, in
the conservatory at one side. From
the doorjamb there swayed in the
breeze long ends of soft, snowy ribbon,
holding In place cluster of white
roses.
In the center of stately apartment
that opened upon the hall stood tiny
white casket on slender pillars. Two
candles burned at its head. By win
dow q man sat gazing with unseeing
eyes, in the creeping shadows of the
trees. A woman Lay in crushed heap
among the pillows of divan. Neither
had moved for long time. The little
form in the white casket had been their
all. Now it lay scarcely stiller than
they.
Suddenly the silence was broken by
the sound of a woman's voice, high
pitched and clear.
willy! Willy! oh, Willy!" it cried.
A friend within the house fastened to
the door. Along a pathway through
the shrubbery handsomely
woman appeared. "Oh!" she ex-
claimed, advancing; shave you seen a
little boy about four years old? My lit
tie boy is lost! Some one said they saw
him come in here. I cannot find him;
and 1 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, have lost two little
ones through death, but never felt as
1 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, OK
citedly. "He is only four years old.
We are afraid he is among the sand
Dunes"
"Oh!" cried the younger woman,
81 am so sorry! Is there nothing we
can do? Cannot we help you look for
him? The poor little fellow! Think of
him all 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 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.
oh, Willy"
81 must CO." cried the mother. ooh,
Where can he be?"
AS she turned a passing zephyr blew
the white ribbon on the doorpost
straight out across her cheek. She
started back, dismayed.
why" she cried, "you have a 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! I
am so sorry. I did not know. Dear
heart! to think I should have troubled
you. /, too, have lost two children by
death; but this is more terrible. My
little boy! You see, do not know
where he is"
II know" the other said, calmly.
"You must let us do what we can for
you. Oh, am sure you will find him.
Let me go with you. We will search
together. Not to know where your
baby isl All, what trouble there is in
the world!"
She seized a wrap, and the two wom-
en- went down the walk together. At
the corner they were met by boy of
perhaps dozen years.
''Some children say they met little
boy like yourn goin' down toward North
Beach," he said.
They hurried down the billy street.
''Have you seen anything of little
boy. about four years old, playing about
here r asked WHY'S mother of home