The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
in northern California; had Just stepped 10 the
stand and was giving out the hymn:
Forever with the Lordi
Amenl so let 10 be.

~ n9rtnern Caiiforntal hed Just steppeo 70 tno
stand and was giving out the hymn:
Forever with the Lordi
, Ameni 50 let 10 be.
when, q man named Proudfoot burst into the
"A horsei Tor Gods sake. a horse,"
steps and handed out his wife and parents, but
Just as he reached to take his little touryear-old
boy fromthe back OF the wagon the horses STAN
pcded and were gone in the darkness.
ti9n amonE them Sir. IMinSnsE staFted out to
anything like trscEins impossible. The sesrcSers
which the horses were headed; and in that
fonceless prairie, through mire and gloom. they
at last. possibly a half mile from town. they
came upon the runAways. One horse was down
In the head OF q gully, the other up on the bank;
the child was not there.
Round about they searched for the presumably
tramplcd lad, but no trace was to be found. Their
improvised torches were burning out. A Mr. Reed
remembered an unused cabin half u mile across
the fields, and led a party. thither. to tnd dry
sheep had taken refuge in the cabin from the
storm, and their, beating served to guide the
searchers-. But when they at last found the place
they could not open the door.
A man was boosted up, crawled into the gable
and brought out. the torchNood. When he
II thought / heard a voice in there
No one believed IT,; it must have been some
v VI IN bithtiup SIcep. Out ne InslsJtu. Az
last they forced the reluctant door; and 10. in
In the middle Of the flock. sitting on a box, was
the lost child He did not in real life say
want a chaw OF terbacker.
And that's what's the matter OF me.
He simply said. Here I am, papa quite I'M
abashed by his experience.
How had he come there in the night across the
uncompassed fields. so far from the spilled
wagon God knows. Perhaps he heard the
voice OF the sheep in the storm. and followed 1t.
And how did he pass the door which excited
men could barely force For that Mr.. Winans
says:
Il suppose the door may have been open when
he came. and that the, sheep. crowding hack
from where he sat. closed IL: and that the rain
swclled it SO that it was difficult to open. At
an, rate, l look upon 1t as q Providence by nat
the cabin singing the old long.meter doNology;
and his mother and his grandparents, weeping
knew that ali was well. And that is the true
story that John Hay and his father heard in, my
sermon IN Warsaw. the story which gave, him
Little Brooches He has turned the rain to
snow and the Ministerial Association to a Jug
Of molasses. and taken some minor license with
the story; but !. Is the story OF Proudfoot's little
For the refreshing OF those who may have for.
gotten, the poem follows:
Idon't go much on religion.
never amt had no show;
on the handful o. things I know.
don't pan out on the prophets
But / b'ieve in God and the angels.
Ever since one night last spring.
Icome into town with some turnips.
And my little Gabe come along
No four year.o,d in the county
Could beat him for nr.tty and strongi
Peart and clipper and sassy,
Always ready to swear and hight
And I'd lnrnt him To chaw terbacker
Jest to keep his milk teeth white.
The snow came down like a blanket
As pa'sei by ~Tagsar's store;
went IL for n Jug OF inolas'es
And left the team AZ the door.
They scared at something and started
heard Ore little hnuln.
Aud hell.tosplit over the prairie
Went team. Little BreeChes, and all.
Hell-to-split over the prairie;
was almost froze with skeer;
But we rousted up some torches.
And searched for 'em far and near.
At last we struck HOSES and wagon
Showed under q soft white mound,
Cpsot-dead best-but OF little Gabe
No hide nor hair was found.
And here all hope soured on me.
OF my fellow critters aid;
lest Topped down on my marrow bones
Crotch deep in the snow and prayed.
BY this. thu torches was played out,
And me- md Isrul Parr
Went OF for some wool TO a sheepfold
That he said was somewh ar thar.
We found It at last. and q little shed
Where they shut up the lambs at night,
We looked in and seen them huddled thar.
And thar sot Little breeches and chirped,
A peart as ever you see.
II want q chaw OF terbacker,
And that's what's the matter OF me-"