Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-08-14
HEART OF THE WORLD.
NY ADELINB KNAPP.

Only here and there % lanceolate beam
touched the hills, from the crimson ball
going out to sea through the golden
gate. There was n scent of lilies in the
air, mingling with the moro wonted
perfume of February roses. The hum
of the city sounded far away, and the
song of meadow lark could be heard
from treetop.
The door of the house stood open, re-
Evealing broad hall. There was sug-
gestion, in the dim light, Of waving ferns
Iund the silvery CLEAN of a fountain, in
bthe conservatory ut one side. From
Ihe doorjamb there Ywayed in the
hreeze long ends of soft, snowy ribbon,
holding in place q cluster of white
Iroscs.
In the center of stately apartment
That opened upon the hail stood n tiny
evphite casket on slender pillars. Two
lenndles burned at it's head. BY q Win
isow q man sat gazing with unseeing
keyes, in the creeping shadows of the
trees. A woman lay in crushed heap
snong the pillows of divan. Neither
Bad moved for n long time. The little
form in the white casket had been their
RIl. Now it lay scarcely stiller than
they.
Suddenly the silence was broken by
fthe sound of n woman's voice, high
pitched and clear.
"Willy! Willy! oh, Willy!" it cried.
EA friend within the house hastened to
6he door. Along pathway through
the shrubbery q handsomely-dressed
rsromam appeared. "Oh!" she ex-
Eelaimed, advancing; "have you seen a
1Ettle boy about four years old? My lit
tTe boy is lost! Some one said they saw
aim come in here. cannot find him;
Rnd am afraid Inc has fallen some
Ehere in the sand dunes."'
Shave you notified the police?"
"Dong ago. They are all on the
lookout for him. But he may be buried
i'm the sand. We have been searching
for hours. Oh, have lost two little
ones through death, but never felt Us
% do this moment!"
The mothers heart walled forth be-
hind the cultured woman's enforced
seomposure.
The woman who had been lying
kzmong the cushions came through the
Aall to the door.
'What is it?" she asked.
! The friend put her arm about her and
fHould have drawn her back; but the
stranger spoke.
my little boy is lost" she said, ex-
Ecitedly. "lIe is only four years old.
We are afraid he is among the sand
pdunes."
"Oh!" cried the younger woman,
II am so sorry! Is there nothing we
lean do? Cannot we help you look for
Balm? The poor little fellow! Think OF
him all alone in the dunes! How did
be happen| And she put her hand in
Ethe strangers for sympathy.
I The latter was full of her story OF
yenming home from round of calls to
find the child missing and the other
Iehi1dren seeking him. Even as she
spoke, voices could be heard calling
from the sand dunes: "Willy! Willy.
tOh, Willy"
"I must CO." cried the mother. "Oh,
EWhere can he be?"
AS she turned passing zephyr blew
the white ribbon on the doorpost
Etraight out across her check. She
started back, dismayed.
\ "Why," she cried, "you have dead
Iehild in this house!"
''Yes." said the other mother; "my
only child, little boy just four years
old, died this morning"
i''Oh." she cried, "do forgive me!
am so sorry. did not know. Dear
Fhcart! to think 1 should have troubled
Eyou. I, too, have lost two children by
death; but this is more terrible. My
little boy You see, do not know
svaherc he IS"
! ct know" the other said, calmly.
Nou. Oh, am sure you will find him
Iet me go with you. We will search
Together. Not to know where youI
baby is! An. what trouble there is in
1.-THE world!"
Y She seized wrap, and the two wom'
len went down the walk together. Al
che corner they We're met by boy o.
fperhaps dozen years.
"Some children say they met a little
fboy like yourn goin' down toward Nortl
Beach" he said.
They husried down the hilly street
/ Have you seen anything of e littl,
hoy. about four years old, playing abow
Ehrre?" ash ID Will mother of home
Ew@rd-bound laborer. "My little boy is
nost"
''Shure, mem, now, that's very bad,
m Pm sorry" the man said, halting;
Tanebby he'd be at tn paice, station ?"
r mo, I've telephoned all the stations.
Some one thought they saw him down
Aere. What shall do?"
+ The face of the big, rough man
worked sympathetically.
"I'll kape me eyes open ez go along
Rtome, men," he said; IAN mebby I'll
kee tn little feller Tut, nowl What if
twore me own little Tim? He's just
four years old, the rascal. an 'twad kill