The sea coast echo., 1897-09-11
"JANNIE." 4" "
BY GEORGE ]. souTHw1CK.
>A~%%~~eu1ee~~~>%>u~vnH
Little Jamie was lost.

Little Jamie was lost.
Down through the valley they
carried the cry, over tho snow-drifted
hills toward Munster, into the bleak
ravines of Quakerton where the fox
finds refuge from the pitiless winter
and the scarce kindlier hunters prowl-
ings, and where the waters sullenly
roar on under the tons of overhang-
ing ice. Jamie was lost-little Jamie
the lime-burner's son, the joy of the
little world of Macklin, enshrined in
many hearts.
The wise ones were gathering in the
village forums of onsultaton-the
hotel office, with its great sheet-iron
stove ablaze with good cheer, the post
office grocery, with its convenient seats
of counsel on cracker barrels and soap
boxes-but the usual banter and chat
ter of the hour was forgotten. A soul
stirring alarm possessed all, a touching
fear, and resolution to act and with
instant promptness. Somewhere
through the wildness that walled them
in with ice-crowned battlements on
every side, little Jamie had wandered
away, none knew whittier. The night
was coming on-the dread, bleak night
OF northern winter, moonless aud
'starless, with grim black spaces be :
tween swallowing up human atoms
like snowflakes. Never seemed
task so hopeless as when a score of
strong souls, generated by the heart
broken father, plunged into the great
drifts toward Esperence, calling, call
ing, the shrill shrieks reverberating
through the pathless valleys, answer
ing each other with demon echoes
through the low chorus of the winter
wind, each time the cry more despair
ing, more expressive of losing hope,
For, who within the reach of that
rumor of tragedy but suffered as for
the loss of his dearly own? Poor old
Williston Marlowe What would be-
come of him now How had his
many hardships been crowned by one
annihilating blow A little tinge of
rebellion against the decree of Provi-
dence sprang up in many bosom, and
it was but human. Why was the old
lime-burner scourged beyond his due?
For many years in their midst
this strong soul had labored faithfully,
and had made himself home worthy
of her whom he loved and took to his
heart to become the mother of this her
only child. Then one summers night
the flames from. forest conhagration
rained upon it n baptism of fire, and
within an hour that home of peace lay
ruin. Soon came the little child like
q benediction of heaven through the
sorrowing night, but the Joy seemed
too great. The patient mother lin
gered day, and then went out on
that long journey whence her little son
had come like glad tidings from affair.".
And now little Jamie was lost.
Now and then on that blind search the
father paused in the difficult way so
that his small army of followers,
armed with slaves and lanterns, un-
flinching under the winters scourg-
ing, might catch up with him, They
found the old man raving, with hope
all but dead in his heart, remorse eat
ing at his soul like poison. Yes,
remorse. Boys" he would plead aud
plead again, 1--WE must find him-we
must find little Jamie tonight. For,
if we don't-if we don't, by the God
of our fathers, l swear that / shall
never go back to Macklin-never
never l shall lay down the cross
here and never look upon the face ol
heaven again. And when strong,
comforting hauds were laid upon his
great shoulders and tender encourage.
ments came brokenly, he would chat
ter on vaguely ''You see, it was all
Pinto, little Jannie's shepherd dog.
The playful little beast had scratched
him with his teeth-iust ON the
dimpled fingers; but the sight of blood
angered me. / vowed to kill the brute,
and little Jamie must have under.
stood my meaning, for within an houl
they were gone-both of them
don't know whither-probably TOWARD
Esperence, where the boys grand
father lives-and Esperence is eighteen
miles away. If he started thither, h,
will perish on the way" Then, will
untold bitterness: "You see it is al
my fault. The lad loved the littl,
beast, and was angry, God forgive
But that little stain of blood acros,
the chubby fngers-I couldn't stant
it, that's all for Jamie is all th,
world to me now. 1t was love thai
erred-more love. in this bosom than
ever dared confess to heaven, for fea,
that the dear child should be takeI
from me, just as his mother was, be
cause of this over-fondness. Cry ou
again, boys Louder louder ! M,
voice is all gone--he would never hea
me now but you
| Hush--hark
The scattered little battalion haltet
as one man. On that desperate march
while the monotony of dread wa
broken only by the fathers rawlings,
keen ear at the extreme left caugh
the echoes of strange wall born
upon the mournful winds-shriek Of
beast, yet with n voice more than hal
human, so pitiful, SO despairing Wit
wide, staring eyes the little ban
peered into the depths, moveless