The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-10-27
LIST IN A CORN FIELD.
NEBRASKNS. FIELDS ARE MEAS
UEED BY MILES.
People Search Through Forty Eight
Square Miles for Stray Child
During a Thunderstorm.
From the Omaha world. Herald.

During Thunderstorm.
From the Omaha World Herald.
Eastern people have but a faint idea of
the vastness of Nebraska corn fields, and
it is more than likely that comparatively
few Nebraskans realize that the states
corn fields are often to be measured by
square miles instead of acres.
Fairfield, Clay county, is set in
the midst of the finest corn land in the
state. On the vest side of the town was
a corn field fully ten miles long by six
wide, broken here and there by narrow
roadways that mark section lines. One
evening word was sent up town that the
1-yearold boy of a family named Jack
son was lost in the field. Heavy black
clouds were coming up rapidly and ter
rible thunderstorm was promised. The
lads mother was an INVALID, and the
news Of her sons trouble shocked her
into insenSi biHty.
4 haSty search Of the outer limits If
the field failed to reveal the boy, and
darkness soon came, followed by a heavy
rain. BY 8 O'Clock 200 men and boys,
with halt AS many lanterns and a dozen
torches, gathered about the jackson
home TO begin a systematic search for
the lost child. Each man was assigned
to the t9sk of covering fOurrOWs Of corn.
and then, 200 abreast the little army
started out in the darkness, mud and
rain. Hour after hour they marched
across the MANN til field, but without
finding any trace OF the little fellow.
Reports from the house were to the eff
feCt that the mother was rapidly sink
ing, and the recovery of her boy would
be her only salvation. This spurred the
tired searchers to renewed efforts, and
for another two hours the search was
prolonged.
A few of the searchers dropped from
sheer exhaustion, but the ranks were
closed up. The first four miles of the
field were thoroughly covered by mid
night, but the chilli was not found. At
midnight hasty lunch was partaken Of
by the searchers, and after few mo-
ments' rest the search of the west half Of
the great field was begun.
About 2 o'clock in the morning the
rapid firing of revover attracted the at
tentIon Of the searchers.
'Hello" came voice from out the
darkness. seemingly a mile away
Hello theTeW was the answer sent
back.
For a moment all was silent, and then
came a shout that set he searchers to
cheering like mad, The voice from out
the darkness said:
We've found the boy
A young man belonging to the party of
searchers had started down a little road
to cross back to the searching party, and
by the dim rays of his lantern saw the
lost boy sleeping quietly in little patch
Of weeds by the roadside. His dirty little
face was tear-stained, his bare legs cru
ely cut By the corn blades, and his little
trock was torn and filed by the burrs.
The searching party gathered around
the lad, and all started back by the road
to the town, Runners were sent ahead
to convey the glad news, and when the
party reached the Jackson home it was
met by another party equally large, but
made up of wives and mothers and
Sweethearts
The boys mother clasped her babe to
her breast and tried to thank the search
ers, but tears choked her utterances.
The father tried 10 thank them, but he.
too, failed. But the sight of the mother
straining her little one to her bosom re-
paid the weary searchers, and with re-
sounding cheers they dispersed.
1t will be many long years ere the peo-
pie of Fairfield forget that black and
stormy night when they searched about
forty eight square miles of corn fields
for the lost boy. That's the kind of corn
helds we have in Nebraska. No wonder
that ours is the greatest corn-producing
state in the union.