The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-03-09

matters, said:
Il know that there is not a man,
woman or child in this community to-
day who in their hearts have not ask
ed God to help them discover the lost
child. However, 1 now propose that
we all kneel down on the ground and
renew our petitions to the Ruler of
earth and sky. Christ spent his life
on earth in searching for the lost,
and died in his efforts to redeem
them"
In a moment the great crowd of men
and boys sank down upon their knees.
and the good man led them in pray
er.
ooh, Cod" he cried, "Thou knowest
our earnest desire, and we implore
Thee to grant it. Our little one is
lost-a tiny lamb has strayed from
the fold-a little sparrow has fallen
Thou, o God. only knowest where.
Lead us, o Lord, in the right direc-
ton. Guide us along the proper path.
In Thy great mercy help us in some
manner to follow the footsteps Of the
little wanderer, and, o God, in Je-
sus' name, let us find her alive"
1 am sure there was not dry eye
among all that large number of peo-
pie, and even strong men sobbed
aloud. At the conclusion of the
prayer, and just at the moment when
some definite plan of search was be-
ing discussed, the tramp of horses
feet was heard, and four horsemen
joined the crowd. Three were white
men, and one a negro. The negro
was leading by a rope an old, poor,
long cared hound.
Explanations quickly followed. Late
in the evening one young man hear
ing of the lost child had galloped
twelve miles to the negroes house,
knowing that he had a dog that was
claimed to have been trained for fol-
lowing the trail of human being The
negro was confident that he could find
the baby, provided he could be shown
the right track, and, while on their
way back, they were Joined by two
other men, all eager to be of some aid
in discovering the whereabouts of the
lost child.
At a matter of fact. the dog did not
impress me as being able to- do the
work. He was most disreputable.
hungry, surly looking old beast, and
looked like he was intended by nature
to hunt hens nests. or lie around the
| back door of a beef market. However,
no harm could come from a trial, so
the men dismounted, and, as people
had been tramping all over the ground
and the wrong trail might be taken,
| it was proposed to carry the dog down
to the river some three hundred yards
away and start him on the footprints
that were supposed to have been made
by the little wanderer
Now all of you bem'en 'cep'n one
who knows what de track is. stay way
back, and don't say all word" said old
Manse the negro, IAN if OATS de right
an de propah track, il Bose don't
'scover dat chile, Ise gwineter kill
i'm. OATS all. Now dis amt no coon
hunt, gem'en, and if he opens on de
trail, you all jes' keep youh moufs shut
and let Bose do all de talkin. Come
on Bose-heah's er big biscuit TO you
now. an if yeu find dat 'J4by, yo'll git
er whole pan full Of 'em when yo gifts
home"
Bose took the biscuit quickly, there
was only one spasmodic gulp and it
was gone.
One man was selected to point out
the track, and they went forward, the
crowd folliwing quietly some distance
in the rear. There was an open
space from the river, reaching back
about fifty yards, and here the crowd
halted and watched the two men as
/ they approached the waters edge