The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-08-10

directions weswill be able to give
him back to his mother inside Of two
or three hours"
Form into companies Of twenty
five and walk about twenty yards
apart and when you come to
large tree do not fail to walk
around it in opposite directions,
so that if Joe is behind the tree you
will find him, and the signals shall
be three gun shots as follows: One
if you find any trace of him
pause, then one if you find him and
pause and one if he is alive. Are
you all ready? Ifso follow my lead;
go slow and in every direction. |
will go to that large oak tree and you
may hear a gun shot when | get
there, pointing in certain direction
and he was gone, the others doing
as he said. You could hear nothing
save the sound of tramping feet.
can almost see and hear them yet. 1t
was picture that never can be en-
tirely erased from my mind. In less
than an hour there was gun shot
heard; silence reigned as everyone
listened with abated breath. 1t was
an awful moment for those parents.
Two minutes and second shot was
heard. The mother was walking in
the yard and wringing her hands, list
ening for the most welcome signal,
the one that would tell that herr pre-
cous boy was alive. 1t came! Then
shout went up from thousand
throats: Little Joe is found p
The mother was so overjoyed by
this glad news that she could not
stand the suspense any longer and
gave way at the last signal and fell
into the arms of her husband and
my mother. They carried her into
the house and laid her on the bed.
She opened her eyes and asked who
found little Joe? On looking out,
Newton Vann was seeh coming,
walking leisurely down the road as
though there had nothing happened
out of the ordinary, except little Joe
was sitting on his shoulder. He
was at the oak tree, and had been
there nearly all the time since be-
ing lost, making his meals off Of wild
grapes which grew profusely there;
he had seen other searching parties
pass there, but he always managed to
hide from them by going around the
tree. He kept warm also by walk
ing around the oak. He afterwards
said he became wild and was afraid
to go back home.
His mother was overjoyed. New
ton Yam again climbed into the
the wagon and spoke. | remember
it well now, it seems but yesterday.
He said: Little Joe is surely found,
and may he always remain found.
both body and soul, and may he
grow up and make good and USE
full man, and may he become hunt
err of boys and girls souls! l go to
the front tomorrow and may never
return. You know how hard it was to
give up Little Joe; every boy and
girl is just as precious as he is, and
if you do not meet me up there"
pointing up, / will be sad, if one
can be sad there"
He was gone, and word came af-
forwards that he died on the field of
battlefield as he had lived, Chris
tian and a soldier.
What rejoicing there was over lit
tie Joe's return; how happy were
! those parents, and glad was everyone
in that neighborhood
We both grew to manhood and
both had some promise of honorable
standing in church and state. Both
our parents grew tired of this mum
dane shore many years ago, migra-
ting to the Celestial City where sor-
row is unknown. Joe trusted in
God, while / trusted too much in
self. Joe, the last time / heard from
him, was preaching the gospel and
hunting for lost boys and girls, and
trying to bring or return them to
their parents and to God. Joe has
children of his own and knows what
it is to be lost, also knows whatit is to
be found. Joe knows that we are all
some mothers boys and girls and
that we are hiding behind the oak
tree of sin. Joe, if alive tonight is a
man, Christian and soldier, while
I am prisoner occupying felon's
cell. God help us to find ourselves
before it is too late! For what does