Year: 1874




way it was. We were three country
lads going home across lots at noon
for our dinner. In passing a lonely
pasture ground we saw a little basket
lying ahead of us upon the grass. We
made race for it and Ed Captured the
prize; littlo farther on we picked up
a small hat which we at once recoonizea
as Willie Dedriclk's. Then we turned
the angle Of Kig-zag rail fence, and
there in the corner, iammed clos e under
the bottom rail, was beautiful little
Willie, only five years old.
His clothing was torn and bloody
and he did not move We felt a little
afraid because he was so still, but we
went mp to him. He was dead. and his
plump little features were all biackened
with bruises.


1t shocked us very much. Only three
hours before we had been playing with
Willie at the pond. We felt that it was
a terrible thing to find him dead in this
unlooked.for manner. We asked each
other what Walter and Mary would do
when they should hear of this; Willie
was the only boy they had. And then
the question came up what we ougbt to
do under s1uh circumstances. There
was no one in sight to tell us. It
was suggested that we might take up
the body and carry it home to Walter
and Mary it was not far through the
lot and down the bank, to the pond
where their home was. It seemed nat
ural and right at first that we should
take the chubby little boy and carry
him home. But we shrank from the
presence of death even in the form of
little Willie; and, beside. that, we had
certain dim and confused ideas, as coun-
try lads do who re ID the city newspa-
perS, that somehow a coroner was nee
essary, and that it would not be lawful
or safe for us to meddle with Willie.
thus strangely found dead from an un-
known cause.


So we sat down upon the large stones
near by Willie, and held a council.
There was no chairman appointed, and
no secretary, and none of the surround
ings that ordinarily belong to delibera-
tive bodies ; nevertheless, in all the es-
sentials of great council this occasion
was very eminent. Here were three
lads, seated upon three fragments OF
the ancient granite 81 hich strews the
northern slope of the Adirondack noun
tains, and below them stretched the
wild woods, away to the valley of the
mighty st. Lawrence; and in their
midst, upon that bright summer day,
sat the skeleton king, with his awful
sceptre and his iron crown, pressing
upon their young hearts those matchless
terrors which have ruled the world
since time began.


1t was an august presence, and the boys
felt their responsibility more than mem
bers of councils ordinarily do. Their
final conclusion was, that one of their
number must go and tell Walter and
Mary, while the other two watched the
body. 1t required quite as much cour-
age as wisdom to reach this conclusion,
Tor to tell the parents was a task the
boys dreaded.


The lot was cast, country boy fashion,
with three blades of grass, to determine
who should be the messenger of evil
tidings. The lot fell upon Phil. and he
Immediately rose up to start. Ed sug-
gested at this point that in sending word
the death ought to be ascribed to some
cause. The boys had been very much
puzzled from the first to know what
could have done it. They gael about
the pasture ground to discover what
suggestion could be made There were
couple of horses, some COWS, and some
sheep grazing in a distant part of the
inclosure. AS sooE as it was sugges-
ted that one of the horses might perhaps
have done it by kicking Willie, the boys
accepted that as the natural and un-
doubted solution of the mystery. And
so Phil took that word with him.


Phil went upon little trot through
the lot and down the bank, moving rap
idly, so that his heart might not have
time to quail or shrink; and IL less
than five minutes he stood by the little
house near the pond.


He looked at the door, which was
wide open upon this summer day, and
there he saw Walter and Mary. Wal
ter sat cleaning the lock of his rife,
while the gun itself was lying across
his lap. Doubtless Phil's face was
somewhat pale a he went in at Ehe
door, for Mary looked at him as if she
saw something there, and dreaded it.


The lad had good sense he did moi
blurt out the sad news suddenly. he
said to Walter, in a quiet way, will
You please step out of the door with
me; l wish tC see you"


1t was the earnestness of the voice
perhaps, that caused the man to put
aside his gun and obey so quickly.


When they were out of the house
Phil said, "I have bad news for you
we have found your little son in the lot
kicked by n horse, and we are afraid
that he is so bad that he is dead.


Phil had thought of this way of say
ing it before he got to the house. Wher
he said dead, Walter gave little start
and said, els he dead ?"


Phil had to say, eyes, we are afraid
he is, and we think he is.


walter stepped into the cottage, and
Phil stood at the door to see how ht
would tell Mary. Walter said, withou
any preface, Mary, our little Willie il
dead?"


"That was not prudent thing" tn,
boy thought, as the tragic words fel
npon his ear, and fixed themselves II
his memory.


The effect of the words upon Mar,
reminded the boy of the way he haC
seen rifie-shot tell upon a rabbit o.
partridge. The woman passed through
a kind of hutter or shudder for a mo
ment, and then sank straight down in
little heap upon the floor. Then fol
lowed a series of quick gasps and catch
ing for breath, and short exclamation
of oh, dear oh, dear !" and then tn,
stihed shrieking began.


Walter took his wife up in his stronJ
arms, aud tried to undo in part the sa,
work which had been accomplished upol
her by the few words he had so sudden
ly and imprudently uttered. He sal,
that Willie might not be dead after all
but only hurt. And so he placed he
upon bed, and he and Phil left he
there, and started to go and see Willie


Not many words were said as the ma
and boy climbed the bank, and strod
hastily along to the fatal spot. AS the.
neared it, there sat the two watchers
faithful to their post, and as still 4
statues.


Phil and Walter turned the angle G
the fence, and the father came upon tn
body OF his little son. he had nc
seemed stricken with grief until now