Year: 1874







LITTLE WILLIE.


1t frightened us a good deal when we
found the little dead body. This is the
way it was. We were three country
lads going home across lots at noon
for our dinner. In passing q lonely
pasture ground we saw little basket
lying ahead of us upon the grass. We
made a race for it and Ed captured the
prize; a little farther on we picked up
small hat which we at once recognized
as Willie Dedrick's. Then we turned
the angle of zig-zag rail fence, and
there in the corner, iammed clofe 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 up to him. He was dead, and his
plump little features were all blackened
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
unlocked. for manner. We asked each
other what Walter and Mary would dc
when they should hear of this ; Willie
was the only boy they had. And then
the question came up what we ought te
do under such circumstances. There
was no one in sight to tell us. II
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. 1t seemed nat
ural and right at first that we shoult
take the chubby little boy and carry
him home. But we shrank from the
presence of death even in the form oI
little Willie; and, beside that, we had
certain dim and confused ideas, as coun
try lads do who re d the city newspa
pers, tha5somehow a coroner was nee
essary, and that it would not be Lawful,
or safe for lis to NEEDLE 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, anC
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
vas very eminent. Here were three
lads, seated upon three fragments o
the ancient granite which strews tht
northern slope of the Adirondack noun
tains, and below them stretched thu
wild woods, away to the valley of tht
mighty st. Lawrence; and in theil
midst, upon that bright summer day
sat the skeleton king, with his awfu
sceptre and his iron crown, pressing
upon their young hearts those matches
terrors which have ruled the worlt
since time began.


1t wasan august presence, and the beyi
felt their responsibility more than mem
hers of councils ordinarily do. Thei
final conclusion was, that one of thei
number must 60 and tell Walter ant
Mary, while the other two watched th,
body. It required quite as much cour
age as wisdom to reach this conclusion
for to tell the parents was task tn
boys dreaded.


The lot was cast, country-boy fashion
with three blades of grass, to determin,
who should be the messenger of evi
tidings. The lot fell upon Phil. and h
Immediately rose up to start. Ed sug
gested at this point that in sending wor,
the death ought to be ascribed to som
cause. The boys had been very mucl
puzzled from the first to know wha
could have done it. They gael abou
the pasture ground to discsvcr wha
suggestion could be made. There wer
a couple of horses, some COWS, and som
sheep grazing in a distant part Of til
inclosure. As soon as it was sueges
ted that one of the horses might perhap
have done it by kicking Willie, the boy
accepted that as the natural and III
doubted solution of the mystery. An
so Phil took that word with him.


Phil went upon little trot throug
| the lot and down the bank, moving raj
idly, SO that his heart might not hay
time to quail or shrink and il lei
than five minutes he stood by the littl
house near the pond.


He looked at the door, which WI
wide open upon this summer day, an
there he saw Walter and Mary. Wa
ter sat cleaning the lock of his ria
while the gun itself was lying aero
his lap. Doubtless Phil's face vi
somewhat pale a. he went in at Il
door, for Mary looked at him as if al
saw something there, and dreaded it.


The lad had good sense he did n,
blurt out the sad news suddenly. F
said to Walter, in a quiet way. "Wi
YOU please step out of the door wi
me; l wish to see you"


It was the earnestness of the voic
perhaps, that caused the man to p
aside his gun and obey so quickly.


When they we're out of the hou
Phil said, "I have bad news for yoJ
we have found your little son in the lc
kicked by q horse, and we are afra
that he is so bad that he is dead"


Phil had thought of this way of sa
ing it before he got to the house. VIII,
he said dead, Walter gave little stal
and said, els he dead ?" #.#t


Phil had to say, "Yes, we are afra
he is, and we think he is"


"Walter stepped into the cottage, al
Phil stood at the door to see how


would tell Mary. Walter said, witho
any preface, "Mary, our little Willie
deadP"


"That was not a prudent thing" t


boy thought, as the tragic words fl
upon his ear, and fixed themselves
his memory.


, The effect of the words upon Ma
reminded the boy of the way he b
/ seen rihe-shot tell upon rabbit
partridge. The woman passed thEouI
: a kind Of Autter or shudder for q n
, ment, and then sank straight down il
! little heap upon the floor. Then I,
) lowed series OF quick gasps and cate
, ing for breath, and short exclamatio
: of t Oh. dear oh. dear |" and then