Year: 1871

his father lived in mining country, where
lead is found under the ground. In
searching for lead, the miners begin by
digging a large round hole, which they
call a shaft. There was shaft in Mr..
Lees pasture, which some miners had be-
gun, but had abandoned before it was very
deep.


At that time Willy was a very little
fellow; but he knew a good deal for boy
of his age. He knew how to read and
write. He often wrote letters to his uncles
and aunts, which pleased them very much I;
for, though he did not write as grown-up
people do, his letters were just as plain as
print.


So when his birthday came, one of his
aunts sent him little writing book to
carry in his pocket. There was place in
the book for a pencil, and his aunt had
put nice little red pencil in it, so that
Willy might write just when he pleased.
Willy thought a great deal of this little
book, and always kept it in his pocket.


One day he called his dog, and said,
"Come, Caper, let us have a play" and
away ran Willy and the dog to have play
together under the trees.


WHY'S mamma was very busy; but she
loved her little boy so well that she soon
began to miss him. She went to the door
and looked out, and could not see Willy
anywhere; but she knew that Caper was
with him, and thought they would come
back before long. She waited an hour,
and still he did not come. Then she went
out to look for him.


When she came to the gate by the road,
she met Mr.. Lee, and told him how long
Willy had been gone. Mr.. Lee thought he
must have gone to sleep under some of
the trees, for the weather was very warm.
So they went to all the trees under which
Willy was in the habit of playing, and
called him, and called Caper, but they
were no where to be found.


By this time the sun had gone down.
Mr.. Lee ran to q neighbor to get
help to find his little boy. Poor
Mrs. Lee was almost wild with
fright. The news that Willy was lost
sOon spread over the neighborhood; and
all the men and women turned out to hunt
They hunted all night; but Willy was not
to be found.


When daylight came, Mr.. Lee got home,
looking very pale, and his voice trembled
as he spoke of his darling boy. As to the
poor mother, her heart seemed to be
breaking.


The neighbors were gathered round, and
all were trying to think what to do next,
when Caper came bounding into the room.
There was string tied round his neck,
and bit of paper tied to the string.


Mr. Lee took the paper, and saw that it
was letter from Willy. He read it aloud.
1t said, 20 pal come to me. am In the
big hole in the pasture"


Everybody ran at once to the far cor
ner of the pasture, and there, sure
enough, was Willy, alive and well, in the
shaft. OIL how glad he was when his
dear papa caught him in his arms and
lifted him out And his mother-I cannot
tell you how glad she was. Sometimes
she cried, and sometimes she laughed, as
she held him in her arms, and looked into
his face, to be sure that nothing was
wrong with him.


Now, 1 will tell you how Willy came to
be in the shaft. He was playing with
Caper in the yard, when he thought he
would climb over the fence and take lit
tie run in the pasture. He soon found
himself on the green grass under the great
trees and then he though he would run
all over the pasture.


So he kept on till he came to the shaft.
He went close to the edge and sat down;
and, in bending over to see how deep 1t
was, he lost his balance, and fell in He
tried very hard to get out, but could not.
He could Just reach the top of the shalt
with his hand, but no farther.


When his good little dog saw that his
master was in the shaft, he would not
leave him, but ran round and round,
reaching down, and trying to pull him
out; but, while Caper was pulling Willy
by the coat-sleeve, a piece of sod gave
way under his feet, and he fell in too.


Willy called his mother and father as
loudly as he could, but the corner of the
pasture was so far from the house, that no
one could hear him He. cried and called
till it was dark; and then he lay down on
ground, and Caper lay down close beside
him. How glad Willy was to have his
dog with himI 1t was not long before
Willy cried himself to sleep.


When he awoke, it was morning; and
he began to think of a way to get out.
His little writing book was in his pocket
He took it out, and, after good deal of
trouble, wrote the letter to his papa.
Then he tore the leaf out, and took a
string out of his pocket, and tied it round
Caper's neck, and tied the letter to it,
Then he lifted the dog up, and helped him
out, and said to him, I" Go home, Caper,
90 home" The little dog scampered
away, and was soon at home, and Willy
was soon taken out of the shaft.-Ths
Nursery.