Year: 1871

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


At that time Willy was very little
fellow; but he knew good deal for boy
of his age Tie knew how to read and
write. lie often wrote letters to his uncles
and auats, which pleased them very much;
for, though he did not write as'grown-up
people do, his letters were just as plain as
prS"t.


S. when his birthday came, one Of his
aunts sent him a little writing book to
carry in his pocket. There was place in
the book for pencil, and bis 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 play;" and
away ran Willy and the dog to have play
together uuder the trees.


WHY'S mamma was very busy; but she
loved her little boy so we'll that she soon
began to miss him. She went to the door
and Looked ont, 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 neighbor to get
help to find his little boy. Poor
Mrs. Lee was almost wild with
fright. The news that lilly was lost
,on 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 Camo bounding into the room
There was string tied round his neck,
an. bit Of paper tied to the string.


Mr. Lee took the paper and saw that 1t
1t said, 80 pa! come to me. am i'll the
big hnl" in the pasture"


Everybody ran a. once to the far cor
| ~ thpra
enough, was Willy, alive and well, in the
shaft Oh! how glad be was when his
dear papa caught hin in his arms aid
! lifted MIN out And his mothcr-l cannot
tell you how glad she was. Sometimes
she cried, aud sometimes she laughed, as
she held him in her arms, and looked into
his face, to be sure that nothing was
wrong " ith bin.


| Now, 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
hims, If on the green grass under the great
trees; and then he though he would run
all over the pasture.


60 he kept On till he came to the shaft.
He went close 10 the edge and sat down
and, in bending over to see how deep it
was, he lost his balance, aud fell in: He
tried very hard to get out, but could not.
H. 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 und"r 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 FIR from tho house, that no
one could hear hiu, He cried and called
till il was dark; and then he lay down on
ground, aid Carer Ia, down close beside
him. How gi4d W:liy was to have his
dog with i.i:li! l. was net long before
Willy crn'i himself to sleep.


When he aH"kc, it WAS morning; and
be began to think of way to get out.
His little writing book was III his p ,cket.
He took it out, and, attcr 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
Capcr's neck, ald tied the letter to it.
Then he lifted the dog up, and helped him
out, and said to him, "Go home, Caper,
20 home" The little deg scampered
away, and was soon at home, and Willy
was sool taken out Of the shaft.-Ihe