The Lost Children.


An incident occurred in

the year 1839, in the State of Vermont, which

I will relate to you. On a bright summer 

afternoon, two sisters, one aged nine, and the

other about three years, left their home to pick

 berries.

They wandered away over the hills, and

through the spruce thickets that abound in some

portions of that State, until they were weary and

began to think of home; but scores of little by 

paths led their feet in different directions, and 

the right way home they could not find. Night 

was approaching and they were terrified with 

the thought of being lost.

They heard the woodman's ax in the distance, so

they climbed upon a log and called loudly for 

"pa" to come and take them home, but no one 

came to their rescue. Soon heavy clouds 

gathered, the lightnings flashed, the thunders

 pealed, and the rain fell heavily upon them. It

 was now getting quite dark, and they sought

 shelter in an old log building that stood back far

 away from inhabitants, and had long been 

desolated. Trembling with fear

they crept to one corner of the room, the broken

roof hardly affording them a shelter, and seated

themselves in some old broken chairs.

At length the oldest said, "Let us pray." They

then knelt down and in childish simplicity asked

the Lord to take care of them. The eldest then 

resumed her seat, and taking her little sister's

 head in her lap quieted her to sleep, while with

 wakeful eyes and sobbing heart she passed the

 long, dreary hours of night.

The hour of midnight came and passed. But let

us leave them for a little while, and go with me

 in your imagination across the hills to their 

home. The almost frantic mother is riding at full

 speed on horseback from one neighbor to 

another to gain tidings if possible of the lost, 

children, while others are preparing for a 

thorough search at day-break It would have 

been very unfortunate for the little girls had 

they not been found till day-break, for

 they had determined to start in a wrong

 direction the next morning, which would have

 led them   farther and farther away from home

 into the thick wood, but no doubt the Lord had

 heard their prayer, for they were rescued.

As the tidings reached the woodman, before 

mentioned, he remembered hearing the cries of

 children in the woods, and with another man set

 out in search of them. They resolved not to eat

 or sleep until they had found them. They at 

length found their way to the old building. The

 children were very much frightened as they

 entered, supposing the Indians had come to 

take them, but their fears were dispelled when 

they were informed that they had come to take 

them home.

The sound soon rang across the hills, "The lost

children are found!" "The lost children are

"found!" Soon they were made happy in greeting

father, mother, brothers and sisters, and

 sympathizing friends.

More than twenty years have now passed since

this incident occurred. The youngest of these

 sisters is now trying to keep the 

commandments of God, and often lifts a prayer

 to him for her sister who so kindly watched 

over her during that fearful night.

Dear children, and youthful friends, Are you lost

in the dark mazes of sin? Do the by-paths of folly

and sinful pleasure lead your unwary feet away

from the strait path that leads to our Father's 

house?

Oh! Seek a shelter in Christ. Seek the guidance

of the Holy Spirit, and may the glad tidings soon

greet our ears that "the lost is found." A fearful

storm is gathering to fall upon the wicked. May

 you and I be sheltered in that day, and finally

 reach the home of all the good and blessed.





C. M. COBURN.