he bounded about as
proudly as a young deer with his first pair of antlers. Nothing would
do but he must trip away to the clearing and show them to his father.
It would be something of a venture to permit him; but he had been there
several times with his father, and knew the way, and he was allowed to
go. A kiss to sweet mother, and a kiss to Fanny were given, and one
left for grandmother when she returned with her basket of green corn
for dinner, and away he glided, and Julia looked after and smiled on
his glee, little suspecting what might spring up and harm him on the
path. Hour after hour expired, and Julia's mind ran after the boy; and
she asked her mother again and again if anything would be likely to
befall him. A slight fear occasionally rose, to be suppressed on a
second thought; and evening advanced while yet their hearts were
cheerly and at rest.

A fair and jocund day departed, and suddenly a dark cloud mantled the
heavens, and the moonless night was falling dismal and drear. Fabens
was expected by sunset, and at the usual hour, Julia tripped to the
wood-path with a light heart to meet him, and take his swinging hand in
her own, as she was accustomed to do, and talk all the way to the
house. Hastening on half a mile or more, she spied her husband rising
over a distant eminence, but he came alone! Her fears were all roused
in a moment; she hurried, out of breath, to meet him, and approaching
him, called in a broken voice--"Where is Clinton? where have you left
him?"

"Clinton?" replied Fabens in surprise; "I have not seen him since
morning."

"Not seen him?" ejaculated Julia; "O dear, he started to go to you this
forenoon. I'm afraid he's lost, or the wild beasts have caught him!"

"Started to come to me this forenoon?"

"Yes, I finished his new clothes, and he was so pleased, he wanted to
go and show them to you. 'Twas all done without thinking a moment of
any danger."

"Mercy, Julia! what shall we do? He is gone; here it is coming dark as
pitch,--what _shall_ we do?"

"What can we do? O Lord, help us!--help us!--Dear me, I can never
forgive myself if he's lost or hurt!--Why _did_ I let him go?"

"Hurry home, Julia, and tell father and mother, and I'll run over to
Troffater's; he may be there; Tilly is always teasing children and
coaxing 'em; he may have seen Clinton and coaxed him home with him. He
was chopping by the road when I went along this morning, he may have
coaxed him home: