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Lost On The Plains.

 

A Child Eighteen Hours Among Snapping And Growling Wolves.

     On Saturday evening last. Platteville, Col., was startled by the report that a little girl aged about 9 years, a twin-daughter of a Mr. Suthorland, who recently moved into the neighborhood, was lost on the plains. It appears that the child accompanied her father in search of cattle, and when about two miles out, they found some calves, one of which had a bell attached to its neck. The cows not being in sight, the father directed the child to follow the calves, which he supposed would go directly home, while he would go in search of the cows. It was then half-past 4 P. M. At about 6 o’clock the father returned home, and was horrified to learn that his little daughter had not come in, but was all the while supposed by the mother to be with the father. The alarm was at once given to the people of the village, and some twenty or more persons went out and scoured the country for 6 or 8 miles in every direction, but without success, though some of them were out until 4 o’clock the next morning, and two, one a boy of 17, having themselves been lost, did not reach home until 8 o’clock Sunday morning. On Sunday, some forty men and boys on horseback, and at least twenty on foot, went out, notwithstanding the extremely cold, wet wind, but after hunting all day returned unsuccessful. Again on Monday morning men from every direction went on the hunt, and in the most systematic manner examined a wide strip of country from the Platte to near the Box Elder, and were still looking headed toward home, when a signal gun was heard, by which all knew the child had been found. It appears the little one followed the calves for a time, but as they did not go toward home, she soon became conscious she was lost. At first she says, she wandered around; but hearing the wolves growling around her she started in a straight course, which took her to the Box Elder, and, without knowing what direction she was taking, followed the bed of the creek until daylight. At that time she saw trees on the platte and started for them, arriving at the ranch of Mr. John Beebe, about 4 miles below Evans, at 10 o’clock Sunday morning, having traveled constantly for eighteen hours, and probably a distance of not less than 25 miles. When asked if she was not frightened, she said no. She said the wolves kept close to her heels and snapped at her feet; but that her mother had told her that if she was good the Lord would always take care of her, and so she knew the wolves could not hurt her, because God wouldn’t let them. After being kept at the house of Mr. Beebe until the following day [Monday] she was brought home as sound and fresh as through she had only taken a short walk of 10 or 12 miles.

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