River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-11-15

greater and greater every minute. But
Tot does not look at the carriages or
the cabs, or the people much; they
wave about SO strangely, and, instead
of going forward IN straight line,
they move in circle round and round.
She cannot help, now and then, tumb.
ling up against the people, too, for
they are continually vanishing and APP
pearing here, there, and everywhere, in
q most confusing manner; but she
manages to get along, stumbling dizzi.
ly, and the crowd grows thicker and
thicker. Suddenly all the carriages
and cabs go off at a tangent from the
circle, and rush away toward great
building on the left side of the road.
1t is so big that Tot cannot see where
it begins or where 1T ends; she can see
only an enormous open door, out of
which a bright light is streaming. She
has never seen such place before so
she pushes her way through the crowd
close to the door. The carriages drive
up, and ladies and gentlemen get out
of them, and go into the building.
How very beautiful they are! And
they keep coming and coming. Hun
dreds there must be, Tot thinks. And
they are ALI quite clean; and their
dresses are red and blue and gold and
silver, most wonderful to see. Tot
longs to know where all the people go,
for she feels sure she should find what
she wants there, She can see them go
in pretty well, though they wave about
strangely; but when they get into the
bright light she can only distinguish q
confused mass of color At last her
curiosity grows so strong, that she feels
she must find out the meaning of 1t all /;
so, gathering together all the strength
at her command, she makes a rush
straight at the door, runs up some steps,
past two policemen, who are too aston
ished to stop her (although she does
not know that. and is stumbling along
wide passage, to the extreme wonder
of the ladies dressed in red and blue,
and gold and silver, when suddenly a
third policeman appears in her path.
Tot tries to dodge him; but she is too
feeble to have any chance of escape,
and the policeman, with consummate
ease, captures and secures her by a
good grasp of her hair. He knows her
hair is to be trusted, though her rags
are not. Tots head feels lighter than
ever; she fancies it is getting away
from her body, but she cannot be sure.
ALI the people she passes look long
way off; and as for the policeman, he
is mile away, though he does not hold
her so firmly.
$50 you have managed to make a
capture, policeman-a strange one for
the place." And the speaker looks GU
riously at Tot, and Tot looks at him.
He is tall man, with a great waving
mass of golden hair thrown back from
his face; and he has big eyes, and, like
all the other people, is long way off.
"a vagabond, my lord-after hand
kerches, my lord" And policeman re.
leases Tot from the grasp of his right
hand and seizes her again with his
left, that he may touch his hat proper
ly to my lord.
81 amt. I wants to see inside, u
says Tot feebly.
What long way off her voice is.
She knows now that her head has really
got away.
so you want to see inside says
my lord.
Tot looked up at him. She had
learned to read faces, and is not a bit
afraid OF this one
eyes" she answers.
Policeman smiles knowingly, and
says, soto voce, "Trust her or any of
'em for saying yes" He would have
preferred to say this aloud; but lie has
seen my lord" before, and is not sure
how he will take it.
"No," answers Tot.
She means to tell the truth, but she
has to think little before she is quite
sure what she really does feel. No, she
does not feel hungry, she does not feel
cold. 1t is very strange, but the only
feeling she has is an intense longing to
see "inside." She would like to know
why everything seems so far of, and
why her head has gone from her body;
but she does not care very much about
that: what she wants is to see inside"
My lord is in strange mood this
night, and strange idea seized him.
"Leave the child with me, helbe-
gins.
''But, my lord" says Policeman,
doubtfully.
"Have you seen her take anything
Noe Then you are quite safe in lesv-
ing her." .
Policeman releases Tot, and my lord
utterly indifferent to the fact that all
who pass by stare hard him and the
child says with pretty smile:
My little ragged girl, we will go to-
gether aud see this wonderful inside !;
but remember when you get there to re-
pay me for my great kindness by ex-
hibiting the most extreme astonish-
ment. Have you name?"
Tot looks up at iiim in doubt; but
his face treasures her. for IL is very