The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-07
BOB,S BABY.


room of Wakesha station. waiting for the
train to come in. Not that he was ex-
pecting to go anywhere-he only wished
he could-but he liked the hustle and
excitement of the scene, and, what was
more to the purpose, he sometimes
picked up stray penny by giving the
porters lift, or standing guard over
some gentleman's traveling-bag, or car
rying some lady's supernumerary par
cells.
On this particular occasion there was
an unusual hustle, for it was Christmas
morning, and the depot was thronged
with those awaiting the arrival of friends
or who were themselves bound on hoG-
day excursion.
Presently the engine, with its long
train of cars, came snorting and thun-
dering up the track, and the crowd
surged forward to the front of the plat
form. Bob-for that was the boys name
was about to do the same when he was
stopped by showily- dressed woman
with a child in her arms.
"Please take my baby for moment, ="
said she. "I've forgotten something"
eyes, ma'am," said Bob, receiving
the child and seating himself on the
trunk again, while the woman, dropping
her traveling-bag at his feet, hurried
away and was lost in the crowd.
Bob waited patiently, not doubling
that she would Immediately return TO
claim her little charge; but the minutes
went by, the whistle sounded, the bell
rang, and the train began to move slowly
out of the depot, and still she did not
appear. Then Bob started up in alarm
and ron toward the departing train, and,
as he did 30, he distinctly saw the wom-
ans face at window.
"Ihe lady-she's left her baby-take
it, somebody" he cried, and held it OFT
to two or three gentlemen who were
rushing into the cars at the last moment
as gentlemen will.
But neither of them seemed inclined
to avail themselves of the offer. The
train novel faster and faster, and finally
whisked out of sight, while Bob still
stood gazing in the direction in which il
had vanished, an image of surprise and
dismay.
"Gineo - exclaimed he then, turning
his eyes from the line of blue smoke
which still hoated above the tree tops tc
the face of the child in his arms and IL
that single word he expressed volumes
"Well, what's the meaning of this 2
asked the depot-master, his attention
now for the first time attracted to The
scene.
"why, you see, the lady asked me t.
hold her baby while she went to ge
something, and she was carried off with
out it."
"The ladyp What lady3"
CT don't know. For never seen he
before"
"Where did she come fromp"
"Don't know. The fust Isee, she wa
standing right in front of me-"
"Where was she going?"
"Dont know. Don't know nothing
about her, only she asked me to hol'
the baby, because she'd forgot some
thing. She left her bag, too; here it's,
pointing with his foot, because his hand
were otherwise engaged, land 1 knoy
she went off in the cars, cause see he
looking out the winder."
There was straightforwardness abou
Bob's story which carried conviction
with il, and none of the little circle, O
which Bob was now the center, though
of doubling its truth.
While the depot-master was deliber
ating what TO say next, rough-lookln
boy about Bob's age, who had left Of
shouting Wakesha Chronicle" to hea
what was going on, cried out