The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-02-07

IHE hED DODDeQ
against my best bonnet, and then flew
away up in the air again to the tune of
a little chuckling laugh, just as l was
taking a seat in the cars mi day last
week. l could not think where the red
bubble came from, until when it bounced
down and hit the spectacles on an old
gentleman's nose, l looked over the seat
in front, and saw sitting on the floor and
holding the string a merry-eyed little
boy.
he laughed again when he saw he
was discovered, and then the corners of
his. mouth went down instead of up,
for the old gentleman made a snatch at
the balloon string, and glared at it so
iercely with his spectacles askew, that
l felt sure he meant to throw the saucy
thing out of the window.
"Oh, if you please" said Bright
Eyes, scrambling up from the floor,
that is mine, and Pm sorry it hit you'll
I'll be careful next time"
"Better bel" said the old gentleman,
in a gruff tone.
Bright Eyes turned rather red, pulled
the balloon down, and slid into the seat
by nay side.
"Im going to see my cousin" said
Bright Eyes. His birthday and mine
are alike, but we're not real twins.
Isn't my mamma pretty good to let me
60 twenty miles in the cars alonep
Just then the train stopped, and q
shabby-looking lame boy entered and
looked about for a seat.
fake this one," said Bright Eyes.
al shall get out right away. Goingfar?'
"To Handon," said the lame boy
"My mother has got a chance to work,
80 I'm going to live with my grandma
"Grandmas are nice" said Bright
Eyes. ;,
"Pd rather live with mother" said
the stranger, drawing his jacket-sleevt
across his eyes.
Bright Eyes looked sober half a min
ute. Then he smiled.
"Halloo, this is my place!" he said
"Tm sorry-good-by-take these, WON
youf The balloon makes lots of fun
"He's jolly" said the lame boy, hold
ing the balloon string and cracking /,
peanut with his teeth.
A crying baby in the next seat began
to stare at the red toy and to leave Of
its roars, and soon the two were having
merry play, while the baby's mothe
looked thankfully on.
l got out at Handon, too, and when
offered to help the lame boy out of tn,
cars, he said:
"Thank you; Pm not lame always
you know. l hurt my foot with a bi,
rock, and it's getting better"
We walked up the street together, ant
at the next crossing there was a it'll
girl crying 80 hard that the tears ha'
half-washed her very dirty face.
What's the matter p we both asked
"Lost my penny" sobbed the child.
"Here's some peanuts" said my com
panion. ".Don't cry, and you may hol
the string of my balloon all the wa
down this block"
fearful mopped her eyes with the en-
of her shawl, and laughed almost q
hard as she had been crying. So W
three walked on, but perhaps her hand
were not used to toys, and certainly til
wind was pretty strong. However
happened, the string slipped from he
grasp, and in a minute the red ballOo
was sailing far above our heads.
go dear" cried we all, and tried I
run after it. But how could we?
Then the boy said:
"Well, nev.r mind; l had some fu
with it."
The girl said: "Tm awful sorry
ThankyP
at has made five people have a GOO
time, at least" ! said.
"Who? There isn't five of u.s." sal
the boy.
"The boy that gave it to you, the CT,
ing baby, and we three" said I.
"And if somebody finds it, it'll be flu
for him." said the lame boy. 81 {
this way now, and hope grandma's g
gingerbread for supper. She knows T.
coming"
l have seen him since that day, ar
we spoke to each other. But l ha'
never seer Bright Eyes, or the dirt
faced girl, or the baby again.