Morris tribune., 1880-08-19
tronted HIM with difficulties and dan

late in August. The day was propitious
for travelling; light rain the night be-
fore had laid the dust, and the air of the
early morning was pleasantly cool. The
first half of the journey was successfully
He read the papers,
smoked two cigars, then fell in with |
agreeable acquaintal ces, and was able
Il begulle the remainder of the way with
He reached Sin ex-
cellent spirits, and had time while he
waited, to eat deliberately and discrim-
lnately the best luncheon the place of
tered. When the Philadelphia train
came up he stood ready to identity the
Marches and clam the little boy. An
old gentleman stood on the platform, ac-
companied by man,servant carrying
two baskets, and little boy. The trans,
fer was effected in the twinkling OF an
eve. Five minutes later the old gentle
man and his wife and the man servant |
were steaming toward New York. and |
Mr.. Ferdinand Brooks was seated in |
compartment of the car on the branch |
railroad with a small boy and two large
baskets. -.s ~' --sA'+
The small boy and Mr.. Ferdinand |
Brooks looked at each other, the latter
with benignant, beaming expression,
the former with an air of undlsguised Gu
riosity. What the gentleman saw was not
the charming portrait whichIhad illed his
mlnd's eye. He was in the habit of pre-
pairing himself with little speeches to
suit IoreEeen occasions, but thii was an
unforeseen one. His affectionate and pa
ternal remarks die not seem to suit this
somewhat remarkablc-lookin infant and
he dould not make up his mind what to
say to HIM. For boy Of niue years this
was very small boy indeed. He was
dressed, too, in way to heighten the
ly fitting suit of Mazarine blue flannel,
covered in every available place with per-
pendlcular rows OF rose-pearl buttons
The small boys hair was of the lightest
possible hue, and of such silky fineness
and such short cut there scarcely seemed
to be any hair on his head at all. HIS
eyebrows and lashes were almost lnvisi-
bic, and scarcely shaded his rather promi-
nent blue eyes, which stared unwinking
and undomitable at Ferdinand from head
to foot. As to the small boys features,
one might have exclaimed with honest
Aubrey, Lord warrant us what features !"
They were of a size to suit the very small
tace, and what there was OF them neatly
| chiSelled as if cut in wax.
$50 this is little Wilfred,' Ferdinand
remarked, feeling somewhat at loss.
"You said that BEFORE" said the small
boy, in rather an agrieved tone, speaking
in high, shrill voice. He had appar-
emily satisfactorily concluded his survey
of his escort, and now began to look
around the private compartment which
MIR. Ferdinand Brooks had secured, at
| some expense, in his anxiety for privileges
of unobserved intercourse with his charge.
He stood up on the seat and began kick
| ing at the cushions, as If to test the
springs; he pulled down the blind, and
| made an Intellectual effort TO rsise it;
then began slowly climbing over the
sit aStride the top. ....-... .r.. .
These proceedings impressed Mr.. Fer
dinand Brooks as exceedingly uncOm-
Portable His sense of others rights was
wounded by the too careless treatment
or the railroad company's furniture; and
these acrobatlc proceedings inspired a
feeling that the small boy might ue
jp0pardiZing his lite, precious at least to
Il very charming woman. He was not
quite certain what to say; something
saucy and defiant IN the small boys eve
rather embarrassed him. He righted
the blind, and, by way of opening the
conversation, remarked, "See how fast we
GO
Yes. want the window up"
'Do you think it best2 The cinders
will fly in and get into your eyes"
II don't care if they do. want the
window up.
I'VE will wait until the conductor
comes through
II want it up now" roared the small
boy. at the top Of his lungs.
Mr. Ferdinand Brooks at once raised
the window. The whim was, after all,
an innocent one; many misguided people
liked to travel with open windows. He
regretted his concession, however, mo.
ment later, when his charge, like flash
darted down, and protruded his head and
. hung his small body over the sill. Tc
catch him back into safety, and clese the
window, was duty SO obvious that the
| II WllAOuG
"Do you know" he asked in a severe
tone, ''that people have had their head.
taken off by thrusting them out in tina
way2 ..r.. .-a...r
"Have they2' demanded Wilfred, hi
eyes sparkling. III wish I could see
man have his head taken off. Was i
taken right clean OFF," 49,
l Eyes, / think So" 3Ft T.
''Did 1t tall outside? and did the trail
: have to stops and did the man get GU
: and pick it upa'' .. ..I. .....
e 81 think very likely
''What did they do them"
Il don't know" a-a s@as&
eyes, you do know" r.r. ar.
t "But was not there. only hear
o about it." .......-.. I'D.
"Well, you ought to know" said vii
J. fred, in tone of pique.
: HIS eyes, roaming about as II in ques
I Of adventure, happened to alight on tn
q two baskets which his grandpapa's SCI
want had carefully tucked under the sea-
oil The moment the small boys glance wa
a thus arrested, he began to smile. Hi
o smile grew every moment broader an
a deeper until it became broad grin. II
| knelt down on the floor, and steadily lift
n ted up the cover Of the smaller basket.
al l. ''See there" said he in tone of absc
q lutel Y enchanted discovery.
,fl Mr. Ferdinand Brooks stopped, an
: with some curiosity peeped IN, seein
;. nothing, however, but little mat of fin
: wool. .. .,..s -
y What is it?'' he asked, blandly.
r Wilfred stared at him with haught
: surprise. "Why, it's dawg,"he retu:r
# i ed. coEtemptuous of such ignorance, cit
d puppy dawg." @
d 'isit alive2' 4e s
VI "You don't suppose I'd carry around
i. dead dawgr' -. q.
d at this moment the door at the rear
e the car opened. With miraculous for'
n sight and preternatural gravity, Wilirec
o giving swift glance at his companies
d whispered, "D0nt tell the co'aductor! an
e shutting the basket, claInbered to h
i seat, and sat there with an unmoved maj