Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-02

Tho. next moment, - D ~eeomeo,-s
heard two voices near her, n.
F.'The party must be hard up that has
to take babies like this TO help on their
cause said one.
Poor little fellowrh answered the
Others lady Hes dropped down,
torch and all. and gone TO Sleep - !
Elsie. started and looked around her.
Where was the processionP Where was
Joep Too terrified to say n word, up
the street she rushed, gazing wildly on
this side and on that. No Joe did she
see, no procession either. IL would
have been quite dark but for the street
lamps. a
III must stop somewhere. Unjust ask
some one for Joe. ""
At house smaller than the others
she paused. and rang the bell. There
was confused sound of talking within.
| Don't you open that door as you
value your life, Phoebe Maria, said
some one, in shrill tones. us all
alone! This time of night! It's tramp.
surer'
Then Phoebe Maria called through the
| key. hole, go right away. sha' MT
let you in If you stop there till midnight
think if the word "de-parf'' had NOT
sounded so very ponderous, Elsie would
have called back that she was no tramp.
As it was. she ran blindly on.
"Motheri mother!' she sobbed.
wringing her little cold hands. But no
one answered. A clock near by tolled
fell. The wind rustled drearily among
the tree-tops. .,.
Steps sounded near. A tall man APP
preached. and Elsie caught the CLEAN
of brass buttons.
what are you doing here. boyP'
demanded the newcomer, in n great
bass voice..
lin not boy" cried Elsie. ~
never was boy in all my life. I'm
Elsie Baker. want to go home"
She quite broke down, and wept pit
eously. lH4 tal ~, ..l -. s
"Hoity-toityr' exclaimed the man,
who was one of the police. "Where is
your home" .... 49,.
"Out at Porter's Corner. Joe
brought me to the procession. wish
he hadn't. Iwish- Oh dear, dear mew
"Now here's pretty messr' said the
policeman. "There', nothing for Il
but to take charge o. ,ou tonight, and
see how we can manage tomorrow.
You come along with me-"
| Il
walk, he picked her up and tramped of
down in town with his burden Where
did he carry herp .r.t-l ...
To tell the truth there seemed to be
no other place, and he took her TO the
public "lock-up."
Elsie was too worn and spent to mind;
too hungry was she not To devour eagerly
the bit of salt fish aId hard cracker
which her new friend gave her; then,
forgetting her woes, she fell asleep once
more. safely wrapped N his warm over
coat.
But, in the morning. waking in
strange place, all the terror of last night
came upon her once more. Through
an open door she dared like startled
hare, and when No. II came, an hour
later, to find her, no child was visible.
All that was left was the small rubber
cape with its red colhr.
al must find SOM cars" thought
Elsie. 81 can't get ome unless I find
some cars"
II must have been hr guardian angel
who led the little girl, br, as she walked
hastily along, right i'm front of her
doomed up big building, in and ont Of
which locomotives wen running.
would you pleas point out the
train for Porter's Cor,erp'' said. Elsie,
tremblingly approaching n man who
was pushing round sooe trunks.
'Bless you! you're the wrong stu
ton for that. sissy or libby, whichever
you be-" said the mn glancing frem
the girl dress to the hy's cap. ..But r.
there" added he. as The brown eyes
filed with tears. "a gnvel trains lust
going across the city-to the Eastern
Depot Come with -, aud I'll take
you there"
Down the track Elss rode, perrhed
on heap of gravel.
81 cal late you've rot a ticket for
Porter's CornerT' saidher companion.
Here was fresh trmDle. No ticket
had she. and, whas Ms worse, not a
penny to buy one.
You don't mean tony you're going
to steal y rider exclaimed the man
Very likely this wasneant for N pke.
but Elsie took il for sober earnest. She
had been called "tnnp" last n;ybt.
now she was taken for, thief. D was
too dreadful. She lcked here and H
there, If perchance then might be some
way of escape from allhis misery. and
uddenly-why !-whsi'-that bow on
,he platform Of the EASTERN Depot
could it bep
"Joe! Joer' shrieksd Elsie. tiH.t
II was Joe; . very vretched Joe. n
Joe who had NOS slept,wink all night.
though he had gone home in a vain
hope he might lind De missing sister i.
there. LIP
He saw Elsie. He spng toward her. l..
He clambcred on the ~ almost before
il stopped, He Rugged ber. he k;.s.d
her. Boy though he WA he went great
tears over her. Then V took her NV
both shoulders and shol her.
''Oh, yoo bad girl! There have Won,
beenp You've frightaa mother moss
to death: Elsie; Elsa what made ysu
come to Portlandp"
..You brought me. h." said Elsie.
: Homo they went. ~ two. A..he
Porter 3 Corner Staas they found ev-
to each seyerally No Elsie ten har
story. Her mother narr ..;d n -a.J