Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-01-25
I Sflfrt story.
AN AWKWARD FIX.

The express from New York t,
Phlladel phia was rather crowded on,
bright May morning some years ago
and gray haired old gentleman, will
bent shoulders and kindly but rarhe
melancholy dark eyes, walked nearl,
the whole length Of the cars befor;
coming to u disengaged seat beside
young lady with il baby, the Iatt
GROWING and kicking with an ener
somewhat embarrassing to his smiliA
young mother.
The baby was an obj, ctIon surelv
but there was no other seat to be had
so Doctor Lewis, with poli'e "gooc
morning, took the vacant place. Fo
moment the baby was still, starin.
at the new conner with solemn, child
ish curiosity; then there was suddef
crow and leap, for which his mothe
was quite unprepared, and both tn,
childs chubby fists were buried i,
Doctor Lewis beard, while an infautin,
scream of delight and triumph almos
succeeded in drowning the rumblin!
and jarring Of the train.
'Oh, Harry, Harry" cried the mother
in horror aud CONSERVATION. vainl,
doing her best to force the child to le
go his hold, i beg ten thousand par
dons, sir, | must have been very care
less
'Don't make yourself uneasy, mad
am, replied Doc'or Lewis smiling. q
am fond of children and really fee
quite iattered at this fine little fellow
notice. Perhaps he may find my um
brella rs attractive as my beard
As be spoke, the gentleman Offered
for the. chlld's inspection an umbrella
adorned with Inning silver handle
to which the child Immediately trans
f,rred his att ton, striving for sever
al minutes, with an energy worthy o
Il better cause, TO swallow his new play
thing. The lady tried in vain t,
tempt the child TO leave his new ac
qualntance but snch shrill scream:
attended any attempt with this object
III view that she gave it up IN despair
fam to believe Doctor Lewis kindl..
assurance that the baby was not trouh
ling him in the least. This, by tb,
way, was not the polite fiction usuall,
resorted TO ih such Case. for the oid
gentleman was strangely attracted
wards the rosy. laughing boy gazil !
up into his face with big contid.A
dark eyes, IN whose depths FAY s5si't
uuaccountable iaciuatlon for him.
'lou evidently ha,e plenty of child
reu or grandchildren at home, smile,
the mother. 1t is easy TO see thai
YOU are accustomed to children; liar
~ doesn't often take so readily 10 :
stranger.
No. mad M, replied the gentleman
"a little sadly. Il know unhappily very
little OF children. lost my onl,
child sixteen years ago, when LIVED
IN New Orleans. HIS name Was Har
~ too. and he had eyes very like your
little ones here
Yes. that MAS the charm IN Bah,
Harry's eyes. which Doctor Lewis re
allied only as lie spoke of his long lost
child and for "a lev moments the Ole
man w.s lost IN painful retrosp ctioT
of the great SORROW and remorse of hi.
life-the sternness, which he now
magniiied INTO cruelty, which hat
driven his high spirited motherIes!
boy Of sixteen 10 leave his father.
house one night when too heavily
punished for some boyish escapade
never to return. 1t Was supposed b,
had gone 10 sea; but, rs nothing haC
ever been heard of him, his father ha,
long since given him up as dead ii
all the long Years which had passed
however, hr had never forgiven him
self for being what he morbidly callet
the destroyer of his own child.
DO you live III Philadelphia, Mad
am: Doctor Lewis asked, when Harr,
had at last been induced by the brib'
of an orange TO return to his mother
arms.
oh, no, SIR was the reply. 'Ou
home is in California. We are visiting
now in New York, and Harry aud
are going TO my cousin wedding il
Philadelphia my husband went yes
terday, and Will III ct us at the station
If p ssl6le.
Doctor Lewis found Harry's brighl
pretty young mother quite as entei
tanning as her child, and bis journt!
that morning was much pleasante
affair than he usually found such
trip. Harry's father was not at tb
station SO Doctor Lewis establishe,
the mother, with her baby and small
sallse, in Il carriage, aud, after express
ing sincere wishes for another m;etin
rasher regretfully saw the carriag
drive away, while he was left standin
alone on the pavement.
The day was still young, and, afte
taking an early dinner at a restaurant
Doctor Lewis valise in hand-fort
with went his way on the bushes
which had brought him to Philadel
phia-a weekly meeting of "a societ
of geologists and naturali>ts, thes
branch, s oc science being Docto
Lewis hobbies. For weeks he ha
been bsily engaged preparing pape
on fossils which he, was to lay befor
the society, and this, with reports an
other papers of interest to the societ,
IF which he was secretary, formed tn
contents of the small leather trave
ing bag he had brought with hin
The meeting that afternoon was prt
liminary to the official one in th
evening, and there DIR. Lewis was I
read the paper which had caused hil
such profound study to a few kindre
spirits before bestowing the preciou
gift upon the public.
About a dozen elderly gentleme
were present wien he entered tt
room, and very soon Doctor Lewis W;
called upon to contribute his share
the evenings programme. A Ion
Inosed, solemn naturalist had just bee