The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-12-17
AAxxts Rsossys First A.sriess A.
Ventnre.

Central railroad sat bright-faced litsl
Irish girl. around whose neck Was hung
singular ornament. . square piece OF paste
board upon which Was printed 10 iarg'
plain letters thess words: "Miss MAgg'
Rooney, care OF Mr.. Michel Rooney. ?
CLARK strcst, Chicsgo. H. She locke
very happy. and swung her feet in an nm
concerned manper, though the icurne
was in reality the important event Of be
life and hsr littla brain SAs - puzssd -
could be. with neither sails nor horses
nor anything TO make them 60.
Tho explanation Of most Of the puzzle
Of hsr small eat Least for the lsst sii
months had been that. "Ameriky was
queer country, as shd fnd out when sh
came to il"
This statement she had decided to b
not altogether true; for she had looked
ont OF the window for nearly IN hour. snt
there was no difference At all worth speak.
ing OF. II Was land and water, and trees
and COWS and towns, inst n in Ireland
except for the cars. which. as she had nevel
seen any before. shs supposed to be an OK
elusive American article.
When Mr.. aud Mrs. Michael Rooney
came 10 America the year before, they had
brought eight children; but nine seemed
such great number TO take care Of thai
they had finally yielded to the old grand
mothers pleading, and left Maggie behind
until they should be settled in their new
home.
Now, the mother having written that
she could live no longer without her child,
Maggie had come from Queenstown, in q
big ship. with her cousin Mary. From
there they had come in the cars to the city
OF Rochester. But it had been night and
Maggie did not remember much OF that
journey. Miss Mary Rooney had come to
America to meet her lover. to whom she
had been straightway married; and as she
was to live in Rochester, there seemed
nothing better to be done than TO send
Maggie carefully labeled. the rest Of the
way slone So she was put into car,
gong without change TO Chicago; the
conductor promised to take care Of her,
and with many injunctions from Mary and
her new husband about getting off the
cars while they were moving, or losing her
ticket, or taking the card from her neck,
or going away from the Chicago depot be.
fore her father came, or doing great
many other things, which Maggie was
perfectly sure she should never have the
least idea Of doing, they kissed her, called
her darling child, and went away just
before the train started.
Though she was fond Of Mary. Maggie
was not particularly sorry to see her go.
Mary had an annoying way Of twitching
her back from places just when she was
having q good time, and was, besides.
very careless about where she took hold. rs
il ears, for example. we're put on TO serve
as handles. To be sure she had saved her
from drowning once or twice; but Maggie
did not make any account OF that.
But, aside from all that, it was very
fine thing TO be 9years old, end taking a
journey quite alone, She could brag about
it to the other children; and Johnny, who
was 10, wouldn't always be reminding her
that she was girl.
She thought that it would be pleasant TO
talk to some OF the people in the car; but
AZ they all seemed to be reading, she con-
cluded instead to look out the window
and see what America was.
About 10 o'clock the train stopped at .
small town, some people got off and more
got on. Among the latter, Maggie. idly
watching, saw being who filed her with
instant fear and curiosity. He walked
iown the aisle, and, to her mingle horror
md delight. seated himself beside her. 1t
WAS none other than Noah Walker, asmall
negro boy, who was taking the first jour
ney OF has life,
BY laborous saving, selling and beg
ging. he had managed to fulfll long
'herished ambition and buy an excursion
ticket to Niagara Falls TO which place he
was now going. Maggie stared at him
while pretending to look out Of the win
pow. His face was so perfectly pleasant
and good natured that il was impossible
10 be afraid Of him long, nor was it her
nature to miss any possible chance OF con
Moreover as she had never in
her life seen black person. or heard Of
one who wssnot giant--which this boy
.ainly was not, unless hes was a very
!. ono she felt . strong desire to
nnu Il him.
ow abo1 !. with some hesitation
10 she sal, 'me on st ALP
Does il eve.
soah stared.
What come Off" s~o'
The black. reptile, Maggie, "on you.
0 and hands, Not il 'os sAsh it wild
er and soapf"
Well reckon not" sai,. Noah. grin
g. "lt's my skin, and Ncalate it's
ter stay |,
But" she continued, "don', il hurt aw-
] fell down once in the old &C unthry,
got black and blue spot, not b's,
DER. ss one Of your hands. nj = 20 i
*; and il most kilt me wid the b, ut =
OF it," y
oah vas greatly perpleIed; but . !,
* his head. n
This 10 different kind" he said. II /.
: hurt 1t feels good Some folks is
Q With black skins. Father and moth
nd al our family is.' he added, . lit. -.
I