Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-25

reached. The woman, after n quick glance.
TO assure herself that the reader was intent
upon his book, pressed her lips upon the
ohld's golden head. and tept them there
until the train stopped For n minute or
two she remained notionless, them laying
the child on the scat. rose quickly and opened
the carriage door The reader looked up as
the cold, damp air "ushcd into the heated
compartment.
"You have no time to get OUT he said;
1--WE are off in minute"
If she heard the well-mcant caution she
paid no heed to it. She made no reply, but,
stepping on to the platform, closed the car
riagc door behind her, The young man
shrugged his shoulders, and resumed his in
terrupted paragraph. 1t was no business of
his if stupid woman chose to risk missing
the train
Although, two minutes afterwards. when
he found the train in rapid notion and him
self and the sleeping child the only tenants of
the compartment, he saw that, after all, hc
was primarily concerned in the matter. In
spite Of his warning the mother had been left
behind, and he was in the unenviahle position
of having child thrownup his hands until
the next Stoppagc.
Although he was a bachelor and one who
knew nothing Of the WAYS of children, he
scarcely felt justified in pulling the cmer-
gency cord Swindon would be reached in
less than an hour-here he would he re-
licved. So he could do no more than an
atheinatizr the careless mother, and pray that
the child's slumbcrs might he unbroken
Whatever effect the obiurgation may have
had, he soon saw that his prayer was not TO
be granted. The child no doubt missing its
1
gan to struggle. 1t would have rolled or the
seat had not its enforced guardian, who was
a gcod-uaturcd. kind-hcartcd young fellow,
picked IL up and transferred it to his knee.
Ho EEant well, although he did not handle
il very aIlifully. \ man must go through
course Of painful experiences before he learns
how 70 dandic a child properly. Our friend
did his best, but 50 clumSily that the wooden
shawl fell from the child, and disclosed n
large ticket sewn on to the dress beneath On
it was written, al. Talbcrt Esq, Lakewood
House. Oakbury, near BlaCktown.n yhe
young man applaudod the good sense which
had provided for a contingency which had
really come to pass. Then he settled down to
do the best he could towards supplying the
place of the missing woman until the stoppage
al Swindon might bring dcliycrancc.
Swindon at last. Here the ill-used traveller
called the guard, and, as that official is of
course paid to undertake all sorts of delicate
and Unforeseen duties, with perfect fairness
shifted all further responsibility ON to his
shoulders, resumed the perusal of his book,
and troubled no more about the matter.
The guard, without disputing his position
IF guardian to all unprotected travellers,
hardly knew wha' to do in the present emer-
gency. The hope that the foolish mother had
70, into tl,,r
dispelled by her not making her appearance.
He was also puzzled by the careful way in
which the child was labeled. This guard had
seen some curious things in his time, and as
the missing woman had left not Il scrap of
luggage behind, thought it not improbable
that the desertiOn of the child was due to in
tention, not accident AT first he thought of
leaving the tiny derelict at SwindOn. on the
chance that the mother would arrive by the
uext train from DdCot. But the more he
thought the matter over the more convinced
be felt that no mother would arrive by the
next or any following train. Being himself a
family man. and feeling most kindly disposed
towards the little golden head which nestled
in the most cOniiding way against his great
brown beard. be decided to take the child on
to Blacktown, and thence forward it as adj
dressed. He pulled a couple of cushions out
If tir,t-cla-> carriage put them in one
corner of his van, and tucked up little Golden
head as snucIy As any mother could have
done: 50 suu"ly and comfortably that the
child Mt once closed its blue eyes and slept I'M
til the train reached Blacktown.
There the guard carried the little fellow
into the refrcslmcnt room, and leaving him
in charge of tie pleasant young ladies. went
to look for a sober Yet speculative man who
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