St. Paul daily globe., 1885-08-03
HAL AND THE BABY.
How an Angry Travellers Heart
Was SOftened.

sorbed in my own reflections. l glanced
casually and with little interest at the scenes
through which was being rapidly whirled.
It was only when twilight shut out visible
objects and the lowering clouds grew black
/ awakened to the consciousness that 1t was
night and that Hal had been sleeping an
hour.
Come. old fellow" 1 said, shaking him,
''wake up!'
''HeIo!' he exclaimed, rousing himself
and looking little stupid.
'.Nice sociable chap for a companion, L
must say"
''How long have been asleep?" sitting
upright and looking around him.
about an hour 1 should judge"
''Wel, between you and me, VIII,
needed it. I didn't go to bed at all last
night; so much to be done, all at the last
moment"
That's a fine excuse for you to give,
said, dryly. Hal laughed. He was the
best-natured chap in the world. A big,
styapping fellow, standing six feet high,
with merry blue eyes, clear-cut features,
and fair almost to wOmanliness. He was
a great swell, too. and a universal fayorlte.
iTitablv for him, ''and confoundedly cold,
too. I had Just about half enough sleep,
VIII. and if you don't mind, I'll get to
bed"
That suits me, I replied. 81 am with
you"
We crossed the platform and stepped into
the other car. A gust of wind and snow
whZzed past as we opened the door, which
called forth another grumbling imprecation
from Hal relative to the weather Decid-
edly he was sleepy. There were not many
passengers on board, and these, the invaria-
bic travellers. one is sure to encounter. First
came garrlllous old gentleman, very thin,
with white hair, who occupied four seats
and essayed to read by the uncertain light
Of the railway lamp, which was of no more
use than those lamps usually are, and quite
as ornamental. Then came the commercial
traveller, who was disposed to take things
as he found them, and wore an expression
rather bland than otherwise.
A portly old lady with bird cage and
several bandboXes next attracted my atten-
ton. A spinster who sat upright in most
rigid position and an insipid miss of II or
thereabouts travelling in care of the con-
ductor, together with a short, stout, thick
set man of uncertain age and occupation,
made up the list of passengers. No, there
was another; l had quite overlooked him.
He came on the train while we were in the
smoker. A tall, dark man of about 40
years, with pale. haggard face and hollow,
sunken eyes. His berth had been made up
and he was seated on one side of it, his head
resting on his hand, when Hal and l en-
tered the car. A shrill little voice which
echoed through the silent car caused every
one to turn round in the direction whence
il came.
by all that's unlucky," groaned Hal, ''a
baby"
mot a doubt of it," 1 agreed.
''And good lungs it has, too, " he went
on. pettishly. 81 wish it would be quiet"
But the baby hadn't the slightest notion
of this. TO speak the truth, it had not be-
gun yet. The shrill cry continued growing
louder and louder; the passengers conf
menced staring hard at the berth and harder
at one another. The garrulouS old gentle
man laid aside his magazine and remarked,
sarcastically, "This is pleasant"
The portly lady opened her watery eyes
as wide as she could and exclaimed, ''DeaT
me!'
The spinster wore an air of virtuous tri-
umph and said nothing. / dare say she
congratulated herself upon her lucky cS-
cape The commercial traveller looked
wicked. HAL | am sorry to say, swore and
tumbled into bed in no very enviable frame
of mind.
Presently everyone sought his or her rest
ing-place the lamps were lowered and the
porter made himself as comfortable as the
rules of the company would permit. But
through it all that baby cried. The storm
raging without was mild in comparison witt
the storm raging within.
"By Jovew exclaimed Hal. ''bed is g
mockery. OF all the nuiSances / ever came
i'll contact with this takes the palm. What
do the parents mean by letting it scream
like that? Why don't they attend properly
to their busineSS?"
At this he opened the curtains, looked
out, and calling to me, said:
''Will, the father has it, and he's holding
it upside down."
The tall, dark man was Striding up anC
down carrying, and most clumsily at that
the child, who appeared to be about 2 years
old and who beat him with her little fist.
and struggled TO get on the floor, all tht
While crying Justify. The dark gentleman
was perfectly unmoved; he paced the car il
mechanical way, paying not the slightes
heed either to the baby or the many unchar
liable remarks he could not fail to overhear
An hour passed, and still the night wa
made hideous by those piercing screams.
''ThunderatiOn" roared Hal, twill tn
little beggar never have done?" Seemingl,
not, for at that very moment she burst int
fresh and more vigorous cries.
pitch her out of the window" sug
gested the stout gentleman.
''Do something" murmured the CONNER
cial traveller.
Let her cry; it's likely to kill her." pu
i'll the spinster, complacently.
''In the name OF heaven" exclaimed Hal
coriu oinp ont of he'd in 1ac1aratinn and In
tercepting the dark gentleman in his march
''why don't you give that child to he
mother? That is what she wants. Civ
her TO her mother and be done with it,"
''Sir," said the dark gentleman, stoppin
and speaking deliberately, land you all, la
dies and gentlemen" turning and address
ing the heads bobbing from behind the cui
tains, Il beg to apologize for the disturb
Rnce my little one has caused, and the grea
annoyance you have been enforced to e,
dure. Believe me, I would have done any
thing in my power to prevent it. You,
to Hal, Suggest give her to her mother
Sir her mother is in the front car in he
coffin. l must do the best 1 can"
No one spoke a word, and every hea
disappeared in his or her curtain in a tric,
Hal stood dumfounded for moment, al
then drawing himself up and speaking MAJ
fully said:
- humbly beg your pardon. / ought
be ashamed of myself, and SO am. Go
bed and give this young lady TO me-"
''But do you think you could"
81 think so, if tried"
'"rhank you. A little rest will be a gre;
boom"
'sCome here, miss" said Hal, holding o.
his arms. "Come along, or I'll take W
anyhow"