Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-06-26

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former attitude The travellers were not
disturbed. The train shot on once more.
Still the gentleman read his book-stil the
silent woman held the sleeping child.
In less than half an hour Didcot was
reached. The woman, after quick glance,
to assure herself that the reader was intent
upon his book, pressed her bps upon the
child's golden head. and kept them there
until the train stopped For minute or
two she remained lotionless, then, laying
the child on the seat, rose quickly and opened
the carriage door, The reader looked up as
the cold, damp air "ushed into the heated
compartment.
'You have no time to get out" he said;
tive are off in minute"
If she heard the well-meant caution she
paid no heed to it. She made no reply, but,
stepping on to the platform, closed the car
rage door behind her. The young man
shrugged his shoulders, and resumed his in
terrupted paragraph. 1t was no business OF
his if a stupid woman chose to risk missing
the train.
Although two minutes afterwards, when
he found the train in rapid motion, and him.
self and the sleeping child the only tenants Of
the compartment, he saw that, after all, he
was primarily concerned in the matter. In
spite of his warning the mother had been left
behind, and he was in the unenviable position
of having child thrown upon his hands until
the next stoppage.
Although he was bachelor and one who
knew nothing of the ways Of children, he
scarcely felt justified in pulling the emer-
gency cord. Swindon would be reached in
less than an hour-there he would be re-
heved. So he could do no more than an
athematize the careless mother, and pray that
the childs slumbers might be unbroken.
Whatever effect the objurgation may have
had he soon saw that his prayer was not to
be granted The child. no doubt missing its
protectors embrace, opened its eyes and be-
gan to struggle 1t would have rolled off the
seat had not its enforced guardian who was
a good-natured, kind-hearted young fellow,
picked it up and transferred it to his knee
He meant well, although he did not handle
it very skillfully. A man must go through
course of painful experiences before he learns
how to dandle child properly. Our friend
did his BEST but SO clumsily that the wooden
shawl fell from the child, and disclosed
large ticket sewn on to the dress beneath. On
it was written, ''H. Talbert, Esq, Lakewood
House, Oakbury, near Blacktown." The
young man applauded the good sense which
had provided for 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
at Swindon might bring deliverance.
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
of guardian to all unprotected travellers,
hardly knew what to do in the present emer-
gency The hope that the foolish mother had
managed to get into another carriage was
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 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
next train from Didcot. But the more he
thought the matter over the more convinced
he 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 coniding way against his great
brown beard, he decided to take the child on
to Blacktown, and thence forward it as adj
dressed. He pulled couple of cushions out
of frst-class carriage, put them in one
corner of van, and tucked up little Golden
head as snugly as any mother could have
done; so snugly and comfortably that the
child at once closed its blue eyes and slept I'M
til the train reached Blacktown.
There the guard carried the little fellow
into the refreshment room, and leaving him
in charge of the pleasant young ladies, went
to look for sober yet speculative man who
would take the child to Oakbury on the
chance of being paid fox his trouble. He even
gave this man half crown-to be repaid out
Of his prospective reward-for cab hire.
Then, after another look at the little wait,
who was drinking milk, munching a biscuit,
and being made very much of by the refresh
ment room young ladies, our guard rushed
back to his somewhat neglected duties, and
was soon spinning down west at the rate of
thirty five miles an hour.