Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-17
BABY OWNED THE CAR.
A Blue Eyed Tot Who Charmed All tho


Passengers and Employees.
There was baby in the railway car
the other day. 1t was not an unusual
child, but it had decidedly bright face
and pretty ways For the first few miles
she was very quiet, and her blue eyes
locked around in wonderment, for evil
IDENTIFY it was the little ones first ride on
the cars.
Then as she became used to the roar
and rumble the baby proclivities asserted
themselves, and she began to play with
her fathers mustache. At first the father
and mother were the only parties inter-
ested, but soon a young lady in an ada
cent seat nudged her escort and directed
his attention to the laughing child.
He looked up, remarked that it was
pretty baby and tried to look uncon-
cerned, but it was noticed that his eyes
wandered back to the spot occupied by
the happy family, and he commenced to
smile.
The baby pulled the hair of an old lady
in front, who turned around savagely and
glared at the father with look that
plainly said, "Nuisances should be left
at home"
But she caught sight of the laughing
eyes of the baby, and when she turned
back she seemed pleased about some
thing. Several others had become inter
ested in the child by this time-business
men and young clerks, old ladies and
girls-and when the baby hands grasped
the large silk hat of her father and placed
it on her own head it made such conf
cal picture that the old gentleman across
the way, unable to restrain himself, burst
out into loud guffaw, and then looked
sheepishly out of the window, as if
ashamed to be caught doing such an I'M
manly thing.
Before another five minutes he was
playing peek-a-boo across the aisle with
the baby, and everyone was envying him.
The ubiquitous young man, ever Oh
the move, passed through, and was at a
loss to account for the frowns of every
body. He had failed to notice the baby.
The brakeman looked in from his post
on the platform and smiled. The paper
boy found no custom till he had spoken
to the baby and jingled his pocket of
change for her edifcation.
The conductor caught the fever and
chuclked the little one under the chin,
while the old gentleman across the aisle
forgot to pass up his ticket, SO interested
was he playing peek-a-boo.
The old lady in front relaxed, and div
ing into her reticule unearthed brilliant
red pippin and presented it bashfully to
the little one, who, in response, put her
chubby arms around the donors neck
and pressed her rosy little mouth to the
old lady's cheek.
1t brought back flood of remem-
brances to that withered heart, and a
handkerchief was seen to brush first this
way and then that, as if to catch fall
ing tear.
The train sped ON and pulled into the
station where the baby, with her parents
were to leave the car. A look Of regret
came over every face. The old gentle
man asked if he couldn't kiss it just
once; the old lady returned the caress
she had received and the baby moved
toward the door, shaking a by-by over
the shoulder of her papa, to which every
one responded, including the newsboy,
who emphasized his farewell with wave
of his hat. r.
The passengers rushed to the side
where the baby got off and watched till
she turned out of sight at the other end
of the station, shaking by-byes all the
time. Then they lapsed into silence.
They missed that baby and not one of
them would be unwilling to acknowledge
it. The little ones presence had let a
rift Of sunshine into every heart, warm
or cold, in thatcar.-Orphans' Friend.