Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-23

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 looked around in wonderment, for
evidently it was the little ones first ride
on the cars.
Then as she became used to the roar
and rumble the baby proclivities as
serted themselves, and she began to
play with her fathers mustache. At
first the father and mother were the
only parties interested, but soon young
lady in neighboring seat nudged her
escort and directed his attention to the
laughing child.
He looked up, remarked that it was q
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 saw
agely 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 in.
terested in the child by this time-busi.
ness men and young clerks, old ladies
and girls-and when the baby's hands
grasped the large silk hat of her father
and placed it on her own head it made
such comical picture that the old gen.
tleman across the way, unable to re-
strain himself, burst out into loud
guffaw, and then looked sheepishly out
of the window, as if ashamed to be
caught doing such an unmanly thing.
Before another five minutes he was
playing peek-a-boo across the aisle with
the baby, and every one was envying
him.
The Ubiquitous young man, ever on
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 edification.
The conductor caught the fever and
chucked the little one under the chin,
while the old gentleman across the
aisle forgot to pass up his ticket, so in
terested was he in playing peek-a-boo.
The old lady in front relaxed, and
diving into her reticule unearthed a
brilliant red pippin and presented it
hao oh full To hn rhS, -,
sponse, 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 O
handkerchief was seen to brush first
this way and then that, as if to catch O
falling tear.
The train sped on and pulled into the
station where the baby, with her par
ents, were to leave the car. A look Of
regret came over every face. The old
gentleman 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 n by
by over the shoulder of her papa, to
which every one responded, including
the newsboy, who emphasized his fare
well with wave of his hat.
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-bys all the
time. Then they lapsed into silence.
They missed that baby and not one of
them would be unwilling to acknowl
edge it. The little ones presence had
let a rift of sunshine into every heart,
warm or cold, in that car.
It is proposed establishing carrier pigeon
loft at the Annapolis Naval Academy for
the purpose of making a series of expert
ments with the birds.