The Dickinson press., 1890-03-01
A CHILD BY EXPRESS.
She Was Going Way Out West to 1.-Two
with Her Auntie, She Said.

The ;ar was hot and dusty. Half q
dozen frisky children chartered and
romped, forgetful of their own discom-
fort, while few of their elders-a very
few-frowned at their noisy play.
There was one little creature in this
load of human freight to whom "the
time was out of joint" A little girl of 8
or Z years, making the long journey by
herself, neither asked nor accepted COM
panionship. Upon her breast was tightly
sewed card like this:
MARGARET wAYLAND,
MISS ANN HINTON,
Stockton, California.
Not once did the ghost of smile fit
across her face, and her manner was for
bidding. Naturally, the other children
wished her to join in their games, and to
that end practiced many a childish art,
which was lost upon her. Even the offer
of an orange, or a bit of sample candy"
which the railway sutler dropped in her
lap, failed to tempt her.
Late that summer afternoon a home
bound train ran into station and
stopped beside ours, SO near that it was
easy to see its passengers. Instantly the
child sprang to her feet and began tug
ging at the window. Finding the heavy
sash stubborn, she cried out:
"Oh! please, please open this window!
There is my teacher! Don't you see herr"
Somebody hastened to help, and inn
mediately window in the neighboring
train was thrown open and signals of
loving recognition were exchanged.
"Oh, Miss Helen, I'm going way off
out west-to live with-auntiel" walled
the child.
81 am very sorry, dear; how does that
happen?" came the gentle reply.
"Oh, because must! Ihave no man.
ma now, nor any home-lior anything"
Her voice was lost III tears.
Surprise and pity struggled in the
teachers face. Her answer only reached
the car of her little pupil, whose next
words betrayed it's spirit.
"Oh, Miss Helen, do try; I truly do!
But am very naughty. feel SO here"
putting her hand over her bursting
heart.
"If l could"- But before the sen.
tence was finished the two trains had
parted company and the dear teacher
was lost to sight. With wild cry the
little one stretched out her hands to.
wards the flying train, then flung herself
upon her face and sobbed piteously.
There were no dry eyes among those
who saw her. A sweetfaced elderly
woman, who had entered the car at the
last station, and now occupied a seat in
the section with the child, wept in ST.
lence, but no one dared to intrude upon
grief so sacred.
So Margaret cried herself to sleep un
comforted. With flushed and tear stained
checks she lay crumplcd in the corner,
like a crushed rose. We hoped her un-
conscious signs were tightening her home
sick heart. At length she stirred. The
sweet faced woman softly placed basket
with a Maltese kitten in it close to the
child.
"Mew! Newt" began puss impatiently.
Margaret sat up. rubbing her eyes,
"Mew!" and puss poked out claw.
"Kitty is hungry, DEAR" pleasantly
exclaimed the woman. "Will you not
SlNo iieI eoIueIniuR IIOu your lunCn
basketT'
Eyes, ma'am."
II thought so. Pussie likes cheese"
lifting the cover. "Will you give her
somey'
Heartsick though she was, Margaret
could not resist the cries of the hungry
kitten; so, by degrees, she grew friendly
enough with both puss and its mistress.
When bedtime came she let her new
friend make her ready for the night, and
seemed content to know that puss would
purr until morning i'll the very next berth
to hers. But when she awakened, a sense
of her forlorn condition once more took
| possession of her, and she confidcd to her
companion her dread of her new home,
which was now very near.
| 81 had only my teacher and you. She
is gone, and now am going to lose you,
too."
"Well, Margaret, what made you love
your teacher so?'
because she loved me-" was the ready
answer.
"Then aren't you going to love your
auntie, who loves you we'll enough tc
give you home, though she has not
even seen your"
81 don't know"
ooh. yes! Even puss does as much as
that. You feed her, and sllo purs her
love in return"
"But don't know auntie. She's an
old maid. 1 Is'posc she's awfully cross"
"Ihope not, DEAR
"Must love her if she is!'
"She is your dear mothers sister.
Could you not love her for thats"
"Change cars! Next station going to
Stockholm shouted the brakesman.
ooh, dear! Oh, dcar!' cried Margaret
seizing the womans land.
"Try to be brave now; don't cry,"
drawing the trembling little figure closer.
II think you are beginning to love your
old auntie already, for it is she who has
come long way with pussy to meet her
little girl. Are you glad, Margaret"
She sat up and looked through her
tears at the woman, her face brighten.
ing.
care you Miss Ann Hinton?"
Eyes, dear"
care you an old maidy'
"Yes, dear"
"That's funny. love old maids."-
Parish Messenger.
Too Much Study had.
DR.. o. Sprague Paine, of New York,
hoc of ~, I,-s,, ~