Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-03-10

+, SII~ Street station il
N5 the city of Phila
TAD. delphia were il
great demand. One of them was occu
pied by Tad Thorne, who, though he had
no business there, was enjoying the
warmth as only small, fourteen-year
old boy can do. after being all day in
the city streets crying parlor matehe:
at three cents per box-"two for five. >
Tad's enjoyment was tempered
4 by a little mental worry, as g
matter of course. Nobody is entirely
/ happy in this world, and as he warmed
I himself Tad was obliged to keep q
watchful eye on the door of the porter !
room opposite. 1t was the duty OF
that colored functionary to assist
tramps and vagrant boys from the
waiting-room, with scant ceremony.
Last night he said he'd bounce me il
he caught me here again, unused Tad,
advancing first one patched shoe and
/ then the other toward the stove. ..but
| shouldn't think the corporation would
/ grudge what little fire it takes to warm
me-
For time Tad remained in undis-
1 turbed CO lfort. So many persons
were constantly coming and going that
no one took particular notice Of the
thinly-dressed, pale-faced lad who occa-
sionally stretched his fingers caressing-
ly toward the glowing Goals.
'It's the first time I've been warm
clear through since last August
wish / could hold heat like hot brick
does" Tad soliloquized, as with an
involuntary shiver he thought of having
to start out in the chilly air again.
is there no other place where you
can 60 and warm yourself, besides a
waiting-room only intended for the-er
patrons of the railroad?n asked tall,
aristocratic looking gentleman, with
iron-gray hair, and very dignified
manner, who occupied the next seat to
the one in which Tad was sitting. He
spoke severely and frowned at Tad, as
though the boys presence annoyed
him
Ii his address had been more kindly,
Tad's reply would have been more
respectful. As it was. Tad scowled a
little.
There's places enough, l s'pose-
only they don't happen to low boys
who hasn't any business there, round
specially if they amt dressed any bet
term | am,n he answered. sullenly,
glancing involuntarily down at himself
rs he spoke. The tall man muttered
something about COMPOUNDED nuis-
ance," but made no further reply And
as he rose, giving nervous glance at
the clock, Tad noticed that he wore a
long gray ulster, over a very nice suit
of clothes, while ct one side of the seat
lic had vacated lay his travelling rug in
a shawl-strap, and small alligator
skin sachel with nickel-plate mount
ings.
Tad was wondering within himself
whether he ever knew what it was to
be homeless, cold and hungry when he
was a boy, when his meditations were
disturbed by the violent ringing of a
hand-beD, accompanied by the hoarse
voice of one of the railroad officials
calling out something, of which the
words express" and passengers
were alone ineligible to Tad's ear.
This was followed by the usual frantic
rush toward the great swing doors
leading into the depot. The tall gem
tleman sprang nervously to his feet,
and, snatehing up his travelling rug,
shot through the doorway as though he
had but five seconds in which to board
train that did not start for ten min
utes, schedule time Hi, therem
cried Tad after him, you've left your
little sachel!' but the gentleman was
beyond call. So. seizing the handbag
from the next seat, Tad elbowed his
way through the throng, into the depot,
in hot pursuit of him of the flowing
ulster.
Just inside the swing doors stood a
policeman of imposing presence. He
was large fat man but extremely
jealous, and his professional instincts
were at once reused at the sight of a
shabbily-dressed boy lodging in and
out of the crowd, with a nickel-plated
alligator-skin sachel in his hand. Step
ping hastily forward he laid heavy
hand on Tad's shoulder.
Now, after the manner of his kind,
Tad regarded all policemen as natural
foes TO be feared-and, as far as posi-
bic, avoided. So, no sooner did he
he III
ping eel-like from his would-be cap
tors grasp, Tad, with an inarticulate
cry OF terror, dove directly under the
wheels of the nearest train.
The cars were at stand-still, of
course, but had they been in motion, /
am not SO sure but Tad would have
acted exactly the same, so great was
his fear of arrest. True, in theory,
conscious innocence is generally sup
posed TO show a bold front, but unfor-
tunately this is not always the case in
practice, particularly in an issue be-
tween big policeman and small boy.
Tad emerged on the opposite side
OF the track, with the encouraging cry
of Stop, thief" ringing in his ears,
just in time to conf mt the blue
coated official, who. in some inexplica-
bic way, had reached the spot as quick
ly as himself
There he isr' shouted a young
man, whom Tad had noticed in the
waiting-room tie before, and, hesi-
tating for brief second, the hunted
lad, who still clung to the cause of
his trouble, sprang upon the platform
of parlol car attached to the waiting
train. Fiinging open the door, he
darted in, meaning, if possible, to
pass through to the other end, where,
slipping off, he hoped to be able to
lose himself in the crowd.
Vain hope! As he hurried between
the rows of as yet unoccupied chairs,
the rattle of the conductors key was
heard in the rear door at which he was
hoping to escape. while the shuttle of
feet. and sound of voices, Mt the door
which he had entered, told Tad that he
was fairly trapped.
CHANGING despairingly about him,
Tad's quick eve discovered at least
temporary hiding-place. Dropping ON
his knees, he crawled behind the near
est of the revolving chairs, which, fort
unately for him, was the one next
the door Of entrance. Concealed by its