The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-22

time. One morning as they left the city
for the day run west number of foreign
erS crowded into the forward car on their
wav to different destinations in the West,
some to join friends there. others to find
homes. Among them, but not belonging
to them. was little Swede, boy of
abOut10. On card which he held with
his ticket was written the information
that he was an orphan going TO Minneapo-
lis to live with his uncle, Jan Ireson.
Little Tens father had died recently.
and it was his last wish that his child
should be sent to his brother in America.
With the infinite trust the Swedish nature
has in humankind, little Tens friends had
packed up his bundle, written the card.
procured his passage, and sent him west
ward. There were other Swedish people
on shipboard, and they saw that he got his
train NIL right at New York. but on the
train there was not soul who could speak
a word of his mother tongue, ana he could
not speak word of English.
His head ached badly, ard he laid down
ON the seat and went to sleep, still holding
his ticket and the card in his hand.
Sweet" noticed the boy as he lay there,
his white hair falling straight over his
forehead and lis face so red in striking
contrast. Sweets" books were piled in
that corner Of the car, and every time he
went MP to that corner he had to pass the
sleeping boy.
Along about noon the boy sat up, looked
wildly about, raised his hands to his head
as if in terrible pain, then sank back with
his head on the arm of the seat. sweet"
touched him and asked him if he was sick,
but the boy did not notice him in any way.
Sweet" called the conductor, who came
and said he guessed the boy had fever.
Better not go too near him." he said.
He may have something contagious. /
will have the baggageman see that he is
taken to the hospital when we get in
Sweet got his extra coat and put it
under the boys head for a pillow, and as
he did so saw that the restless hands of the
child had torn his ticket into bits and the
card with the address of the uncle also.
What will they do now 2" the trainboy
said to himself. "They won't know where
to send him when he gets out of the hos
pital" lie picked up the bits of paper
and tried 10 put them together, but it was
the boy and watched him. Sweet" won
dered how it would seem to be travelling
alone in a strange country where you
couldn't speak a word of the language.
alone and sick. There was a sympathetic
tone to "SwePt's" nature. something most
boys possess but few like to show, and
there was a mist before his eyes as he
looked at the lad.
Wen take care of him." the baggage
man said to the conductor as he came
through with his bunch of jngling checks.
IN have one of the drivers take him out
to the gen eral."
When the train was in n carriagP-driyer
came into the car and carried the boy out.
'Pll go with him. Sweet" said to the
conductor.
Better not; he may have something
catching" But Sweet" got up on the
box beside the driver 81 guess you'd bet
ter not take him to the hospital. Drive
around to our house." Sweet" said, and
the driver. with the remark that ned
rather drive down to Miami street than
away up to High" followed Sweets
order.
He's Door sick boy. mother, and l
couldn't let them take him TO the hos pital,"
that was "Sweet's" excuse for bringing
home sick stranger, and the mother, who
was just such woman as you would sup
pose Sweets" mother 20 be, looked az her
boy and said. "You did quite right,
And so little Ten lay and tossed for
many days on Sweets" bed in the little
home on Miami street. Then when the
fever was spent it was a long time before
he was strong enough to sneak. When he
was able to talk "Sweet" found a Swede
on the dock to act as Interpreter. The boy
remembered only that his uncle's name
was Jan lreSon and he lived in Mime
apOlis. Sweet wrote letter and ad-
dressed 1t that way. He received no an
swer, but one day about week later a bic
bearded man walked into the little house
on Miami street and asked for his nephew
Ten was sitting I'D then, but poor Sweet
was tossing with the fever and irving tc
tell his mother about the little sick boy.
Poor little chap" he kept saying over
and over. Hes all alone" Jan Ireson
recognized in a moment the spirit OF the
boy, saw what he had done for a stran ger,
and lie said to tie mother on leaving.
Write me how he gets on; shall be this
way again soon"
1t was long time before "Sweet'
opened conscious eyes to the world again.
1t was weeks before he could sit up; the
doctor said ii would be months before he
could go back TO the train. One or two of
the traiDmen came to see him, and the
tears would come TO Sweets" eyes when
they spoke of the new boy and how wei!
he mas getting on.
But the sunshine came when Jan Ireson
returned. as he said he would. You would
never know to look at the great rough
looking man that he was one of the great
men Of that little giant. the great North
west; that he controlled forests, and mills.
and mines, and shipbuilding, and grain
in terests.
And he did not leave the city until he
completed all arrangements for the open
ING OF a neWs-store in n most desirable
location, store that was to be stocked
with the very best of everything the mo-
ment Sweet" was able to attend to it.
And won't you wear your pretty uni
form again r. the little sister queried, with
dlSconSolate look on her baby face and
something very like tears in her baby
eyes.
Sweet" held her cheek against his thin
one as be answered with culver in his
voice, Never mind. pretty. I'll Join the
National Guard. Chicago Inter Ocean.