Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-05-24
WHERE WAS THE MOTHER?
AL Incident Which Occurred in Pull
man Sleeper.

AL Incident Which Occurred in a Pull
man Sleeper.
Several years ago l made a trip from
ST. Louis to a summer resort in North
Carolina. The train left the Union
depot in the evening. and was we'll
hlled with St LouiSans seeking a few
weeks OF more temperate weather
after very hot summer. through
which we had just passed. All the
inmates of the sleeper seemed we'll
TODD people, and many handsomely
dressed children We're among the mas
sengerS. An hour or so after starting
when WEAKNESS or sleep had begun to
weigh the eyelids down, and the SER
vices Of the porter were in constant
demand, tall, gray-haired gentleman
entered and, standing in the aisle, an
nOunced that he had come to ask the
assistance of the passengers in a mat
ter of charity. In the day coach, he
said, there was a man with four little
children who had been travelling for
three days from somewhere in the far
west The little ones, he said, looked
weary and worn from their long trip
without a bed, and he now came to see
if he could not collect money enough
from those able to spare it to pay for
a berth for them.
Willing hands and symDathetic
hearts quickly brought out well-filled
min tlOa
requisite amount was paid and a berth
selected for the little fellows The
gentleman thanked the passengers for
their ready charity and left the coach,
to return in a few moments holding
! by either hand a little girl, the elder
not more than s years of age, the
other scarcely year younger. Fol
lowing him closely was a man OF
medium height, a little child in his
arms. a boy of five years or there
abouts clinging to his free hand.
The little ones were soon laid,
dressed, across the berth, and not
many minutes passed before their
WEAKNESS was lost in dreamless sleep.
Many a sympathetic heart had a
waking ear for the little slumberers
that night, but the sun was several
hours high before a sound came from
behind their sheltering curtains.
Bright and rosy faces, fresh from
the plentiful use of soap and water,
played in the aiSles or looked from
the windows, when the cur tl.inS of
berth number seven were cautiously
parted, and one, two, three, four little
tousled heads with dust-stained faces
peered forth.
Instantly rOmpS ceased, and curled
and dainty darlings looked with Curl
Gus eyes at the sOiled, travel-stained
little strangers. Mammals and papas
laid down their books, or turned from
windows, and gave their attention to
the startled little ones.
Just then the door opened and the
father entered the sleeper.
-Four little faces lost their startled,
eager look, and turned loving eyes as
he approached, baby holding forth
arms of welcome and beginning a lit
tie cry of relief at seeing a familiar
face. Tenderly and gently each child
was set upon it's feet, it's rumpled
clothing Strengthened and hair smooth
ed by awkward mans hand. The
baby was fretful and needed even
more soothing words and tender kisses.
Several tender-hearted women were
thinking of offering their services,
when a tall, stern-faced woman APP
preached the group and said:
"See here, my good man, don't you
know you should not travel with
these little children without a woman
to care for them? Where's their
mother"
The man raised from his STOPPING
posture-he had been trying a refract-
DRY little shoe-and turning a face
with haggard, weary eyes to his in
terlOcutOr. said gently:
81 am taking them" -laying a hand
on two little heads-'I am taking them
to their grandmother slight hesita-
ton. Their mother is in the express
car"
And STOPPING he lifted the baby in
his arms.
The woman, her stern features curl
ously twitching, walked to near win
dow, looked out with tear-dimmed
eyes, while from a seat near little
woman quickly rosH and said in a
voice that quivered ominously: LET
me have the baby. I will battle her
face and give her with the other little
ones some breakfast from my lunch
basket"
Sympathetic hearts offered eager
and the children, with clean hands
and faces. were soon enjoying a good
breakfast, but among the passengers
none were so generous, so untiring in
their aid afterward to divert and care
for the little motherless ones as the
stern-faced woman who had received
such a rebuke to her thoughtless and
heartless speech.
HDJTcDI CAVE NOTHING