The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-07-28
LOST AND FOUND.
A Bit of Romance from the Paris
ian Boule wards.

Mrs. Van Altine was sauntering
leisurely down one of the boulevards
IN Paris. 1t was lovely spring morn
Ing; the air was crisp and verdure
fresh and inviting-just the kind of a
day for a stroll, and so the American
woman had disdained her fashionable
equipage. She had walked all the way
from her neat and artistic temporary
abiding place in the American colony
to the shopping district, had purchased
sundry trifes and looked at thousands
of articles she had not bought; had
fascinated number of clerks by her
dash and brilliancy until they were
ready to display for her especial ben
eft the wealth of the world in femi-
nine odds and ends, and now she was
making her way homeward, care free,
and happily conscious that many COW
ert glances We're cast at her stylish
figure. AT sixteen she was charming
girl; at twenty-six beautiful wife and
hostess: at, we'll, say thirty-an ire
sistible widow, perfectly satisfied to
saunter all by herself along what re-
mained of life's floral pathway. With
a more than comfortable competence,
she regarded the future with COM
placency and the past with resigna-
ton. Not that anything very tragic
was interviewer among the yesterdays.
Existence had flowed smoothly enough
"a broken engagement, a heart wrung
for time, a trip abroad, a wealthy
suitor. fashionable wedding,
pleasing honeymoon, a series of social
triumphs, the demise of her better
half, a brief period for mourning, and
the comfortable present. She was
childless, but she had many friends.
1t is true that sometimes something
like d pang came to her when her mind
reverted to children, and she told her.
self that possibly little one would
not be at all in the way. but, on the
contrary, might give sweet solace to
the few lonely moments which came to
her, who, generally speaking, did not
know what loneliness was. AS she
walked along with superb movement.
she observed two pretty girls in
charge of nurse. The children were
playing on the grass beneath the shade
trees with which the boulevard was
lined, while the nurse, who had the
expressionless features of peasant
girl, was seated on a bench knit.
ting. Mrs. Van Altine stopped impul
sively.
'Oh. you darling" she said, and
thereupon in her own peculiarly grace
full way began to question the children
and COO over them just as if she knew
all about the language of childhood
Near by on another bench was a little
boy dressed in sailors attire, with the
word captain on his cap. He looked
forlorn and disturbed, for his mouth
quivered and there were tears in hi
big blue eyes.
What's the matter, my little man?
continued Mrs. Van Altine, in the Ian
guage of the country.
He only stared at her and rubbed on,
of his eyes with his dirty fist. Sh,
placed her hand on his golden curls in
caressing manner.
why don't you play with the othe
children" she continued.
For answer he rubbed his other ey
with another dirty fist.
There, now, sailors don't cry" re
sumed Mrs. Van Altine, as she wipe
handkerchief. They go to battle an
fight and are brave. Are you my brav
little captain?"'
II don't understand" said the boy i
English, plunging his fists into hi
eyes.
What! you speak English? You ar
an American boy?'
''Yes'm."
"And are these your sisters?"
Nom"
Whose little boy are you?"
MY pas got bank"
''And what's your name?"
bobby"
Bobby what?"
Bobby Steele"
And where are you from, Bobby:
'Oh, big place, much bigger an
nicer than this"
What is it called"
''Cleveland-oh - boo = hoo-I wal
togo home"
"But you can't go back to Clewelan
tonight. Bobby. You are thousanc
of miles from home"
II don't care--I want to go home"
is your mamma with you in Paris.
Nom. Shes in Heaven. She's dea,
My mamma died when l was one ye;
old. I'm all my papa's got and now
boo! hoo.-he hasn't got me. I'm To-
and shall never see my papa again"
''You poor child. You mean to 81
you can't And your papa?'
mo; we went out for q walk and
stopped in crowd to look in a wi
dow. Then my papa went away al
left me-"
y "Aud you couldn't find him an
where?"
Nom. shall never see my pal
sgain.v
Nonsense! of course you wi
Why. we'll 60 and find him now" u
''Will You? No you know my paps
II can't say that l do. There ere
0apy Hteeles In the world. IL 20
pepssslepder and does he wear lit
y Rustaehef"
mo. ~ psps's big end has
s'Tben 1 srees II dop't know hi
- lcl9 Aopo ~ beeR waitil