Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-13

were blowing in the hot wind. A biacl
waiking-hat, very old but neatly brush
ed. presented a sharp contrast to tn
headgear Of most OF the other women II
the car. who had none too Immaculate
handkerchief tied over their frows.
eyelnshes showing light against the In
tense purple OF the shadows beneath
them. Now and again she bent forwar'
little, and we knew II was TO watcl
more closely the face OF little child tina
lay, pale and passive. In her arms. l re
called how she had shrunk as II from
blow and pressed the baby closer when
while we were in the car. the unceasini
alterations OF the numberless children
had eliminated In open war. and ont
OF the unsavory-looking urchins had beet
pitched headlong into the aisle by NOR
muscular brother. But there had beer
no appeal In the gray eyes when she lift
ed them TO us as we passed. only proud
endurance that was well-nIgh defiant.
We questioned the tourist agent: "She
was from Maine; the baby had been sick
when she took his train at Chicago. and
ever since. The woman was SICK too
and poorer than poverty II seemed from
the way she treated herself; she was 10
get off at Majove. II the heat We were
just beginning TO come to didn't Kill her
first: II was the noisest trip, too. In years
of course he tried to keep II quiet, but
there were thirteen children under eight
on board that car. There was good
deal Of domestic trouble too: the night be-
fore there had been row that ended
In a fight before he could prevent It."
We shuddered and looked up at the
little woman In the car-window.
I'VE must help her In some way" de-
clared girl from our car.
II am afraid you will find Il rather
hard TO manage. / have seen that sort
OF face before" said her father.
But we women turned instinctively TO
Mrs Moss. whose big heart had gone out
to all the troubled ones on the journey.
from the starved little pairie-dog that
died forgotten In box TO the childish
old German who was looking for his boy.
And her ready tact had won all members
of our little commonwealth from morose
silence 10 sociability. We were sure that
she could manage 1t, and we planned that
the little woman and her baby should be
brought into the "Medusa." and hence
forth, on the journey at least, be cared
for.
/ glanced up at the window and saw the
subject Of our sympathy look at US mar
rowly. This | spoke of to the group.
prefacing remark with an Injunction
not to look round. However, they did
look round, she saw them, and Mrs.
Moss's case was prejudiced from the
very first We saw even then that finesse
was necessary. and We had passed Trini-
dad before she made any overtures.
1t was then early evening; the lamps
In the tourist" had just been lighted,
and from the platform OF the station
as we walked about we could see Mrs.
81 .,.f.
seat in conversation. The light was
wretchedly poor but there was visible a
faint, well-bred smile on the mother E
face as our agent bent over the baby.
But there had evidently been no invita-
ton given TO sit down. We did not feel
comfortable nor successful The conduc-
tor shouted, "all aboardv' We went
back into our car and left affairs still
uncertain.
When Mrs. Moss did come in It was
with a discouraged air.
81 simply can't say one word TO her
about herself" she declared. and help
lessly sat down. THE conductor says
she has not bought one thing for herself
since leaving Chicago, except two cups
of tea, and she is living on some perfect
ly-dry sandwiches from box she had
when she got on his car. He says she
buys milk regularly for the baby, but
that is all, and you know what the milk
is here at this time Of year. And that
car Is simply horrible"
She paused and sighed.
But what did the woman herself
say asked the girls father.
''She discussed the artistic value OF the
colorlng of these plains we passed to-
day.
1t was evident that our envoy was dis
concerted. and, If she had failed, further
effort was useless.
"Did you speak Of the chlld?" some
one asked.
Yes; and she hardly answered me-
but went on with her color
our attempted benefaction had failed,
and we were forcibly returned to an at
tendance on our own affairs.
Next morning the greater number Of
our party were gone. having left the train
at Albuquerque, and We had plunged
out Of the mountains into the awful
plains again. 1t seemed a fitting condi-
ton of the abominable Journey that we
should reach the cooler regions just as
the relief Of night was coming any way,
and should be forced to traverse the glar-
ing plains under the full sun. Only
Mrs. Moss and myself were I'm the car
now. and. together we planned a fresh
tried again, but came back declaring that
she felt absolutely rude.
And l know she needs help bitterly
she said ''She is actually suffering for
food. And yet a moment ago, when ]
most casually offered her some fruit, she
said. quietly, NO. thank you; / do not
care for any, and looked straight into
my eyes In u way that said. You see /
will not lot you help me-"
Il
said. "but 1t appears To me that the
TO know or realize IT. DO you suppose
If she did that she would accept help?"
Perhaps. but she In insanely proud.
And as long as he is quiet she seems TO
think him all right. and since we can do
almost nothing for the child. even II she
would come In here, il is almost brutal
to brighten her. | wonder why she was
let come that way. she has a cared-for
look, II she is poor, and she acts utterly
inexperienced"
There is nothing we can do but watch"
replied, land take care of her when
she has to give up"
We did watch. and once we saw her
almost fall as she came out OF a lunch
room door with cup Of milk, and just
at evening, when we had reached the
narrow range that formed the nterlude
between the horrors of the plains behind
and the worse horrors Of the ruorrow's de-
sert, we saw her walking up and down n
strip of grateful grass beside the little
station where we stopped. carrying the
baby. and on his thin, small face were
two flaming spots OF red.
III.
Mrs. Moss left the train at The Needles
next morning to join her husband at
some southern fort. l had risen TO see
her off, and was sitting wrapped In my
bath-robe in the open section opposite
my own berth, trying to see whatever