The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-19

veil and was drawing on her gloves,
then she said, holding up her own
precious badge which she had man.
aged to unpin from her frock: "You
shall have my badge if you can't
wait, and mamma will make me an
other. Please wear it, Aunt Mil
dred," she pleaded, as her aunt made
no motion toward taking it; ''please
wear it, and belong to my 'ciety."
"You precious little Peterkinsl"
cried Aunt Mildred, giving her a
rapturous hug and kiss. "You know
can't refuse you anything, SO you
shall pin it on yourself, right here"
indicating a place on the inside of
her jacket" and perhaps it will prove
talisman to keep me good while l
am gone. know your creed perfect
ly-to be good yourself, make other
people have good time, and say
poor doggie' to all the one-eyed
SHUTS you meet. I'll remember
Peterkins, never fear;" and with
warm, yet hasty kiss for her sister,
she was off.
San hour later, Mildred Browning,
while awaiting with her gay compani'
ons the incoming train, had her at
tention called to little old lady in
rusty black, who nervously passed
and re passed the corner occupied
by them.
"Look at that queer little speci-
men of humanity" remarked one.
"This is the third time she has gone
out and spoken to the guard, and
every time she comes back she counts
her budgets over, for fear some of us
have stolen one, probably"
Perhaps she has never travelled
before and is nervous over it" sug-
gested another.
"'Poor doggiep" thought Mildred,
as she watched the trembling fingers.
''I'm afraid sheis a 'one-eyed Smut"
And then. because she was ever a
creature of impulses, she walked
quickly across the waiting room to
the old lady's side.
"Have you lost anything, MADAME
Can 1 help you in any way!" she
asked.
The woman gave nervous little
scream. "Lawsy! how you scarf mel"
she exclaimed. "No; l hain't lost
nothin', only that man out there said
the train would be here in twelve
minutes, and I was gittin' things
ready that's all. never rode on the
cars before" she went on, encouraged
by the sympathy she read in Mil.
dred's face; "but Mary Ann she's
| my darter-she's took sick and has
sent for me, and John-he's my boy
he thought he couldn't go with me,
couldn't spend the time nor the mon
ey either, and SO he just fetched me
down here and bought my ticket for
me, and said the cars would take me
straight there; but land! I've worried
SO for fear I'd git on the wrong train,
or they'd go off and leave me, that
I'm clean beat out fore git started"
"Where does your daughter live?'
asked Mildred.
CAT o."
"Why, then you will go on the
same train | do; SO don't worry any
more, will see you safe on the cars"
"How good you be to mew and the
thin lips quivered, 81 sorter thought
the Lord would take care of me, but
l couldn't keep from bein' nervous
over it. You see," she reached up to
whisper in Mildred's ear. "Itold the
Lord if He'd take me to Mary AIMS
all safe, I'd never distrust him agin;
but didn't really think he was goin'
to send an angel to go with me-"
The shrek of the train whistle made
it impossible for Mildred to disclaim
any relationship to the angels, but it
was with an unusual sensation in her
breast that she helped the old lady
gather up her belongings and guided
her toward the cars.
"What new departure is this?" de-
manded her friends, as, after seeing
her charge comfortably established
in seat, with her numerous budgets
about her, Mildred once more joined
her companions.
"Oh, only said poor doggie' to a
'one-eyed Smut" was the laughing
rejoinder.
as the girl crazyi" cried Florence
Hathorn, while Belle Ashton roguish-
ly snatched her smelling-salts and
applied them to Mildred's nose.
"Hush, hush, girls" said Mr.. Hath
orn, who was acting as escort to the
party his wife was to chaperone. 81
am sure there is a story, as the chill