Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-09-16

lives, good-bys mid youth and laugh
ter and silent good-bys with tears,
and the train steamed slowly into Chi
cago.
1t seemed to be the final destination
of all humanity. Such crowds of peo-
pie, such noise and bustlel But for
tunately the trend of humanity
seemed in general direction.
'Maybe you ought to have tele-
graphed, John, as he said to-" re.
marked Mrs. Petit, in dubious
voice. 'He would have been here to
meet lis"
81 know the way. We've got to
take the suburban train" said Mr..
Petit, grasping the big carpetsack
with one hand, and parcels. bags and
the umbrella with the other. "You
just keep close to me, Lucy. That
suburban train doesn't wait more
than five minutes"
Through the big iron gates and up
the wide stairs, everybody meeting
and greeting everybody else, boys
shouting and cabmen crying their
fares, and at last open air. That is,
not open air like tho broad meadows
and sunny garden plots of Wilson's
Ferry, but open mir IL uch like gazing
up from the bottom of good old
fashioned chimney, SO tall were tho
buildings on either side, and SO very
little of the blue sky visible overhead.
1t was all very new and very strange
to Mrs. Petit; yet, Notwithstanding
her bewilderment, she faithfully fol-
lowed the guiding carpetsack, hurry
ing onward in its wake, until they
were well out on tho streets and she
was quite breathless with the brisk
walk.
Then, MS the carpetsack shifted its
position for n moment to tho pave
ment, aud its owner turned to mop
his brow, Mrs. Petit saw, to her utter
dismay, that, while his hair was gray,
and from the back he presented an ap-
pearance not unlike that of Ephraim,
this man she hsd been religiously fol-
lowing was, III fact, an utter stranger,
and that she herself, Mrs. Petit, was
lost
he had wrought, the stranger shortly
resumed his carpetbag and his pace
together, and joined the great merry
go-round of people; while the old lady,
like bit of hotsam stayed for n mo.
ment in its course, clinging helplessly
to the brown basket, stood looking
about in bewilderment, while people
L., 1,1 4 4 l.
her.
-'I guess yer lost, amt you?" said n
big, kindly voice at her side.
Mrs. Petit smiled into the honest
! face of the man, who wore blue suit
with brass buttons, and star upon
his breast.
'I don't know" she said, little
tremulously, "but perhaps l am that
is, if you don't know where my son,
John Petit, lives
''Pettit--John Petit. don't seem
to place him just now" said the police
man, placing his hand upon his chin,
in thoughtful and reassuring man.
ner. "You don't happen to know his
street or number, now?"
''No," said the old lady; "Ephraim
always directs his letters, and he has
his address on card in his pocket.
But 1 know they We put new wing to
the house lately, and it's painted
brown and has bow windows"
Tho old lady waitel anxiously,
while the officer in the kindness of his
heart appeared to ruminate deeply.
''I don't seem to remember such a
place" he said presently; ''but we
can find It, If you'll just step down
to the station with met amt far
who're lost people stay, I'll ring up
the central police"
Mrs. Petit relinquished the brown
basket into Officer Mellen's hands,
and walked cheerlully along by his
side. "I hope your family are all
well, " she said, politely.
''Well, tol'rable, thank ee, said the
officer, with rather new sensation.
"Ths baby worries some o nights.
She's only two months old, you know,
and colicky like"
"Well, now, I'm so glad I brought
it, said Mrs. Petit, reacbin9 for the
basket. "Such n big bunch of catnip,
too, just in the bloom; twice as much
as Johns baby will need. It's sure
relief for collie. And here's some
young verbena plants I dug this
morning with plenty of earth around
them. Maybe your wife would like
them"
Thereupon paper bag and paste.
boar box changed hands.
81 thank'ee kindly, ma'am," said
the policeman, touching his cap.
''The catnip we get at the drugstore
amt much better than dust, and my
wife amt owned flower since she's
been married. In his secret mind
he was wondering where he could get
enough dirt to fill u flower pot to
plant them in.
The Detention Station was large,
high-ceiled room, with rows of long,
hard benches along its walls, a little
window behind which SAB man ut q
| desk and numharless nolioemnn nnas.