Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-08-29

screen; the COW lowed from the meadow
without.
At last Mrs Petit pushed aside her
untasted food and said, with pitifu1
tremor in her old voice: Wen go.
Ephraim. It's wicked of me to be
staying at home grieving, and neglect
ing the loved ones that need me. We
will write to Johns tonight and tell
him So"
Thus il came to pass that a few days
later certain train pulling out of Will
sons Ferry carried with it quaint old
couple with whom we have to do. Tie
old gentleman wore his whiskers after
good old country style, and looked
over his silver-bowed glasses with the
most benignant eyes in the world. AS
for the old lady, fellow-passengers
glanced idly upon her, and then turned
to gaze again. Such a sweet old face,
scanned with added years and care, but
beautiful withal in its frame of clus-
tering gray curls. No one smiled at
the old-fashioned bonnet, the long,
slender-waisted black dress, or neatly
folded shoulder shawl. No one seemed
to think of the oddly of the black silk
mitts with their short fingers, although
they had not been put on before since
Eleanor's funeral. Everyone seemed
kindly interested in the big brown
basket with cover and two handles.
Before the journey ended 1t had opened
wide its hospitable cover to soothe
with ginger cakes and tarts the cries
of more than half-a-dozen travel-worn
babes, and had won the earnest bless
ing of as many tired mothers.
Six hours of rumble and noise and
dust, glimpses of waving green fields
and distant towns, a heeting acquaint-
ance with strange faces and other
lives, good-bys mid youth and laugh
ter and silent good-bys with tears, aud
the train steamed slowly into Chicago.
Tt seemed to be the final destination
of all humanity. Such crowds of peo-
pie, such noise and hustle! But for
tunately the trend of humanity seemed
in a general direction.
Maybe you ought to have tele-
graphed, Jones. as be said to-" re-
marked Mrs. Petit, in a dubious voice.
He would have been here to meet u.s."
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
suburbs 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 the broad meadows
and sunny garden plots of Wilson's
Ferry, but open air much like gazing
up from the bottom of good old-fash-
Toned chimney, SO tall were the build
ings on either side, SO very little of the
blue sky visible overhead.
It was all very new and very strange
to Mrs. Petit; yet, notwithstanding
her bewilderment, she faithfully fol
lowed the guiding carpetsacl1. hurry
ing onward in it's wake, until they
were we'll out on the streets and she
was quite breathless with the brisk
walk.
Then, as the carpetsack shifted it's
position for a moment to the pavement,
and 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 appear
ance not unlike that of Ephraim, this
man she had been religiously follow
ing was, in fact, an utter stranger,
and that she herself, Mrs. Petit, was
lost!
Quite unconscious OF the mischief he
had wrought, the stranger shortly re-
sumed his carpet-bag and his pace to-
gether, and joined the great merry-go-
round of people; while the old lady,
like bit of hotsam stayed for mo-
ment in its course, clinging helplessly
to the brown basket, stood looking
about in bewilderment, while people
whirled and eddied and divided about
her.
Il guess yer lost, amt you?" said
big, kindly voice at her side.
Mrs. Petit smiled into the honest
face of the man, who wore a blue suit
with brass buttons, and a star upon
his breast.
Il don't know she said, a little
TREMENDOUSLY, ''but perhaps I am; that
is, if you don't know where my son,
John Petit, lives
"Pettit-John Petit. I don't seem
to place him just now said the po-
Iiceman, placing his hand upon his
chin. in a thoughtful and reassuring
manner. You don't happen to know
his street or mum ber?'
No." said the old lady: ''Ephraim
always directs his letters, and he has
his address on card in his pocket.
But know they've put a new wing to
the house lately, and it's painted
brown and has bow windows
The old lady waited anxiouslv. while