Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-02-12
HIS PROTEGEE WIFE.


print dress, wet to the skin. Then came a
volley of inquiries.
'Where did you pick it up, Jackt' said
one.
"Huddled up in q doorway in the
took off his coat
"What is 1T" asked another
II don't know. Looks like girl,
doesn't it?' replied Jack.
"Well, If that covering is any Indication
Of the sex, l suppose it 10, was the an
swer.
Question her., said another.
The poor little creature was standing
where Jack had left her, apparently dazed
by the surroundings.
"What is your name, little one?' asked
Jack
She did not answer for "a moment but
stood shyly looking from one to the other.
Then she answered. Helen. -
'Helen" said a chorus of voices "Then
it is girl y
"But your other name9' repeated Jack.
II has none," was the answer.
WHAT"
Your mother, them"
II has none.'' And the childish voice
trembled as she spoke.
"No father Or mother! But with whom
do you liver" he inquired.
Nobody" The little eyes filled with
tears, which rolled down her cheeks and
splashed on the floor
"There, don't cry little girl Nobody
Is going to harm you. Tell me, where do
you sleep nights"
rbo al, oh II, f3yin -oI
the crowd of interested faces over and said,
Sometimes in the parks, in boxes or
doorways-most any old place. "
But what do you do in the winter"
continued J 'ck.
ooh, sleeps gen rally wild ole Mudder
Wrenn, but sometimes she puts me out,
and den some of the boys takes me home
wild DEM"
'How old are your"
" Bout o, guess"
Chow came you where found you to-
night"
well, didn't get no job ter do terday,
en- l didn't have no money ter buy eny pa
pers wild, an it rained so hard an was so
hungry an tired just laid down there"
Say, boys" said Jack, addressing the
crowd, "haven't some of you fellows got
luncheon with you that you can spare
something from for this childP'
A luncheon was forthcoming immedi-
ately and handed over to the young one,
who ate as one famished.
''Well, Jack, what are you going to do
with it," asked one
Blamed If know" answered Jack
"We can't turn her out in the streets again
tonight. F"
"Why don't you take her into your
wrap her up in one of your topooats and
let her stay there all night2 She won't be
in the way" said another.
"By the way, Allston, you have no.
body but yourself to look after. Why don't
you adopt the child" inquired Snuffy
Pillings.
Allston looked at him thoughtfully
without speaking.
"That's good idea, Pillings," spoke
up one of the editors. "She might be the
lost, strayed or stolen heress of large
fortune Perhaps you had better examine
her linen. You are an excellent hand AT
unearthing mysteries. -
The only article Of wearing apparel the
child had on was the battered print dress;
so the laugh was on Pillings.
Look here, Allston," said Brignell,
"you are unmarried, making good money
and standing in fair way to make more.
Why don't you take the child put her in
some good boarding school, educate her
and keep strict eye on her bringing up?
You claim that most girls Of the present
generation are not worth marrying, and
for the sake Of few dollars that you will
never miss you can make your own ideal
Of what woman ought to be. There is
the raw material, and II you are willing to
back your ideas here Is your opportunity.
In ten years time, under the proper guid.
ance that child may become one of the
brightest women Of her sex. If you ara
not married by that time, marry her. She
will be pupil of your own school ideas
and should prove fitting mate for you.
Even il you never married her, it would
have been an act Of charity to have given
her chance OF an education. II she CON.
tinues in her present condition, she will
either land In the river or worse place"
"You are an optimist, Brignell, said
Jack. "But, az you say, 1t would be an
act of charity, and should at least havs |
the satisfaction Of seeing what became OF
my money, which Is more than l could
have II I gave 1t to some charitable insti
tuition"
He was silent for q moment, during
which time ono might have heard pin
drop. Then he said suddenly: "I'll do it,
Brlgnell. I'll take the child, educate her
and zee how fate will repay me for my
trouble"
In second you wo0ld have thought
bedlam was broken loose, the way the boys
cheered and congratulated Jack, WIN
lauGhingly thanked them for their good
hand, left the room.
He did what he had said he would
placed her in an excellent boarding school,
looked after her as If she had been his own
daughter, took her off with him during
his vacations and, in fact, did everything
in his power to make her what he said he
would. Well, it is ten years ago now since
he first took her under his wing, but it is
three years since nave heard from him,
and did not know how his find was turn
ing out until ran across this item in The
Times guess it must have been sue
cess, for the piece read:
"Jack Allston Of The Times and Miss
Inez Langdcn were married ON the 10TH
They have gone on the continent for a
brief trip.
That is Jack fast enough, and that is
the name no gave his protegee, so evidently
the experim MT turned out the greatest
kind of success or Jack never would
have married her Exchange
|
OBlnCk Monday."