The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-13
TWO CHILDREN WITH HIM.
THHELY CLAD THEY WANDERED
AROUND UNTIL RELIEF AGENT
HUTCHINs SHOWED UP.
SECURED THEM WARM QUARTERS
The Old Man Has a Daughter I'm st
Paul With an Oyster Mark On
Her Cheek.

came all the way to st. Paul from
Adams county, Nebraska, bringing
with him his two children, a boy Of
nine, and a baby boy of two and
half years. He was found wandering
about the streets last night, looking
for place to sleep. He carried the
baby,wh lie the youngster trotted along
beside him. The children were thinly
clad. The older boy was not protected
with g. suspicion Of an overcoat, muf-
fer or mittens. The little one wore
dress and looked like a girl. They
were ordinary children, but not so
their father, Hezekiah. A thin srare
man he, with a growth of straight red
hair, a bunch Of chin whiskers Of SIM
liar hue and Uncle Sam cut, a hook
nose and restless eyes.
He made his first appearance In a
Wabasha street cigar store near Fifth
street and inquired where he could
md place to stay. From there he
proceeded down Fifth street, stopped
In saloon near Minnesota street and
made the same inquiry. Then he
trudged over to Fourth street, boarded
doWn-going cable car, got off at
Sibley street and went to the union
depot. 1t was there that Relief Agent
Hutchins found him, having been mott
ned by gentleman who saw the old
man in the Wabasha street cigar store
and suspected that something was
wrong.
Hezek1ah manifested an Indignation
suggestive of wounded pride when Mr..
Hutch1ns approached him to make in
quiries.
you let me and my children alone"
he cried. 81 know what I'm dom and
can take care Of them"
but your little girl Is sick and ought
not to be out such cold night as this
ventured Mr. Hutchins
p" 'Tadnt girl, It's a boy" sharply
corrected the Old man For he was
older than his looks. Not a gray hair,
did he have, and Mr.. Hutchins was
incredulous when Hezekiah said that he
was sixty years old.
Assured that no one meant him any
harm, the old man quieted down and
became communicative. He said that
ne had come from Adams county, Ne
brtsska, and was on his way to Red
Wing, Mimi, to find a friend by the
name of Jim Bonner.
Where's your wife?" inquired Mr..
Hutehins.
Hezekiah faltered an instant and an
swered, 81 don't know
When did you see her last?''
Seven months ago's the last I saw
of her. We didn't agree, SO she went
her way and | went mine.'
Continuing, Hezekiah said he had
worked on a farm in Nebraska, but
that his native state was Kentucky
The very name of the Blue Grass COM
nlonwealth seemed to bring back re
miniscenses of the old days, and his
faded eyes frightened as he repeated:
Yes, sir, I am a Kentuckian and
Woo in f6a 1n
longed to the Twelfth Kentucky
cavalry"
While the old man was talking his
nine-year-ol hopeful began to chatter
about the places they had passed
through on their journey from Ne
braska, displaying either a phenomenal
memory or prodigious imagination, one
could scarcely tell which.
The old man said he had IS cents
with him, but a hotel he had visited
since coming to st. Paul from Mime
apoliS, he had come on an 1nterurban
car, wanted to charge him a dollar for
g, nights lodging. That was too much
he thought.
"A happy thought seized Mr. Hutchins
The Bethel boat was hard by. He
would pilot Hezekiah and his children
to the David Morgan's floating hosiery
where they could be accommodated
with a nights lodging for Is cents.
f1SZ0kldn agreed, anu MI.
leading the way, they proceeded out
of the union depot, across the railroad
tracks and down on the levee.
But when the old man had arrived
within thirty or forty feet of the
Bethel, still carrying his baby, and
beheld the entrance Of the Bethel, he
stopped.
whats the matter?" asked Mr..
Hutchins.
Air We goin' to take me in thar"
questioned the old man.
why, yes that's a nice place"
mo ye don't" exclaimed the old man
Il don't go into no such place as thatr'
and he didn't.
Rdtracing their steps, Hezekiah and
his boy and Mr.. Hutchins walked up
Sibley street. half way to Third. where
Mr.. Hutchins stopped and led the way
into a little restaurant, with a hotel
attachment. The proprietor, a big
good-natured looking man, scanned the
faces of the children and said he would
give the family a warm room for the
night for twenty-five cents Mr.. Hut
Chins was about to depart when Heze-
kiah made another disclosure. Said
he: +4s.t
I've got a daughter. Ollie, sixteen
years old. and I've heard she was work
ing in a hotel here IrS.-.
Can you describe her? What kind
of a looking girl is tshe?" asked Mr.
Hutchins.
She's a tall, slim girl. quite talkified
and with an oyster mark on her cheek
/ forgit which cheek"
And the old man betook him to bed