The Mena weekly star., 1897-08-18

| or an hour, when she lifted her eyes at the sound of some one near. A small | figure, unseen before, was rising from the depths of the seat before her foot rest; it got upon its knees on the cushions and a little pale face was pressed against the glass. The rain, | beating unlindly. seemed to touch the sharp features. It was such a forlorn face, and the sense of pity for any form of childish unhappiness which some chidless women possess in supreme de- gree stirred painfully in Janet's heart.
 The boy pulled himself up farther; the queerly y-fashioned clothing, long out of date, brought vague memory of small brother, dead since her own childhood.
 "As if his grandmother had saved his fathers first suit for him." she thought Very tidy was the odd outfit; the pre- else, rusty black bow al the meeting of the frayed-edged linen collar and the faded, grotesquely large gloves. scrupu- lously woven. told their own sorry little tale.
 "I must get those gloves of"-and Janet began 10 move, as if the matter were of immediate importance, but fell back again; perhaps he was attached to some person not now in evidence. How ever, Dollaire ceased to interest; she could but watch the pathetic outlines of the face still touching the glass; unless she were mistaking raindrops for tears the little fellow was shedding the latter in that quiet fashion which makes one angry with some intangible cruelty which forbids child the natural priv ilege of noisy grief.
 Just now the entrance of the train boy and his wares might have diverted this unhappy child. But he did not even look around, turning his head ever so slightly when the boy touched his arm.
 Have some oranges. kid? Two for five cents! Shell out your nickel and be lively, now"
 The fair-haired head. surmounted by a shabby velvet cap returned to it's former position; the hopeless expres- sion about the mouth deepened, and Janet could bear it no longer. She was hunting nickels in her purse when the basket reached her: exchanging them for fruit and box of Lowney's. she moved down the aisle.
 "I am looking for some one to divide my orange with" she began. beaming at the child as he turned suddenly at the sound of her voice. II never do like to eat whole one."
 
 He took his feet down and pulled off the old cap.
 Excuse me-" he said; "I didn't see you"
 He meant to now, evidently, but while keeping his eyes on the lady's face he was extracting with considerable diff culty large handkerchief from small pocket; there was unmistakable tears on his thin cheeks.
 But perhaps you like whole orange. Of course, a boy would. Some folks think" and Janet leaned confidentially toward him, that a boy can eat any thing, and two of everything. I have taken off my gloves, you see"
 Somehow. she felt she hated those gloves as a type of this ill-eircum- stanced life; a sense of relief possessed her as they were drawn off.
 "I never had a whole orange but once. on a Christmas tree. and then gave il to grandma. But she gave me back a piece of it; she was like you-she could not eat whole one; l guess I could, thought"
 Miss Angel noted the carefully-kep' finger nails, but mostly the eager thirsty way in which he began to devour the segment of the orange. Was the child hungry, too?
 We seem to be the only people trav, cling alone to-day. May I sit with you a little while? It is pleasant to talk with some one, don't you think ?' Janet played with bit of orange peel; her throat was too full to allow hei to swallow anything but her "feei ings."
 f"Yes. ma'am.' he answered. I've been so lonesome 1 coGldn't keep from crying. And ate up all my luncheon yesterday. l wanted an orange so. bui l hadn't any nickel, only just a dollar bill, and Mrs. Brown. she said not f. break it. l s'pose she meant tear it. ,bur fshe said break" as though offerine apology for n lack of lucid English. It was not far to station, where. nc buffet ear being attached to the trair until later in the day Janet snatchec such eatables as were available. anc was So fortunate as to enlist the sym pathies of d woman who had q bottle ci milk in her travelling bag.
 Il was pretty hungry" he paused f, 1 SnN. nffRr n lnn lr l,.nf ~ =. ..r,