The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-12-23

perience concerning trans. omnibuses,
trains and other modes of transit, and he
was not at all dismayed at the notion of
making his way to a strange part of the
town. He proceeded in haste to make
preparations for his expedition. First he
found piece Of paper and sorawled upon
II In enormous, sprawling letters: "Plese,
daddy, have gone to your old house to
find Sandterklawse, and shall tell him
to bring things to poor likkle boys as we'll
as ricohe ones.-Tony." Tony's spelling
was not his strong point. Then he put on
his cap and his little overcoat, rather thin
and very shabby took his violin under his
arm and so set forth.
The sky was overcast and the wind cold,
but out In the streets the lamps were light
ed, the shop windows were resplendent
with holly, and crowd of belated shop.
pers hustled each other on the pavements,
so that Tony, in his delight at this novel
and beautiful scene, did not feel the cold
and knew not the meaning Of fatigue. At
first he even forgot that he meant to get
into a tram and go to Stoneley, the sub
urb in which his fathers home as child
was situated. The name of the house was
Carston, as Tony knew, and In his igno.
rance of all difficulties he intended to go
by tram car to Stoneley and then ask the
first passerby his way to Carston. That
the place might be utterly changed from
the time when his father was a boy never
entered Tony's head.
However, the Innocent and ignorant
sometimes seem guided toward right ways,
right things, right people, In ways we do
not know. Tony looked up straight into
the face of the omnibus conductor at
street corner where several omnibuses
were waiting and said, "Are you going to
Stoneley, please?"
And the man looked down at him kind
ly and said
"Aye, that be! Do you want to go to
Stoneley, little MASTERY
eyes, " said Tony, promptly scrambling
up the steps, land want to go to house
at Stoneley-a house called Carston. Do
you know where it is?"
why, yes, said the friendly conductor
in rather doubtful voice. II know Car
ston well enough, and we go almost past
the gates, but what might you be want
ing at Carston, l should like to knowP'
"It's where my daddy used to live,"
said Tony, settling himself into his seat.
ooh, seei' said the man, feeling more
satisfied. He supposed the boy must be
the son of some coachman or gardener who
lived at Carston, and Tony had so much
self possession and confidence that no more
questions seemed necessary.
More passengers got in, the conductor
shouted, the driver cracked his whip, and
the omnibus moved on. 1t seemed a long
time to Tony before 1t stopped to put him
down in dark road, where the conductor
pointed encouragingly to white gate at
the end of little lane and told him that
that was the way to Carston. "There'll
be bus back to town every quarter of an
hour" he said, "but maybe you won't
want one9 You're going to spend Christ
mas with your father, reckon9''
"Oh, yes!' said Tony, not at all sus-
pecting the drift of the question. And
then the omnibus rolled away, leaving him
all alone In the dark with an unaccustom
ed sensation of fear and-an unusual thing
for him-a strong disposition to cry.
But he mastered the weakness, and,
grasping the violin faster. he turned to-
ward the white gate at the end Of the lane.
1t was unfastened, and when he had pass
ed through 1t he found himself on grav-
eled walk winding whitley between trees
and plantations toward large, dark look
ing mansion, which Tony OWNED to be
Carston his fathers old home.
He followed the path until he came to
the garden, and then he lost himself lit
tie, but by and by he emerged from the
shadows and found that he was fronting a
wide flight of steps which led up to the
terrace in front of the dining room and
drawing room windows. Tony nodded