The Advocate and news., 1898-04-20
BY MARLE pIccs.

would wake up and find Mr.. Smith gone.
To be sure he knew Mr.. Smith wouldn't
run off and leave him, but he had such
a habit of getting off the train when It
stopped at towns and walking up and
down the platform and smoking and not
coming into the car again until long
after the train had started, that many
times Tom feared the train had gone off
and left him. and the thought that Mr..
Smith might go out to smoke again made
Tom so uneasy that he lay awake for
long time. But when he saw that gen
tleman with his eyes closed and his
mouth dropped open, he knew he would
not smoke any more that night, so Tom
curled up in his seat and slept till morn
ing, when Mr.. Smith woke him and said
they were coming into st. Louis.
When Tom looked out he saw many
buildings and cars and acres and acres
Of tracks which seemed to run into
great shed with roof higher than the
highest circus tent. Toms train ran into
this shed where there were many other
trains and crowds Of people. He trotted
along behind Mr.. Smith, who seemed 20
always know where to go and what to
do, and he wondered If when he got TO
be a man he would be just as big and
look as important as Mr.. Smith and never
get scared in the big crowds of people.
They went through tall iron gates and
then into the depot, which was not at
all like the one at home. 1t was so large
and grand with marble floors and beau
tiful walls and wide stirways that he
thought it the grandest place he had
ever seen; and when Mr. Smith told
him 1t was the finest depot in the world,
Tom looked at it in wonder. Then he
looked at the hurrying crowds and
thought, ''If there are so many people in
New York, shall never find Aunt
Sarah" The noises of the cars, the peO-
pie talking and men calling out the trains
made his head ache, and he thought
how much nicer it was on the farm
where there were no noises but the crow
ing Of the chickens, the singing Of the
meadow-lark on the prairie and the sound
of his mothers voice, as she stood on
the porch and called the men to dinner
across the fields. But he had no mother
now and he could not get back home.
He must be brave.
After a while Mr.. Smith took him out
through the big gates again, put him IN
another train and gave him in charge of
the conductor; then he said good bye,
and Tom was left to travel to New York
alone. He felt as if he hadn't friend
in the world, which Is one of the most
terrible feelings any one can have, and
l hope that none Of the boys and girls
who read this will ever feel so. AL
though he was brave little chap and
would have been ashamed to "blubber,"
as he called it, over little things or before
anybody, yet this occasion was too much
and as the back Of the seat was high and
no one could see him he cried a good
long cry. And while he was crying
softly to himself he heard some one say,
"Well, well, sonny! what's the trouble?"
and he looked and saw a negro man in
a blue uniform.
'Nothun," mumbled Tom, and he
sniveled and wiped his eyes with his fist
"NOw, you mustn't feel bad. De con-
ductah told me all about you, and we
goin' take care of you an find yo' aunt
all right, reckon. I'm what they calls
de portah an takes care of all de folks
on dis car"
This made Tom feel better, and he sat
up and looked out of the window, for the
train was crossing big bridge, and the
river was by far the largest he had ever
seen or even dreamed Of There were
big boats upon it which looked like
houses, and in their tops were tall pipes
putting out smoke. Some of these boats
were fastened to the shore, where men
were loading them with boxes and bar
rels, and some were moving I'D or down