New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-10
WAITS AND STRAYS.
4 FRESH AIR" STORY.


laid the dust, and now teams were seen emery
ing from The various lanes into the turnpike. all
going down TO meet the train from Newly ork
In the vice porch Of Farmer Morriss old
homestead stood his daughter Millicent. The
occupants Of the passing wagons nodded TO her
as they vert by. Her team waited under
the naples near but Micent seemed in no
hurry to go. She was thinking thought
twisted in the coils Of her soft. brown hair. ex-
pressed in the grave lines of her usually laugh
ing face and in the deep, gray eyes, that at
present watching the footpath across the
meadows that led TO the Calder farm
MlIicent Morris, Martha Graves. VIII Ellis
and Adam Calder children of neighboring farm
ers, had grown up together. happy. insepara-
bic band When there had been childish differ
ences between them il had always been Martha
and VIII On side. and Milicent and Adam
on the other; and she had grown up 10 feel that
he belonged TO her OF course he belonged 10
her; it would be absurd to think of his marry
ing any else and yet-he had kept away
from her much Of late she could not under
stand it Martha had just left her; Will Ellis
and she to be married in September and
she naturally full OF happiness But to
pretty Milhcent as she stood watching the path
along which came. life seemed at present
rather disappointing. Well! She might as we'll
go TO the station. too.
Around a newly emptied ashcan in one Of the
dirtiest streets on the extreme West Side of
the city three ragged urchins were gathered
peering eagerly down into its depth and all talk
ing excitedly Il want it. It's mine! Tum up
Jenny! Tuna up"' These were the continuous
EXPLANATIONS of the smallest of the three as she
reached her grimy hands down into the grimer
depths From the abyss. in answer to the call
E, T,roE-' 5.l-l,-
uced. or laughed at by the loungers about the
sidewalks and doors Of the tenements. There
seemed 10 help for the kitten, until by the COM
bined efforts Of its three friends pulling to-
gether on one side the can tipped and chill
aTen and can rolled together into the gutter.
From its depths crawled the skeleton of a
kitten dragged and weak, but not without
spirit No sooner did it appear than a big.
rough boy Cwho had thrown it into the CAM
seized II and was about to put il high up the
lamp-post out Of its owners reach, when the
kitten, squfming around. planted all Of its
foreclaws in his hand, just as little three-year-
old Kit learned already in modes of warfare
current in the vicinity set her sharp little teeth
in the calf Of his leg. The sudden and severe
attack made him drop the kitten. XIX seized it
and hU5ging it in an overdose embrace ex-
claimed: 4 yubs il! 1 yubs it, and pressed its
dirty little face 10 her OWN dirty face raptur-
ously.
The big boy was not really bad; ne vas only
having fun in his way. and so he did not
strike Kit, or kick the cat : he might have
done unmolested; he just rubbed his leg rue
fully, used strong language and threatened
what he would do Then. stirred to anger by the
laugh Of those around him, he offered to fight
any one who laughed again Some one did laugh,
a ring was formed and fight seemed imminent;
but just then came diversion A murInur
was heard on the outside of the crowd a quiet
looking lady coming up the street. and from
mouth 10 mouth and all along the block was
heard the exclamation: THE country. The coun-
Try! The kids are going to the country" The
fight was off. Kit was forgotten.
The lady one of the agents Of the great
Fresh Air Charity, and had come to collect
party that was to leave the city that day. They
came out from the teneInents all along the block
By twos and threes, and in squads; there was
great running to and fro, general stir through
out the neghboThood; every one came out to see
them off.
They were ready at last, sixty in all. The
lady had pinned on the last Of the blue badges
by which they were to be recognized when she
became conscious Of a small ragged figure
which followed her about and = very earnest
voice which said. as it had been persistently
saying: kitH go. too! Kit wants to goi
Gimme q wibbon?' you want to 60 babyr