The evening times., 1900-02-17
A PLUCKY YOUTHS TRIP
A Long Journey Made in the Safe
Of an Express Car.
The Determination of Leonard Vest
erp. nm Eleven-Year-OldO Orphan, to
Seek a Home i'm a Strange Lana.
A Friendly Messenger Lends His
Assistance in n Humane Conspiracy

Though Leonard Western is but eleven
years old he can boast of an experience
seldom met with by men. He Travelled
from waynesville, North Carolina, TO this
city, without paying a cent for trahspor-
tation. and rode a considerable portion ol
the distance in a large safe IN an express
car, and arriving here found happS
home He is now living with an East
WASHINGTON family, and has through MS
pIuck. manIiness. and intelligence so in
gratiated himself with the family, mat ne
is to be adopted.
Leonard is a small boy for his age. lie
is a sturdy little specimen, however, Win
large blue eyes and golden hair. lie Is
active and to such an extent tha' Tue
small boys in the neighborhood wnere ne
has found a home are enVlous OF HIS
somersaults, hand-springs, cart wheeis'
and feats of vaulting. There is a good blt
of modesty in the makeup of Leonard, 100,
and he shows no consciousness of his ablll-
ties. To his playmates he says the feats
he performs are easily learned, and IN
fact are a part of the daily exercise and
pleasure OF the youths who breathe the
air of the North Carolina pines.
Little Leonard has been an orphan since
he was TWO years old. He never saw his
father. who died a few months before
Leopard's birth. The mother died shortly
after the second birthday of the child
Leonard then became the charge OF
bachelor uncle and was well cared for unth
The death of the relative a short time ago
Ill aH rauaTdp1 his uncle
as a father and was brokenhearted at MS
death. Other relatives and friends tried TO
console the child and offered 10 provide
for him. but to no purpose. lie bTooaeu
much and finally conceived the idea that
mental relief could be found in change
of scene Accordingly he formulated plans
for a long journey. His only object was
TO leave behind him all that would tehd
TO recall the sudden termination of ms
happy home Though Uncle Pap, as
Leonard had known his mothers brother,
was dead. his memory lived in the heart
of the little fellow who in his limited way
of reasoning could not understand why ne
had never known real papa or mamma.
Leonard accompanied the remains of his
uncle to the grave. and as shoveltul atter
shovelful Of earth fell on the coffin, the
! little chest heaved. the blue eyes wept,
| and the little heart ached. IenderlS the
| little fellow was lifted by the loving arms
of friends and nestled in the arms OF a
sympathetic woman. but all 10 no pur-
! pose Leonard could not be reconclled'
| and sobbed mournfully during the Jour-
ney home from the graveyard.
The following morning Leonard ap-
peared bright and clipper Those inter-
| ested in the child looked wise. and said
he will be all right now. Little did they
dream OF the determination OF Leonard 10
carry out a plan formulated during a
| sleepless night.
Suddenly Leonard disappeared. Where
! he had gone no one knew except an eN-
press messenger on a Southern train
| bound for Washington, and he did not
! know the identity of the little wait until
| Waynesvi,le had been left many miles be
| hind Then il was that Leonard mourn
! fully related his sad story 10 a sympa-
| thetic listener.
| Leonard and the express messenger be-
| came friends in very peculiar way. The
| little fellow had journeyed from Waynes-
| Vile 10 Asheville on foot. When the
| Southern train pulled out of AsheVllle
| Leonard swung on TO the platform of the
! express car He was discovered by the
! messenger about thirty minutes later and,
| being cold was brought into the car.
| There he was closely questioned, and by
| his straightforward. manly statements at
! once made a friend of the express messen-
| ger Leonard was allowed TO roam about
| the car for short while until il was time
| for the conductor of the train to make
| his appearance, when the little fellow was
placed in the large express safe. There
! he remained for nearly an hour, when an
| opportunity for his release arrived. Again
when the conductor appeared, Leonard was
| put in the safe, and this time he remained
| there several hours. not because of neces-
| sity but owing TO the fact that the mes
| senger did not wish TO disturb his slum-
| berS.
| Ii appears that when the conductor had
| left the car and the coast was clear the
| express messenger called TO Leonard. and
| falling to get an answer, went in alarm
TO the safe The door was partially open
10 allow the admission of air for breathing
purposes but grave doubts entered The
mind of the express messenger. When he
| pulled the door wide open his apprehension
was at once allayed, for there. curled uI
like kitten was Leonard in the land OF
| dreams He was not disturbed and slept
peacefully for several hours. When he
! awoke he shared a meal with the express
/ messenger and was happy child.
When the train arrived in this city
l Leonard accompanied the express messen'
ger to the home of a friend in II Street
| near Twelfth Street northeast. There tht
| child was introduced and made comfort
able The good people had often expressed
a wish for a bright boy for adoption and
| kind Providence had sent them one