The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-04-04
oaE rOucR or NAruRR.
BY CONGRESSMAN n ". HOWARD or
ALABAMA

attention. On looking around I saw
the speaker, a large, hard faced, hard
fsted-looking man Of about fiffy, with
scowIing brow and threatening mien-
also saw the sbrztsp at the far end Of
the ear, where two seats faced each
other. There were i've of fhem- The
eldest was a-girl CT about twelve. tut
slender and small for her age Her
face was intelligent, bat paiheticaily
sad.
Then there was Johnnie, aged eight,
robust, rosy-eheeked. and misehievons.
He was teasing his little sister Mary.
who was a delicate, pale little creature
Of six. Little Willie was only three,
but he could make enough noise for an
entire family. Johnnie knew just how
TO tease him and where y pinch him
on the sly to make him kick and scream
at the top Of his voice The smallest Of
this group Of ''bratsn was baby Alice,
barely year cid. who was frettiog and
crying in the arms Of Florence, the eld-
est child, who wss eooing and singing
softly to her baby sister and pleading
with her, but all to no avail, to keep
quiet aud not disturb the geutlsmen."
went over and spoke to TIE "brats,"
and Johnnie ceased to ''tessen and VIII
lie quit kicking and screaming. Itook
the baby in my arms and tried to quiet
her in a mans awkward way.
By this time quite group Of men
had gathered around Us, and ! asked
Florence, the eldest, why they were
travelling without either father or moth
er. Al once 1 saw panied expression
come over the expressive little face that
told the story more elOquently than
words.
saw her swallow a lump in her lit
tie throat before she could proceed; then
fsIseriDgly she told her story:
my father was an engineer on the
southern, and was killed in a wreck
about a year ago. He was 50 good to
u, and mamma loved him 50 well that
the shock broke her heart, and she died
day before yesterday, which was just
one year to a dag from the dste Of faith
er's death. Ny father was poor and
left but little money, 80 that II was AL
most sll gone by the time mamma died,
and when had paid her funeral ex-
penses there was only enough left 70
b1y our tickets from Birmingham to
Charlotte, y. c., where our grandpa
rents live. We had 10 friends and did
not know what to do, 50 decided to
go to them.
That's Why We are travelling alone,
sir" And the golden head fell forward
in her tiny hands, the sobs ehOked her
voice, and the tears triesled through
her fingers. l tried TO soOthe her, but
she only cried: "Op, mamma, mammal
Come back To mer'
After awhile she grew more calm,
but her frame was still occasionally
shaken by hysterieal sob.
'I-I-heard the gentleman call Us
brats, and l am sorry the children
make so much noise, but-bat-if NAM
ma were here they would not cry 50.
am sure" And the poor little heart
seemed breaking sgain.
By this time there was nOt dry eye
in the ear-even the old bachelor was
rubbing his eyes vigorously with his
handkerchief, trying TO pretend that he
had a cinder in them We all knew
better, however.
Presently be drew near and said:
'sThese tarneIl cinders are so annoying
when they get into ones eyes" And
we all smiled.
Again he. broke the silence, and this
time he said, "Genslemen, it viii b.
hard on these little ones 70 sit up all
night, 50 ]. for one, an willing to give
up my berth, which have teiegTaphed
to Atlantis for" I agreed 10 do the
same, and 50 did another gentleman
When we reach-d Atlanta, We all
went to the ticket office and paid for
our berths, which had been reserved
for G>, and they were the only ones left,
and then We took charge Of the ''brats,"
and, with the help OF Florence and the
kiEd-heartsd porter, soon had them all
safely in bed and asleep.
We started back to the smoker, out
stopped and looked back toward our
sleeping charges. The lights were turn
ed low, and ia the aisle kneIi little
figure, her golden hair falling over her
snow white gown, her large brown eyes
turned heaveuward. Silently we open
ed the door, and, with heads feverently
bowed, listened 10 the prayer Of child
ike faith aud simplicity.
Heavenly Father, take care OF my
brothers and sisters; help me TO guide
and lead them in the paths Of right
eousness, and may they grow up to be
good men and women, 50 that We may
oil meet father and mother in heaven,
for Jesus sake. Amen
That was al; but We went away from
| That scene better meB. And It was the
nappiest night we ever spent, 50 we all
declared. And the old bachelor would
90 back to the sleeping-ear every hour
or SO to see il the ''b-ass" were asleep,
and to make sure that none OF them
bad tumb'ed out Of bed
The next morning their venerable
grandfather, to whom We had telegraph
cd, was at the depot to receive the child
rem with open arms, and It was with re-
gret that We parted from the little ones
and kissed them goOd-by.
Our bachelor friend insisted on buy
ing enough nuts aud candy to endan-
ger the health Of Johnnie and Willie
for long time to come.
He never left the train until We reach
ed Washington, but there was no more
grumbIing and growing out Of him
Ksowee IS c. Courier.