The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-09-29

HANH bAC PdLLya
The station at c. was an unusual
" busy place this afternoon, farm wap-
n were drawn up under the trees all
along the road; wagons from nearby
farms and from away back in the coun-
try. The fresh air children from New
York were to come by this train; and
the farmers who had agreed to take
them each for a visit to their own
homes awaited them. Amid crowd of
men at n end Of the platform stood
Adam, a great, ~sun-browned, blue
eyed giant. MiIly's love for him was
returned in overaowing measure, but
with its growth a shrinking difidence
had taken possession of him, until now
he was almost afraid to meet the cues
tioning of her gray eyes. He loved her
more than he could express; he had
tried to tell her once, but had made
SUCH a wretehed bIunder of it! He had
managed to say something which had
offended her when he was trying his ut
most to show his devotion; and now he
could do it again, though his
whole being cried out with desire for
her love and companionship. He was
thinking all this as he leaned against a
post of the platform, and paying little
attention to anything but the move
ments of Millicent, as she went in and
out among the groups of people.
What was happening meanwhile was
this. The train came up, stopped and
from it poured a troop of children
fresh airs" 81 in all. A lady handed
the station master a list, reentered the
train, and it moved on to the next sta
ton to leave more children. Then the
agent called out from the list by twos
the names of the children and the
name of the farmer pledged to take
them. Two by two they entered the
wagons and were driven awav to the
houses that we're to shelter them for a
season. There remained on the plat
form n unclaimed infant, a little
blue-eyed scrap, her toes ~protruding
from her shoes, her ragged hat hang
ing down between her shoulders, a for
lorn-lookng kitten held tightly in her
arms-Kit, homeless, ~frfenGless, in the
midst of strangers. If no one had com
passion on her she was to STAY until
the following day with the station
agent, when the lady on her return trip
would pick her up.
All undismayed by her situation Kit
had been deciding for herself, and now.
her deliberations ended, she went d.
rectly TO Adam, put her hand in his.
and said eonidfngly: "rll go wifi Won.
Jenny's tired, you'd better carry her.
And bewildered Adam took the kitten
INTERESTINGLY, amid the laughter of the
Millieent watched them close
"; she had decided to take the little
one herself, but now she would wait to
see what Adam would do. Poor Adam!
He had no family of his own. The Wild
ow Wells was his housekeeper, and she
did not care for children and disliked
He really wanted to take the
child. 1t was such a short time. per-
haps she might be willing. 'Tum."
said the little one, impatient of his
thinking. LET'S do home. Kits hun
gry.' This decided him, and, exclaim-
ing: "All right, baby; wen try it, +" he
lifted her in his arms and turned to go.
As he did so, grateful Kit threw her
around his neck, and with a deep.
satisfied; Flank you,' kissed him fer
to the delight of his ~neighbors.
who cheered them Justify ashley disap-
peared down the road.
This was too much for Milieent.
What a hero he was to her Just then,
to bear the laughing remarks Of the
crowd as he did He never could care
that baby; she must get him to
let her have it. Hadn't you better get
IN and ride, Adam?" she asked as She
overlook him on the road, and Adam.
who was already beginning to wonder
he should say when he met the
widow, accepted gladly, realizing that
was a real help in trouble. Kit
ooked at her for a few moments and
men aeeiding thet she was an right,