The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-08-11


leave the city that day. They came
out from the tenements all along the
block by twos and threes. and in
squads; there was great running to ard
fro. a general stir throughout the
n~eighborhood; everyone came out to
see them off.
They were ready at last, so in all.
The lady had pinned IN 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 n very earnest voice
which said. as il had been persistently
saying: "kitll go. too! Kit wants to
go! Gimme a wibbon "You want to
go. baby? 1 should love to take you"
said the lady. where is your moth
er? Why didn't she speak 10 me be-
fore"?" She amt got no mother: her
mothers dead. She just stays around
and no one takes care of her: please
let her 60" 1t was the big. rough boy
who spoke for her now.a and Kit sided
up 20 him in entire confidence and said
IN the most amiable manner. as though
granting a favor: "Kitn GO"
A few questions to the women about
brought out Kits history. Her parents
were poor but decent folk: her father
had been killed in a railroad accident
while seeking employment a year be-
fore. Sorrow and hard work had been
too much for the mother. who was a
delicate woman, and she had died two
months 1un 1anyinr Ift 20 tho -asrl-
oors. They were all ready to feed her
and give her sleeping room. and so
she had gone from one to another as
She chose. she and her kitten. But
there was no one whose duty it was to
clean and clothe and mother her. and
"the Island" would at last be her place.
The party was full, Out the agent de-
cided TO take her. Some farmer might
have pity on the little waif. She would
be responsible for Kits safe return.
at any rate. Safe return. As though
anyone would ever ask if Kit were safe
or not! So the baby tramp and her
pet were badged with the blue ribbon
and went with the party.
The station at C was an unusual
~ busy place this afternoon. farm wag-
ons 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 I o their own
homes awaited them. Amid a crowd of
men at one end of the platform stood
Adam. a great. sun-browned. blue
eyed giant. Milly's love for him was
returned in overlooking measure, but
with its growth a shrinking diffidence
had taken possession of him. until now
he was almost afraid to meet the ques-
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 wretched blunder 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 never 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 n troop of children
fresh airs" 81 in all. a lacy handed
the station master a list. reentered the
train. and it moved on 10 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 away to the
houses that were TO shelter them for a
season. There remained on the plat |
form one unclaimed infant. a little
biue-eyed scrap. her toes p]rotruding
from her shoes. her ragged hat hang
ing down between her shoulders. a for
l~orn-looking kitten held tightly in ner
armS-Kit. homeless. frienGiess. in the |
midst of strangers. If no one had COM
pd>S4OH vi HtI sic WAS ~ stay Until 1
the following day with the station
agent, when the lady on her return trip
would pick her up.
All u~ndismayed 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 confiGingly: III go wifi you.
Jenny's tired, you'd better carry her"
And bewildered Adam took the kitten
INCREASINGLY. amid the laughter of the
crowd. Millicent watched them close
ly; she had decided to TAKE the little
one herself, but now she would wait to
see what Adam would do. Poor Adam,
He haG 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. Lets DO home. Kits hun
gry.' This decided him. and. exclainE
"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
vapfIv 70 Tho deIiuNt of his peiubhorS