The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-01-02
"TAGS"A-JOURNEYING


ing Of steam and wheels and the army Of
tired passengers hurriedly debarked and
fastened for the gates one Of the train por-
tiers whistled and called to a uniformed at
tendant who was waiting to carry hand
bags to the waiting-rooms.
ooh, Bill" called the porter, "here's a
couple of tags Gimme hand"
Down the steep steps of the car he helped
a tiny boy of six years and turned him over
to the attendant while he reached up again
for little girl about two years older. They
were plainly but neatly dressed, and from
the lads coat and the little girls dress de-
pended upon the breast of each was a COM
mon shipping tag, which twired and hut-
tered in the breeze. The attendant turned it
over to read the directions
Davenport via Rock Island" he repeat
ed. "All right, Tom. Is the transporta-
tion all right"
Fine and daisy" said the porter.
Through from New York. Have to stake
them to the bus fare, though, l guess"
'I'n fix that with O'Brien," volunteered
the attendant. Hell haul 'em over to the
Rock Island all right"
All this time the two children had been
standing, patiently waiting to see what
wonderfully at the big train she'd the hur-
rying crowds and the painting engines. TAX
ing hand of each, the attendant led them
toward the waiting-rooms, and they trotted
along as confd Ntly as though they had
known him all their brief lives
"You come right along with me-" said
the railroad man, in a soothing way, "and
We'll see about getting something to eat.
Are you hungry"
eyes, sir" piped both children.
"Well, WELL We'll have to fix that up"
went on the man in the blue uniform Come
right along in here" and he turned toward
the lunchroom.
We've got another dollar yet" said the
girl, in a motherly way, taking out an old
purse from her dress pocket. Besides the
long, folded blue tickets was a paper dollar.
"Never you mind about that dollar" said
their guide. you'll probably need that be-
fore you get to Davenport"
The little boy had not said a word. He
was evidently either in daze over the
whole affair or supremacy confident that ev-
erything was all right. In the lunchroom
half a dozen trainmen were stirring their
coffee and number Of passengers were
snatching bite to eat.
w HdL you HOl, Dill asked q brakeman,
"Those your family"
''No; a couple of kids going to Davenport
on tags" said Bill. 'Bright-looking young
sters, amt they"
They were helped up on the stools, and
while a waitress set forth a lot of things
to eat one of the passengers, a white-haired
old gentleman, with his wife hanging on his
arm, was attracted by the odd-lool1ing tags.
"What are these for?" he asked the train
attendant.
ooh, these children are being sent from
New York to Davenport, and the folks down
east tagged 'em so they wouldn't get lost"
explained the railroad man.
"Do you mean that these babies are tray
cling alone?" demanded the old man.
ooh, yes. It's quite common" said Bill.
owe get 'em every month or So"
"Poor little dears!" exclaimed the moth
erly old woman, watching the big, round
eyes with which the boy observed the prep
aratons for breakfast.
"Where ale their parents?" asked the old
gentleman.
dead, I guess" ventured the trainman.
anyhow, they're being shipped from an
orphan asylum in New York to farmer in
Iowa who adopted 'em. They'll be all
right" he added, as he saw the look of con-
Germ on the faces of the old couple. "The
boys will take care of 'em all along the line.
You see, most of the boys have got kids of
their own, and they're in such a business
that they never can tell what'll happen to
'em or when it's going to strike, so they
have a soft heart for orphans, and they
keep an eye out for EN-"
By this time the children were diving into
the breakfast with will, and a thought was
suggested to the old gentleman, who seemed
to be quite worked up over the situation.
"Iet me pay for this check" he suggested,
putting his hand in his pocket.
ooh, that's all right" said the attendant,
"this is on me. 1t doesn't happen too often,
you know, and can stand it once in awhile,
cause I've got kids of my own. I'll fix 'em
up for the bus ride to the other depot, too"
The old man and his wife looked at each
other and she nodded brightly to him, al
though her eyes were shining with tears.
"WeL, give them this, anyhow" said the
old man, slipping dollar into Bills hand;
"they may need it some place"
"Sure will" said the attendant, and the
old couple hurried away to catch train,
after giving one last look at the little ones
soemnly munching their toast
When the meal was ended the little ones
were taken into the ladies' waiting-room and
turned over to the matron, another moth
erly woman, who was used to taking care Of
little ones travelling with "tags" They were
introduced to the Mushroom and fixed up a
bit after their long ride, and then, as they
had wait of several hours before the other
train was due to leave, they slumbered
peacefully in corner of the room behind a
screen. Meanwhile Bill had fixed it" with
O'Brien, the bus driver, that they were to be
whisked over to the other depot without
charge, that there might be no possibility OF
their getting lost on the streets or street
cars, and a few minutes before the Rock
Island train was ready to pull out they
were turned over to another friendly rail
road man, who placed them in the car and
called the attention of the conductor and
brakeman to them.
keep an eye on M" said the attendant
to the brakeman, and he said he would. So
good an eye did he keep on them that before
the train left half the people in the car knew
the little ones were travelling alone from an