Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-06-07
NO. 10.

cared very much for him. for he was
dearcr TO her than anything in the
world"
Chester paused. The silence in the
waiting room was complete The boy
sat still and did not seem astonished
by this strange story.
Perhaps you know" Chester went
on. that his mother lies all alone
now, and has no one belonging to her.
The people around where she lives
take care Of her in sort Of way. She
needs to be taken care OF now, you
know. She's not so very old. but she's
feeble. and she always has a sort Of
tired appearance. and she's always ex-
pecting and watching for this boy Of
hers
Nearly all the saloon keepers and
store keepers know Mrs Garvan. Her
boy used to go around those places a
good deal, you see. and she keeps
thinking she'll find him in some Of
than. She goes often al night and
asks those people IL they've seen her
Baby. She always tells them IL ever
they see him to tell him that HIS
mother wants him. And she does
want him very badly. Why. she's
nearly all the time crying alone by
herself"
The boy shifted uneasily.
Everybody wants to do something
for her, but nobody can bring back
her boy. and that's what would do her
the most good. Oftentimes they find
her sitting alone with something that
used to belong to her boy-something
that reminds her Of him-they find
her like that crying silently. Queer.
don't you think 1t is, how mothers
will go on that way?"
The Baby's head was In his hands.
and he seemed to be critically observ-
ing the floor. But he answered at
once, and in the same tone in which
he had spoken to the lady
YES. sir" he said without looking
up.
1T seemed to me-" Chester went on,
quietly. that IL this young Garvan
only knew how she feels about IL. he
would go back TO Corning and try to
make her as cheerful as she used to
be. He doesn't know about her, |
guess. and he wouldn't stay away, per-
haps, II he knew how much she cared"
Chester paused a moment and then
continued
And so | wanted to tell him to go
right on to Corning as soon as he
could. And perhaps If gave you a
ticket to Corning you might be able to
see him and give it to him. Do you
think you could"
The Baby did not raise his head.
and Chester bent to catch what he
said.
"Yes, sir" the boy whispered.
That's good" said Chester, cheer
fully, rising from his seat
He stepped across the floor. bought
a ticket for Corning and came back.
The Baby was still sitting with his
head down, but Chester put the ticket
into his hand and told him that there
was train leaving 10 minutes later
Then Chester went outside and walked
up and down the platform.
Its a risk, of course" he mused.
spending my money on tickets that
perhaps will not do any good. But
other fellows risk money in worse
ways. and why shouldn't put mine
into this bit of humanity"
That night, in one of the seats of
the late train into Corning. a little
boy sat alone with his face pressed
close to the window pane. He did not
notice the lights that flashed by in
the darkness, nor the different sta
tions. for he was crying quietly. not
at all like a hardened and bad boy.
Some months afterward Wainwright
wrote the following paragraph in a
letter to Chester
you may remember our friend.
Mrs. Caravans Baby. whose aequain-
tance you made in the streets of Ell
mira Perhaps you will be surprised
to learn that he is now one of our
most respectable citizens. He is work
ing in one Of the stores down town.
When | saw him the other day he
was dressed very neatly, with his shoes
polished and his hands clean, and his
clothes eminently respectable He
was always bright. and now he bids
fair to become a leading man. Mrs.
Garvan DOESN'T go around the streets
any more at night. and she thinks she
has the best son in the country. | am
at a loss to account for the sudden
reformation of the Baby"
Nov" said young Chester. leaning
back easily in his chair. IL don't
care how soon everybody knows about
the whole business. Some might say
could have put the price of that rail-
road ticket wh-re it would yield big
ger returns, but l call it a very good
Investment. Waverley Magazine.