Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-06-07

walked over to the seat where he had
left his valise. He had not the air CT
oomplacency proper to a student
whose vacation had just begun after
ten successful months in college.
Chester had seated himself, drawn
his handkerchief twice across his
forehead, and looked at the clock be.
| fore he observed the back OF young
man seated reading paper under one
Of the lights. This young man seemed
deeply interested in his paper; but
Chester addressed him without cere-
mony.
''Hullo. there, Wainwright" said he.
Thought you were home long ago.
What are you doing hsre?"
Wainwright raised his eyes. turned
his head, dropped his paper. and came
across the floor to his friend.
well, I'll be shot" he exclaimed.
'T didn't think I should meet any of
you fellows here. did leave carly this
morning. but a wreck delayed US four
hours. So I'm about as well off as If I
had waited for you. Did you Just get
in?"
"Oh. no." said Chester, glanclng at
the clock. 81 got here at eighteen, and
it's almost nine now. Didn't see you
around here then"
mo, took a walk up the street"
$50 did |, And thereby hangs a
tale. Haven't you noticed my wild ap-
pearance?"
u
"Now that you mention it," said
Wainwright. you do look as if some
thing was wrong"
Il went out to take a stroll" said
Chester, taking off his straw hat and
running his hand through his hair
And as | was going up one Of those
abounding side streets, was attacked
by footpads-"
What? Footpads in Elmira7 How
manyT'
Three. Two were perhaps IS years
old. and the other 10 or H."
"Pshaw. boysl What did they
want?"
Very determined boys, ! can tell
you," said Chester "They wanted
money. II didn't happen TO have any
they wanted my ticker | happened
| to have use for both articles, and so
| | had to fight for them. Tho bigger
fellows were easily knocked out, but
the youngest elung to me, tearing and
cursing and kicking wanted to
bring the business to an end. threw
him back very forcibly. 1t wasn't un-
| til he fell that saw how really small
and young he was
so you came out ahead?" said
Wainwright. But where were the
police? OF course, though. you didn't
want to be detained here a day or
two as witness. Could you identify
them?'
81 know they were toughs.' but
that's all. heard one of them call
another Garvan."
"Garvan," explained Wainwright.
Hold on a minute Did the smallest
one have short trousers and curly
hair and blue eyes?'
"He certainly had short trousers
said Chester. "and | think his eyes
were blue, and his hair might have
curled, for all | know. But it was all
| jammed under a soft cap pulled over
his eyes
81 think" said Wainwright. that
know who he was-he was Mrs. Gar
vans Baby"
Mrs. Caravans babyl" calculated
Chester. "Well, l must say he's
charming infant! But what do you
call him Baby for2 He's no baby, 1
can assure you"
He is to her." Wainwright said
And happen to know his whole his
tory. Yes, he has history. and
will just have time to give it to you.
My train leaves at g.
you have. 10 minutes" said Ches-
ter. Fire ahead. Is he one Of your
Corning friends?"
He belongs in Corning, though I've
never spoken to him. think Some
years ago used to see in Corning
small, curly headed boy, very bright.
and well liked by all who knew him.
1t was Ms. Caravans Baby. She al
ways called him Baby because he was
her youngest His father worked on
that when the boy had gone to school
few years they let him work one
summer in the factory. He wanted to
go, and they thought it would keep
him off the streets.
but soon the Baby began to grow
tough and in year he was a thor
oughly bad boy. In the daytime he
worked, and at night he was on the
streets. He learned all the bad things
that the streets of a town at night
could teach him.
! "He smoked, chewed and even
i drank sometimes. He began to stay
away from home for weeks at a time.
But he always came back until the
day, about a year ago. when his fa-
ther found him drunk on the streets,
and horsewhipped him severely. The
Baby has never been home since"
Chester whistled softly.
THAT isn't the worst part of it."
Wainwright went on. THE same
week that the boy ran away the IA
ther was killed on the railroad. The
two shocks crazed Mrs. Garvan a lit
tie. and she has never been the same
since. The people around where she
lives take care of her But at night
she roams the streets and goes into
all the stores and saloons and asks
the people II they have seen her
Baby"
Poor womani" said Chester.
Eyes, and when they tell her they
don't know. she only says. II you see
him will you tell him. please, that
his mother wants him? That's all.
And her precious Baby. meanwhile. is
trying to rob young men In the streets
Of Elmira. don't think his father
whipped him half enough, do you?
There's my train. | think. Well, good
by, old mani See you later, hope.
Be good to yourself.
Young Chester went outside to see
his friend off, and then returned to
the waiting room and sat down
thoughtfully. He sat in one of the
/ gloomy corners, with the woman and
the boy opposite TO him. The place
was dranghty, and the June night air
chilly Chester wondered why the