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



The lady was middle aged and OF re-
fined appearance. AS she sat with one
arm thrown over the shoulder OF her
boy, her attitude bespoke motherly
tenderness and concern. It struck
Chester how much like the Baby the
boy was in size and general appear
ance. The young man wondered vague
ly II she knew how much she had to
be thankful for in this innocent little
son, even though he was delicate.
He reflected that a delicate little
boy. who was dutlful and good. was
preferable to hardy little boy who
was undutiful and tough" He felt
sure that this mother would think so
and he wondered how it would seem
to that other mother IN Corning.
A cold wave Of air cut short his re-
foctions, and he shrugged his shoul-
de.5 slightly and was thinking to
walk about. when the woman said
something to the boy. and then rose
and left the room.
For few moments tho silence ofthe
station was broken only by the roar
Of train that came and went in the
darkness, leaving the stiffness more
perfect than before. Chester glanced
at the clock; 1t Indicated 10 minutes
after 10.
He had still some minutes to wait,
and be was beginning to wonder how
he rntfId occunxr 70 ,,.har II, o...utfo,
was drawn to boy doing step dance
on the platform outside. Chester,
looking through the window, recog-
nized the youngest of the boys who
had assaulted him.
The boy danced as though he had
nothing else in the world to think Of.
CE-ster, looking closely. could just
distinguish the forms Of his two old
er companions. In another instant
these two disappeared. The Baby
shouted. and ran after them.
Their movements suggested to Ches-
ter that thsy were trying to get rid
of the Babys company. He felt more
sure of this few minutes later when
the door was pushed open wide, and
the smaller boy came, in a surly
fashion, into the room, dragging his
large sho-s across the floor with a
great deal of noise.
Chester, feeling safe from recogni-
tion in his dark corner. watched him
closely. The boys hand was evidently
wrenched or twisted, for he shook it
repeatedly with a very fierce frown
Chosto' saw that the boy answered
perfectly Wainwright's description of
Mrs. Caravans Baby.
The newcomer made straight for
the cozy corner in which the delicate
little boy was sitting, and looked at
him impaticntly.
Git out O. the way" he said,
crowding the little boy from his seat
without ceremony. The delicata boy,
much frightened and wide awake. went
across the room and took another seat.
The Baby sat down and drew himself
together as if he wers cold, and then
leaned back and blinked revengefully
at the light with his cap pulled over
his eyes.
The door now opened, and the lady
came back into the waiting-room. She
did net pause nor look ebout the room
but went over to where the Baby was
sitting with his head down and his feet
drawn closely under him. The lady
sank into the seat beside him, gently
threw one arm over his small shoulder
and bent her head above his.
Chester felt sure that the Baby's
eyes wsre watching her from under
his cap. and he waited for the Baby to
do something. But the Baby did moth
ing.
Whether it was that the lady's ac-
tion had taken him completely by
surprise or that he had become too
much embarrassed to move, it is i'm
possible to say. Chester's eyes went
to the delicate little boy wonderingly
but the little boy was sitting with his
face turned away from the door AMI
had not noticed his mothers entrance.
When Chester looked at the lady again
her hand gently strayed to the Baby's
tangled hair, which she was scftly ca
resting with her fingers.
1t seemed to Chester that her lips
were touching the young outcast's
head, and that she was iaintly muir
muring some LULLABY. The Baby's
head had dropped lower; but he still
sat so motionless that Chester began
to think that perhaps he had gone to
slsep.
Five minutes passed. and Chester be-
gan to wonder how the incident would
close He had quite made up his mind
that the Baby had fallen asleep when
the lady turnod her head and her eyes
fell on the other little figure in the dis
tant corner of tho room. She knew
her boy Immediately. A startled look
came into her eyes, Shs drew back and
looked amazingly at the boy beside
her, and murmured hastily
Dear mel had no ideal beg
your pardon but | did not notice you,
and | thought you were my boy"
Then Ch ter saw that the Baby had
not been asleep, for he threw aside
his head. after one quick glance into
the la1y's face, and murmured, in
what was almost tone Of reverence
"Yes, ma' am.
A few minutes later the woman and
the little boy went out to meet the
southern bound train.
Young Chester swung one foot
across the other uneasily, and looked
dreamily at a ponshed model OF To-
oomotiye under a glass case. Th-n he
stood up, walked over to where Mrs.
Caravans Baby was sitting. and took
the seat beside him.
"Do vou know" Chester t-Gan slow
ly and uncertainty. "a young fellow
around here named Garvan? was
told | might find him somewhere
about; and | thought perhaps you
might have seen him.
The Baby gave quick, keen glance
and then said. with scronful impa-
tience-
"Nawl How'd | known? What
dye want of him?"
well. you see" Chester sail, his
mother lives in Corning, and she has
a pretty hard time of it, and wanted
to see him about 1t. He ran away