The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-06-19
MRS. CARAVANS BABY.

by, old man! see you later, j nope.
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 draughty and the June night air
chilly. Chester wondered why the
lady chose this room in which to wait.
He decided that it must be because
she could see her train coming.
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. 1t struck
Chester how much like the Baby the
boy was in size and general appear
ancs. 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 delicate little
boy, who was dutiful and good. was
preferable to hardy little boy who
sure that this mother would think so
and he wondered how 1t would seem
to that other mother in Corning.
A cold wave of air cut short his re-
llections. and he shrugged his shoul-
dsrs 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 the silence of the
station was broken only by the roar
of a train that came and went in the
darkness, leaving the Stiffness more
perfect than before. Chester glanced
at the clock; il indicated 10 minutes
after 10.
He had still some minutes to wait,
and he was beginning to wonder how
he could occupy it when his attention
was drawn to boy doing a 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
Chester. 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 Baby's company. He felt more
sure of this few minutes later when
the door was pushed open wide, and
the smaller boy came, in surly
fashion. into the room, dragging his
large shoes across the floor with a
| great deal of noise.
Chester, feeling safe from recogni-
| ton in his dark corner, watched him
closely. The boys hand was evidently
wrenched or twisted, for he shook it
repeatedly with very fierce frown.
| Cho5tel' saw that the boy answered
perfectly Wainwrights description OF
Mrs. Caravans Baby.
The newcomer made straight for
the cozy corner in which the delicate
littlf boy was sitting, and looked at
him impa;;ently.
Cit cut o the way" he said,
crowding the little boy from his seat
without ceremony The delicate boy,
much frightened and wide awake, went
across the room and took another seat.
The Baby sat down and drew himself
together as il he wera 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 not pause nor look about 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 were watching her from under
his cap, and he waited for the Baby to
do something. but the Baby did moth
ing.
Whether II was that the ladys ac-
ton had taken him completely by
surprise or that he had become toe
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 and
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 softly ca
ressing with her fingers.
1t seemed to Chester that her lips
were touching the young outcast'.
head, and that she was family muir
murlng some lullaby. The Baby's
head had dropped lower; but he still
sat so motionless that Chester begar
to think that perhaps he had gone tc
sleep.
Five minutes passed. and Chester be
gan to wonder how the incident woulC
close. He had quite made up his mint
that the Baby had fallen asleep wheI
the lady turned her head and her eye!
fell on the other little figure in the dis
tant corner of the room. She knew