The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-01
STOPPING A RUNAWAY
By EPEs ". SARGENT.

not told her that she was destined to sue :
coed? And there was Joe, who had gone
away to the city the year before, but who .
OF Late had written at longer and longer in ,
tervals. No; she would not tell Joe until
nrmly established in her new work
A sudden tug at her dress awakened her :
from her day dream. It was the golden :
haired child. thrill OF pity swept over her,
Tor the little girl was a cripple.
| Please" she asked plaintiyely, may I
come and talk to you and show you my doll?
Mama has been asleep for ever so long, and
am dreadfully lonesome -'T
Alice made room for her with smile Of
welcome OF course you may" she de-
.clared heartily, And where is. this won :
derful doll of yours?" ~ Z
Ihe chlld held up a rag. doll much the
worse for wear, dressed in faded green silk
| Alice paled. She had once had doll like
that. Her mother had made it. Would the
| second Mrs. Armstrong make dolls for
Edith? Her voice. trembled as she asked
gently Who made 1t for you-yeur
mother" And she glanced at the sleeping
woman. Z q H<a.ssEg -15..,~ .-..
The child caught her glance and answered
quickly: That's not my mama; only Mamma,
| my nurse. My mama is a pretty lady. Her
hair Is all goldy-beautifuller than mine
and her cheeks are pink-so pink! Only she
won't let me kiss her for fear of hurting
them i &EEE .s.
"Perhaps you know her." eagerly. Her
name is Clarice Morton, and she is great
actress and sings and dances beautifully;
| only l can never dance because my back Is
| crooked. you see. It was all the fault of a
| wicked nurse. She dropped me. and I hurt
| my spine, the doctors say. No; it was not
| Mama. Mama is ever good and kind.
She came Just after that when / had to lie
in bed for a long time. She made me the
| doll then Mama never has time to do things
| g.. .;rf -
| she sleeps and in the afternoon she goes
| driving, and lots of fine gentlemen come to
| see her, and in the evening she is at the
| theater. But this Is made from one Of her
| prettiest dresses And she smoothed the
| green silk proudly. =
Alice had listened in horrihed silence The
| unconscious pathos of the child's story cut
her to the heart. This, then. was the fate
4 Of the child of a great actress, unloved and
| neglected or left to the doubtful care Of
servants. How blind she had been to tell
herself that she was taking this step for
Edith's sake! 1t had all been for SELF. self.
This little crutch was caused by the rough
ness of nurse. Once she had seen Mrs.
Armstrong strike Edith. Suppose she should
dosso again and the careless blow bring her
to the pass of this poor little one! The
thought was torture Abruptly she leaned
over and rang the bell for the porter.
"What is is the next stop?" she asked
breathlessly.
'Next stop Ba1lston," he said; "due there
| in ten minutes
when can get train back7"
There's one due in half hour"
"Please come and get my things she said
more quietly. "'I will leave the train there. u
Then she turned and took the little strang-
er in her arms. II want to thank you," she
! whispered as she kissed her tenderly. "Yor
, have shown me my duty"
, Twenty minutes later Joe Watson gave e
| whistle of surprise as he came face to face
with her on the Ballston. platform. We'll,
t he cried jovially, ''here was going up ts
Keesport to see you, and here you are par
way to meet me-"
But questions died on his lips at closer view
of her face. She had drawn away from hin
with almost look of fear. Then she lifted
her head bravely and gazed straight into hi!
8 eyes, "I~had started to run away, but I've
changed my mind Edith needs me; SO In
going back to make the old place seem lik'
r home to her"
e AS Joe saw the unseifsh purpose that shon
e. in her eyes and the womanly sweetness OF be
4 firm, set lips. he realized that his chs.
e hoods friend had grown into something YER
l. fine and precious. Deep in his heart he regis
e. tered the vow to some day make a home 70
both her and Edith. And the dream cam
le true.