Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-03

Besides. they had several new friends,
Esmeralda, her brother and a great many
little Italians and Hungarians as well.
The delight of the children was not
shared by every one, however At O'Clock
Winnie came to take Ruth home Ruth
was over In Edna'S house she supposed
Rushing across the street. Edna's mother
told her she supposed Edna was at Ruth's
home. The greatest excitement followed
No one had seen either child since the bear
mans visit. Could they have followed
him?
NO, indeed" declared Winnie Ruth
would never do a thing like that. She
knows she is not allowed to go as far as
the corner"
Neither is Edna" ventured her mother.
''but l believe they have disobeyed, and
where the bears are now, we shall find
them. Ednas mother remembered when
she had been>a little girl how she had fol-
lowed a band of soldiers many miles. and
she was in sympathy for the little erring
cousins.
Telephones were rung up. Police sta
tions notified Every possible place the
children could be was searched. No one
in their set" shad seen them.
They've followed the bears moaned
Edna's mother. The man ,-ad a villain
Gus look. He'll steal the children, both SO
pretty and handsomely dressed Oh, my
little girl IN,
"Oh," groaned Winnie. What ever Will
Mrs. Keys say! I'll lose my place. and
worse than that. I'll never see dear little
Ruth again.
Edna's mother was the first to plan for
a search. She summoned the coachman
and sent him toward the south. and then
ordered Keys man to go toward the north,
asking all the way along for news of the
man with the bears.
The Keys carriage met Mrs. Keys. and
that poor woman was greeted with the
dreadful news that Ruth and Edna were
lost. They hadn't been seen since o'clock
and it was now $50.
Up and down the streets she drove,
passed the performing bears, and actually
tbn fxUn LITTLE Th6F
were seated on high wall, having such
good time. Mrs. Keys never recognized In
the two filthy, curlless. disheveled little
girls the two tidy children she was &C.
customed to see. If Mrs. Keys didn't
know Ruth, Ruth knew her mother, and
waved her hand at her delightedly as she
passed. The carriage was brougn! TO q
sudden standstill and the two culprits put
in the handsomely appointed victoria. MRS.
Keys hated to touch them, as she was
dressed in spotless white. She set them
facing her, and then you should nave
heard the scolding those children got. mrs.
Keys was always rather stern, and Rutn
disobedience and disreputable appearance
blamed as being the worst of the two, put
at any rate a change came over the splrlI
of both children's dreams. They reallzeu
that their fun was over, and the day OF
reckoning (Which always comes to wrong
doers sooner or later was at hand
Edna was dumped out at her gate, ana
went toward the mouse IN creStldiien
manner Her mother was so re5oiced to
find her alive that instead Of scolding her
she took her in her arms, dirt: chewing
gum and all, and cried over the little prodl-
gal. Her tears made Edna feel far worse
than Ruth's mothers scolding had done. :.
OF course such naughtiness deserved
punishment. 1t must be meted out to the
two little runaways. For week, seven
long, interminable days. Ruth and Edna
were not allowed to play together. Each
day Edna would call, Come over, Ruth'
and play" but the answer would sadly re-
turn, Il can't; you know why"
At the last the sin was blotted out by the
full measure of punishment The little
girls rushed into each others arms. They
forgot the consequences, and lived over
again that blessed afternoon. when they had
got acquainted with Esmeralda and Patsy,
and had learned The joys of chewing gum
AS the seven days separation faded into
the past. I am afraid both children felt
that the fun they had had was worth what
they had paid for it. but for goodness sake
never let their mothers know / told you.