Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1904-02-25

The railway waiting room was all
but deserted when | reached 1t, my
business there being to meet a train
which would bring back home my In.
tended bride, returning from a visit
to friends in distant city. The hour
was early and the atmosphere raw and
chilly. A train had just arrived. but
not the one | was expecting, and the
passengers it had deposited crowded
past me as | entered the depot. A
glance at the bulletins informed me
that the train which | was expecting
was fifty minutes late. |, therefore
took a seat in the waiting room.
Only two other persons were pres.
ent. One was trim little woman, a
decided brunette, attractive and of re.
hned appearance. She was a for
eigner--I judged a native of France
and the other was her baby. The
mother, seated in a rocking chair.
gazed fondly upon the features OF her
dainty little offspring, slumbering
peacefully in her arms, and once or
twice tenderly smoothed aside it's silk
en- curls. | watched them a moment
intently. They made a pretty picture
and one that any man, with love OF
home and domesticity, could not have
resisted admiring. But presently a
shadow crossed the womans face-a
shade OF uneasiness. She searched
for her pocket; found it-for a won.
der-thrust her hand therein and ut.
tered cry of dismay.
"Hnavop If'u onan. a.,
she exclaimed in broken English,
glancing at me appealingly.
| wanted to be chivalrous of course.
The woman was in trouble; had evil
IDENTIFY lost something, and | sailed
to her aid.
Pardon me-" | said, bowling low,
but you have lost something. Can
assist your"
My purse; it is gone, with all nv
money and my railroad tickets. My
husband Is to meet me in New York,
and | am to change trains here. What
shall do?"
She was brave little woman. She
didn't break down and cry, but she
looked at me, oh, SO helplessly. Per.
maps she remembered as many of her
sisters have done before her. that In
times of trouble the presence of a man
Is very comforting and encouraging.
suggested lots of things-many of
them impossible. Perhaps her purse
was In one of her valises or In her
handbag? No, she was positive it was
In none of those receptacles. A light
of intelligence finally flashed across
her face. All. she remembered.
i left 1t In the train; on the seat;
is it gomez"
presumed she had reference to the
train, so ! rushed to the door and
scanned the train-sned. Returning. |
told her no; the train was still stand.
ing there, but at that moment we heard
the two minutes gong sounding for its
departure
With these announcements, her en-
barrassment increased, but she talked
fast, and acted faster, and, before I
could realize what she was saving or
doing, | found myself in the possession
OF an alien infant, slumbering peace
fully in my arms, and alone In the
The French woman
was racing wildly toward the train.
l know | must have had a sheepish
expression on my face, as | gazed
down upon my newly acquired pos
session, for the stewardess, entering
from the street where she had been
assisting some female passengers to
cabs during the time so many things
had transpired in her domain. looked
At me quizzically
] deemed no explanation necessary,