The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-16
WHAT A NICE RIDE
THIS CHILD HAD2
Two-Year-OId Howard Faulkner
Wanders from Home
MEETS A GREAT BIG MAN
Man Asks Him If He Would Like to
Take a RIde-says He Would.
Turns Up at Police
Headquarters.

Our little boy ran off this morning at
o'clock. He is about years old. Heavy,
stout child. Has on a blue Bingham
tucker. His name is Howard. Will you
please have your men look out for him?
Thank you very much If you will. His
mamma is greatly distressed over his
disappearance. We fear he has been
handicapped mean kidnapped"
That is what Chief of Police Wier heard
over the phone at noon yesterday when
he put the receiver to his ear in answer
to a vigorous ring" at police headauar-
tiers.
The message came from e. J. Faulkner
who lives on Twenty-fc.h street between
Eighth and Ninth avenues and does bust
ness at No. 21ss Morris avenue.
Chief wier told Mr., Faulkner that he
would give the subject prompt attention
Immediately lost child" alarm was
sent out and directions were given to
catch the child If possible and send him
to police headquarters
An hour later the police patron wagon
rolled up the alley leading to the city
jail. Alex Rittenberry came out with
a bunch of keys in one hand and "A
Colts revolver sticking out of his right
hip pocket Alex unlocked the doors Of
tire calaboose, swung them open and
stepped back, as he usually does, to let
the prisoners walk out. To the surprise
of the assistant city warden. nobody
came out Of the patrol wagons door.
Come out of therei' cried Alex, think
ing perhaps there were one or two
drunk and disorderlies" in the Gala
boose.
To this there was no answer, and Alex
stepped in front OF the calaboose's door
and looked inside. There he saw, sitting
up in corner on ono of the patrol
wagons seats little bare headed fair
haired child wearing a blue bingham
tucker and munehing big orange.
The child's large blue eyes looked wen
deringly at the city warden. and the
youngster refused % bulge. Alex went
into the calaboose, took the little fellow
up in his arms. carried him outside and
set him down in the alley. The patrol
wagon started to roll away. As Il did so,
Master Two-Year-old todded, with out
stretched armr, after It,
Me wan tie, wide. Me wan ter y ide,"
said the child half plaiatively.
THAT isn't nice wagon for e nice lit
tie boy like you to ride in" said the
city warden. as he led the child into the
warden's office
A few moments later the two-year old
was sitting atop one of the desks in police
headquarters, and Tom Shirly. the SER
geant-at-arms, was talking over the
pLcne with e. T. Faulkner. the child's
father. Mr.. Faulkner said he would be
right up and get the boy.
Howard seemed perfectly at home in
his new surroundings.
In a few moments he was "cottoning''
to Sergeant rhirley and delighting every
one In the room.
Armed with ms orange he ives :; picture
o. contentment as he sat on the Ser
geants desk. His face was dirty as dirty
could be. His brand new blue tucker
was smeared. His hands and shoes had
evidently been busy somewhere in making
mud pies. He told who he was and who
his papa and mamma were and where
they all lived.
To Tom Shirley he confded that when
he woke up yesterday morning he had
made up his mind ITO see The town"
He waited till His papa had gone to the
store and his me- NINA was busy up stairs,
ard then he stole away UP Twenty-sixth
street, and turned up Eighth avenue. 1t
was a beautiful day. said he, and he en-
joyed the sunlight. He had lots of fun,
toodling down Eighth avenue. The
streets were full of vehicles and pedes-
TRANS, but none of them dare TO rim
into him. He made all the street cars stop
as he camo to the street crossings. He
walked up Eighth avenue to Twenty-third
street, and up Twenty-third street 10 Sec
ond avenue. On the corner there he saw
lot of apples and oranges. and great
big man with blue coat and a funny hat
was standing there He was swinging
something that looked like a club. They
began to talk t. one another. After they
had been talking little while, the great
big man with the blue coat gave him an
orange and asked him wouldn't he like to
take a ride. He said he wouldn't mind IL
he did. And the great big man called
wagon and put him in It, and he rode
and rode and rode till the wagon stop
pa and yellow-hafred man opened the
door and came into the wagon and tcok
him up and carried him out and sent him
up to police headquarters. He said he
certainly had had a fine time.
At this point in the chld's narrative
Captain Johnson came in chucked the boy