Barton County democrat., 1905-09-29

| N | NdUCt Audl went away lIOm
"A that station. To have had
F your future in your grasp,
ssE like that one of the Fates
II = = with the string. and then TO
have ii snatched from you by an imp
ish breeze and blown away, goodness
knows where!
] don't know just which way turned
after ] left that station. didn't care
where | went Nothing could think
Of gave me any comfort. ] tried TO
fancy myself coming home TO you.
tried to see myself going down TO tell
the whole thing TO 0bermuller But
couldn't do that There was only one
thing wanted 10 say to Fred 0ber-
muller and that thing couldn't say
now.
But Nance Olden's not the girl 10 60
round long like a molting hen There
was only one chance in a hundred, and
that was the one took, of course q.
Back TO the square where you found
the baby. Nance!" ! cried 10 myself.
There's the chance that that admirable
dragon has had her suspicious aroused
by your connection with the baby, which
she hadn't known before. and has al
ready dutifully notified the sergeant.
There's the chance that the baby is
home by now, and the paper found by
her mother will be turned over TO her
papa; and then it's good-by TO your
scheme. There's the chance that"
But in the heart Of me didn't be-
lieve in any chance but one-the chance
that I'd find that blessed baby and get
my fingers just once more on that pre-
cious paper.
blew in the A DIS nickel on cross
town car and got back 10 the little
square. There was another organ
] grinder there grinding out coon songs.
TO which other pickaninnies danced
But nary little white bundle of fluff
caught hold of my hand. walked that
square till my feet were sore. II was
hot. My throat was parched ] was
hungry. My head ached. was hope
less. And yet Just couldn't give it up.
had asked so many children and nurse
maids whether they'd heard Of the baby
lost that morning and brought back by
an officer that they began TO look at
me as though was not quite right in
my mind. The maids grabbed the chill
dren If they started 10 come near me.
and the children stared at me with big
round eyes. as though they'd been told
was an ogre who might eat them.
was hungry enough to. The little
fruit stand al the entrance had fascin-
alton for me. found myself there time
and again, till got afraid ] might
actually try 10 get of with a peach or
bunch of grapes. That thought haunt
ed me- Fancy Nance 0lden starved and
blpndering into the cheapest and most
easily detected species of thieving!
Z suppose great generals in their hour
Of defeat imagine themselves doing the
[ feeblest, foOlishest things As ] sat
there on the bench, gazing before me,
saw the whole thing-Nancy 0lden,
after all her Dragging o. skirmishing,
her hairbreadth scapes and successes:
arrested in broad daylight and before
witnesses for having stolen q cool, wet
bunch of grapes, worth a nickel. for
her hot. dry, hungering throat saw
the policeman thatd do It; be looked
like that Sergeant Mulhill met way.
way back in Latimer's garden saw
the officer that'd receive me; he had
blue eyes like the detective that came
for me TO the Manhattan ] saw the
woman iailer-Ob, she was the A. D..
all right, who'd receive me without the
slightest emotion show me TO cell and
lock the door. as calm. as little triumph
ant or affected, as though hadn't once
outwitted that cleverest OF creatures
and outwitted myself in forestaIling
her. saw
Mag. guess what ] saw No. truly;
what ! really saw? II made me Jump
to my feet and grab II with a squeal
saw my own purse lying on the
gravel almost at my feet, near the little
fruit stand that had tempted me.
Blank empty II was, stripped clean
not q penny left In II, not paper. not
stamp, not even my key. Just the same
] was glad to have H. II linked me I'm
9 way to the place. The clever little
girl that had stolen It had bees here
in this park, on this very spot. The
thought Of that cute young Nance Oldep
distracted my mind q minute from INV
woTy-and, oh, Maggie darlin'. | was
worrying so!
walked up TO the fruit stand with
the purse In my hand. The old fellow
who kept II looked up with an inviting
smile. Lord knows. be needn't have
encouraged me 20 buy II I'd had penny
ttI Uaut m aoL yo..