The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-04-21

her husband went down to pay his bill
and arrange for taking the evening train
for the east. When they got into the
cab to drive to the station she carried
it on her lap. On the way a bright idea
seized her.
Thomas" she said, well leave this
pudding right here in the cab. Perhaps
the cabman will take it home to his
family. I've no doubt it's good pud-
ding. Looks like one of Cousin Mary's
baking to me-"
When they got to the railroad station
there were two solicitous porters walt
ing at the entrance to assist passengers,
but Sarah managed to get Thomas and
the other bundles out in safety and then
stepped down herself, leaving the pud-
ding lying safely on the seat Of the cab.
She caught Thomas going down the
steps and whispered to him that she had
got rid of the incubus.
Lady, lady" voice sounded behind
her just then. you've fogot some
thing"
It was the other porter, and in his
hand he bore the devoted pudding. He
came running down after her and hand
ed over the package with smile so com.
polling that Sarah felt forced to ask
Thomas for dime with which to reward
him.
*:Never mind" she said, well get rid
Of it on the train, all right" Her hus-
band nodded his head.
Let's drop it out of the window"
she suggested, with sudden burst of
inspiration, after they had found their
seats in the sleeper. That seemed good
idea to Thomas, but, unfortunately, the
train was one of the latest vestibuled
arrangements, with not an unguarded
opening from one end to the other.
Thomas wrestled in vain with window,
and when the porter was appealed to
for assistance he raised the window,
indeed, but it was protected by screen
which prevented the egress OF anything
more substantial than a hairpin. Be-
sides, it was cold outside, and both
Thomas and Sarah were presently shiv-
ering In the draughts of icy air which
swept in on them. They were both re-
lieved when a red-faced man across the
aisle leaned over and said in an injured
tone: Say, my baby isn't we'll, and
wish you'd put that window down.
The porter came and lowered the win
dow with look on his face that seemed
to indicate that the two passengers on
hof fo1 Tn
the morning, after the berths were made
up, Sarah showed the rice pudding out of
sight under the back of one of the seats.
Now, she was sure, they would get away
from it in safety. They got of at 3he
station, the negro porter assisting.
Thomas felt so good at noticing the ab-
sence Of the pudding that he gave the
man so cents. They climbed into cab
and were half block away when their
ears were saluted with shr1ll cries from
the rear. The cab came to stop at the
side of the street.
''Heah's a package you lef' undah the
seat, sah," said the negro porter, stick
ing his head into the open door of the
cab. Il done run t will Aim out Nv
breef a-catchin' up to you subj"
Thomas groaned, took the loathsome
thing in his right hand and handed the
porter quarter with the other.
ooh, don't, Thomas" his wife pleaded.
If you do, Well be arretsed for littering
the streets. I'm sure"
do you expect me to carry rice pud-
ding about on my lap during the whole
of our wedding trip, madam" he de-
manded, with dignity.
"Just wait till we get to the hotel,
DEAR" she said. "I'll get rid of it, some
how"
For more than week the unfortunate
couple were haunted by that rice pud-
ding. A dozen times they thought they
had got rid of it, only to have some por-
ter or other messenger come running
after them, painting and out of breath,
to restore the treasure and collect his fee
for thoughtfulness. Once they tried to
feed it to dog, but the animal turned
up his nose at rice and almost bit
Thomas, who was trying to force it to
eat. They left it in their room in a hotel
and the boy who carried down their bag,
brought that also, with the remark: q
found dis on de top shelf in de room,
mum. Once I found a mans laundry
up dere an he give me half dollar"
Finally they and the pudding, by thi,
time riding their necks like Nemesis,
came to little inn in the old Connect
cut town where Thomas had been born
and reared. One side of their room was
occupied by an old-fashioned brick fire.
place. The chimney was old and there
were big cracks between the bricks.
Now" said Sarah, I'm going 20 re,
rid of it,"
She crumbled the pudding into tiny
flakes of rice, her husband sitting BY
hopelessly. Then she put a chair into
the fireplace opening and climbed up on
it. A handful at tine she stuffed that
pudding into the cracks between the
bricks on the inside of the chimney.
Perhaps" said Sarah, when she wa,
through, perhaps the chimney sNsl-
lows will find IT " *.