The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-03-08
BACK TO GRANDMA'S
From the washington star.

he other night" said tho portly trav-
cling man. THE tourist sleeper had
come all the way from California Its
passengers had been dropped of all
along the line. 40 that there were only
about half dozen left by the time tho
tourist car reached Atlanta. Soon after
the train left Atlanta the steam heat
Ing pipe connected with tho tourist
sleeper broke. and when the tourist
passengers got out OF their berths next
morning they found the car pretty cold.
One Of tho passengers from the regular
sleeper. Immediately aft OF the tourist
sleeper. noticed how cold the tourist
:ar was when he passed through on his
way TO the dining car for breakfast
20 he had talk with the conductor
81 our regular sleeper. with the result
that the tourist sleeper passengers
were invited into our sleeper TO get
warm and TO ride until the tourist car
steam-heating apparatus should DO
ixed up.
Among the half dozen or 20 weary
cooking passengers from the tourist car
Who came into our car was q tall.
Eaunt. bronzed, rather sad locking man
In black store clothes: n man whose
huge. horny hands and stopped shoul-
ders and weRtherbeater countenance
told a plain story OF toll. He brought
Into our sleeper. carrying her In his
arms. one OF the plumpest. rosiest, most
cheerful little girls I ever saw I'm my
life. She was abou: years old, and
| every bit IN sweet and pretty rs q
Georgia peach. The little things hands
were Icy cold and she was shivertng
when brought into the warm sleeper.
hut there wasn't whimper In her. She
Vas sriiisg and good natured. and she
saressed her gaunt dad and enjoyed tho
warmth 20 much that most or the pas
scnEers were irresistlbly drawn TO the
little one.
II fell into talk with the chiid's
father I'm the smoking compartment
soon after he had entered the regular
sleeper with his little girl He and the
child had come all tho way from south
rrn California. where he had n farm.
and they were on their way 10 n farm
nea- little town In Virginia. They had
Ilrcady been on the cars for six days
Remarkably good traveller. your lit
lie girl ! said To the man. She doesn't
appear to be In the least tired. and IL
singularly good naturcd for little one
who has travelled such long dis
lance
YES. subj. the man replied. with
his southern accent. Lucy In good
traveluh. Takes after her NAV In that
and then he gazed out OF the window
at the pines. 'Nevuh did hear Lucy's
nav complain he added. after n long
I
travelling such n great distance with
| his funny souled little girl and the
mother not along with them.
when I returned TO the body OF the
car n while later. the gaunt man fol-
lowing me In presently and taking the
seat opposite me: l saw that the brave
little girl was still enjoying herself. She
war toddling up and down the car aisle
with n big stick OF old fashioned bar
ber- pole peppermint candy In ono hand.
looking things over. Sho wasn't ad-
dressing any OF the passengers, but
when the fine clothes OF some OF the
women passengers attracted her atten-
ton she would stand on at little dis
lance and look at the rich garments
fascinatedly out OF her big blue eyes,
and then. when the lady wearing them
caught her eye. smile childishly and
pask on Most OF the women pinched
the child's cheek and asked her name
and where she was goin.
To gamma was the little ones
invariable reply TO the last question.
Seeing the child alone with her faith
or the woman had a natural hesitation
about asking her where her mother
was.
Presently the child reached the end
OF the aisle. She stopped to look ut the
rich black silk shirt OF a rather fussy
middle aged woman who occupied the
right hand end set by herself After
examining the skirt 10 her satisfaction
she looked up at the face OF the fussy
middle aged woman out OF her laugh
ing blue eyes for quite n long time. FL
nally the middle aged woman stirred
uneasily.
"'Child. don't stand there staring into
my face like that she snapped. with
decided acerbIty. Don't you know any
better than that? Don't your mother
teach you any better manners? Where
In your mother. anyway
The child looked abAshed. and al
ready her father. who had heard the
middle-aged woman's angry talk. was
on his way from the other end OF the
car TO take the child. But the little
girl replied TO the woman's last Ques-
ton.
"'she's ~if Dod.' she said. simply.
and her little face suddenly become
solemn.
standing. Who's Dod7 What do you
mean by THAR
lust then the chiid's father took the
child gently by the hand.
Lacy said he. tenderly. you all
mustn't bothuh tn ladies. Come with
who's Dod3' the fussy woman per-
sisted, addressing the man. What
does she mean by saying that her
/
"'She means that huh mothuh IN
dear, lady said the gaunt man, pick
Ing the little one up In his arms. Lucy
an me buried huh two weeks ago In
California. an Ah'm takin' tn baby 4
huh Eran'ma's In Nahginin,' and the
tall. gaunt man started UP the aisle
with the child In his arms.
But the fussy woman was on her
feet In an instant and had u OBTAINING
hand on his arm.
wait a minute, she said. You give
me that child and then some OF US
head her mutter 10 herself. 1 sometimes
think / am the meanest woman alive
Then aloud. Let me have the baby for
| "A little while. want TO talk with her.
and the gaunt man gently handed tho
| little girl over TO the arms or the fussy
woman.
The child bore no resentment toward
the fuEsy. but Tepentant woman who
had snapped at her. and they sat and
rhatted with each other and had a
great time. including n lets-play party
luncheon In the dining car. until the
little ones father reached his dcsina-
tioA"