The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-16
| w

kE-=.i casually inquired Mr.. Clark
G2Ay ceasin2 TO gaze at his
steaming boots. which were planted
against the bullying center of the sta
. ton stove, and turning toward the
boy at the lunch counter.
Yes, sir" said the boy. He had
taken off one worsted mitten and held
a five cent piece clutched tightly in
his red fist.
The station agent wrapped the pas
try in a piece of newspaper and hand
led IL to his customer.
The boy. youngster Of about twelve
years of age, with freckIed race ano
a pair of bright gray eyes, took his
turnover" to the settee I'm the corner
OF the waiting room and began to eat
lie had on worn cloth cap with an
attachment that could be pulled down
to cover the ears and shabby over
coat or map's. size, very much too
large for him. AS he munched the
greasy crust and the thin layer of
"evaporated" apple he looked around
him with interest.
The station itself was like the aver
age railway building on Cape Cod.
Except for the sign "Harniss" that
hung outside it might have been the
station at Wellmouth, which he had
seen so often. Battered settees
around the walls; Autographs of
steamers, time tables and year old
announcements Of excursions and coun-
ty fairs hung above them; big stove
set In box of sawdust-all these
were the regulation fixtures Regula-
ton also were the refreshments" on
the counter at the side-"turnovers" ar
lranged dollhouse fashion under a glass
cover, with dingy Washington pie
under another cover and jars of strip
ed stick candy, with boxes of 'Jaw
breakers and similar sweetmeats be-
Xfween.
1t was showing hard. and in the
l1usk OF the winter evening the fakes
rustled against the windows as il I'M
seen old ladies' in starched summer
gowns were shivering in the storm and
rrowding to get a peep within. The
air in the shut waiting room smelled of
| bot stove, sawdust wet clothing and
Mr.. Clark's cigar To this collection
of perfumes was presently added the
bdor of kerosene as the station agent
.it the big lamps in their brackets on
The WALL
From outside came the sounds of
breaking wheels and stamping horses,
he stamping muffled by the snow
which covered the ground.
The door opened, and big man with
face of which gray whskers and red
hose were the most prominent features
.ame stamping and putting into the
foom. He jerked off a pair of leather
gloves, playfully shook the CONCEALED
moisture from them down Mr.. Clark's
heck inside his collar. tossed long
Evhip into the corner and, holding his
k;pread fingers over the stove, began to
ing whoa, Emma with enthusiasm.
4 Mr.. Clark, being too busy clawing the
snow from his neck to open a
Mr.. Bodkin observed: |
iHello. Barney Small, How's the trav'l
IN? Have a rough time drivin' overw
'.Oh, middlin', middlin'," replied the
Driver of the Orham stage, unbutton
Ing his overcoat and reaching for his
|Sipe. but this earth's a vale OF tears |
snyhow, so what's the odds so longs |
cure happy. Hello, Danr' The last a |
houted greeting to the station agent in
he little room, whose answer was a |
cross the telegraph instrument.
whats dom over in Orham, Bar |
ey?" inquired Mr.. Clark.
..Prissy and Tempy's adopted boy"
The agent evidently was interested.
The old maids?'
"Yup, the old maids. I s'pose they |
ome to reelize that they needed a man
-ound the house, but as there want
o bids~fn that line they sort of COM
romised on a boy"
You don't mean the Allen old maids
hat live down on the lower road do |
ou?" asked Mr.. Bodkin.
"Sartin. said the old maids, didn't /
]? There's plenty of single women in
)rham, but when you say the old |
haids' in our town everybody knows |
ou mean Prissy and Tempy."
! "What about the boy, Barney" said
the station agent coming into the
yAfting room.
"Why." said Mr.. Small. "it's this
Say: Seems that Prissy and Tempy's
Tnther, old Cap'n D'rius Allen-he's
Jeen dead six years or more now-had
niece name of Sophia, that married
iap'n Ben Nickerson over to Well
eslOutu- up Den anu his wire ndU
me son. l think the boys names
\ Bradley. Anyhow Cap'n Ben and his
fife was drowned off the Portuguese
past two years ago when Ben's bark /
= as lost. Maybe you remember? Well,
ile boy was left at home that voyage
Nth Ben's ha'f brother, Scion Nicker-
son. SOS the youngster could go to
school. When his folks was drownded
e.lat way the boy kept on livin' with
etolon till bout three weeks ago Scion
s:as took with pneumony and up and
jed. Prissy and Tempy's the only re-
! ltions there was, you see, so it was
IT 10 them to say what should be
one with the boy. / cal'late there
aust have been some high old pow
D. roviy' IN the old house. but the old
aids are pretty CONSCIENTIOUS spite of
Z heir bein' so everlastin' old maidy,'
rad they fnlly decided twas their
.Llty to take the little Teller TO bring
vo. That's the way 1 heard the yarn.
rhey kept it a secret until yesterday,
reIt now the whole towns talkin' bout