Middletown transcript., 1908-05-02

ing, then she had moved to a
nearby village, where she thought
that she could do better, and then
to another-all alone, mind you
My mother, that I ought to have
been there taking care of! MY
mother, old and poor, with no
settled home working desper.
ately to live; drifting from place
to place! Oh, it makes me crazy
to think of 1t 4! and the young fel.
low jumped to his feet, snatched
his hat from the tent-pole as
though he would rush away
somewhere, and then sat down
again futilely.
And when you found her =?
queried the elder man, kindly.
Found her! cried the young
man, fiercely, I have never found
her. I have been looking for her
ever since. Whenever have a
vacation or can steal the time, l
60 over the same old route. AL
ways the same-from place to
place-until they show me the
little house where she lived in
the last village, where no one
knew her very well, or can re-
member where she went from
there. I have searched and ad-
vertised, and even hired detec-
tives, but it's no use. She may
be living, she may be dead. l
shall never know.
The old man could think of
nothing comforting to say, and
he sat there mechanically turning
back and forth to its limit the
screw of an adjustable wrench,
but there were tears in his eyes.
Over at the track the trotters
had made another false start and
the bell in the judges stand was
being tolled rapidly. To the two
in the tent it sounded like knell.
Hard luck, my boy, hard luck,
said the elder man, trying to be
comforting, but don't give it ur
yet. There's always hope, you
know, always hope.
Yes, I suppose so, I suppose
so, responded the younger man
abseutly; and then he added, hast
lily, There's nothing doing here
| We might as well shut down fol
awhile and go take a look around
| He let down the flap of his
tent, hooked the barrier rope
across the two stakes in front
called his assistant to shut off tht
engines and take charge of the
exhibit, and the two men strollet
away together.
Where shall we go,-to th'
track? queried Johnson.
| No, thank you. The races arr
too tedious. What's the matter
with tackling Floral Hall? Ther'
will be no crowd there now, ant
| we can have an awe stricken lool
at the big pumpkins, and the bee
that beat the other beet, and th'
prize gingerbread baked by tn,
wife of the game constable o
District No. 6, and the tall corn
stalks, the petunias, the fanc.
work, and all the rest of it. Com,
on! Come on! You'll have tt
hurry You'll have to hurry! l
you miss it, you'll regret it
/ Come on! Come on! It's you
last chance! And with simila
forced attempts to brighten VI
his companion, they walked owe
toward the rough, permanen
building of the Fair Association
misnamed "Floral Hail."
Soon they were strollin!
through the comparatively de
serted aisles, greeting here ant
there acquaintances in charge o
advertising exhibits and havin:
a jolly time inspecting the mum
erous displays. At length the,
paused before a complete boot
in which was a feature appar
emily new to the elder man. l
was placarded "Annual Exhibi
from the Poor Farm" Their
were samples of vegetables, grail
and fruit raised on the count,
farm, with many articles mad
by the inmates of the institution
each of which bore card OF
which was inscribed the numbe
of the inmate who contributed
"a delicate consideration of tn
superintendent for the pride o
the unfortunates.
Therewere marvelously knitte,
stockings and mittens, bits o
fancy work and tides, as well a
loaves Of bread, tempting cake
and patches of cookies and dough
nuts, each the contribution
through the enterprise and kind
nocc of tho - Al,