Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-24


Ticket "or your little girl here
Il have no little girl, snapped the
woman, looking sharply at the con-
ductor. I'm travelling alone, SIR
We'll, whose child is this?" asked
conductor, speaking to the woman and
pointing toward Rosie.
I'm Mr.. Jackson's little girl, sir"
spoke up Rosie, not waiting for the
woman to reply to the conductor.
"And is your father travelling in the
smoker?" asked the conductor of
Rosie.
Papa isn't travelling at all today
explained Rosie. 81 am going to the
city to visit my mamma, sir. didn't
get ticket" And Rosie handed the
silver dollar to the conductor.
But where are you going?" asked
the conductor, looking at the silver
dollar. and why didn't your father
see to getting your ticket? You're a
mighty little trick of a girl to be tray
cling alone.
I'm going to A" explained
Rosie
Going to Al" and the conductor
opened his eyes very wide. why,
my child, this train Is going in diff
ferent direction Our next stop IS
Danton, fifty miles from here. What
did your father mean by allowing you
to get on the wrong train?"
my papa didn't know I was going
to visit my mamma" said Rosie
blush Of confusion crossing her face.
But please let me off, sir, and III
run back to the station and get on an
other train-one that will take me- to
A"
"Why, my child. can't stop this
train till we reach the next station.
This IS limited train and every min
ute counts Besides we're now fifteen
miles from where you live. No, you'll
have to go on to Danton, where I'll
put you off and instruct the station
master to put you aboard the next
eastbound train and to have the con-
ductor take you in charge. This is
pretty mess, little girl You're runa-
way, and just a baby, at that"
"But-but-oh, please, sir, I must
get off and 60 back to my home"
/ cried Rosie. Papa will be crazy
about me when he doesn't hear from
me. If I had gone to A mamma
would have telegramed to papa and
that would have made it all right
Whats your fathers name, little
one?" asked the conductor, taking a
pencil and a slip Of paper from his
pocket. "I'll wire from Danton that
you are safe and sound and that youl
be at home on the $50 train this aft
ernoon Here, give me that dollar to
pay for the wire. I'll give you the
change. AS for your farewell, your
! father will fix that-if there's any
| fare due the company. I'm in doubt
about that, for you should not have
been permitted to get on the train
alone. You're under even half fare
rates and are not supposed to travel
alone"
Rosie felt somewhat relieved when,
about two hours later she stood in the
station at Danton and saw the big
conductor write out telegram to her
father And the conductor put her in
the care of the station agent, a very
nice man, who gave her some Chew
ing gum and who telephoned to his
own little daughter to come down to
the station and keep the little runa-
way company till time for her to de-
part And with the money that was
left after sending the wire to her
| father, Rosie DOuSnC something W eat
at the lunch counter in the station
. house and invited the station agents
little daughter to partake of it with
her. cts my birthday" confided
Rosie to the little companion. "And
there's a party being given at my
home for me this afternoon But III
miss it all, for 1t is to be over at 4
o'clock But I'll get home before sup
per and grandmamma and papa will
tell me all about 1t, and III have lots
Of fun looking at my presents. But
it's very wicked Of me to have run
away, and when get home again III
never leave without mamma or papa
are with me. Just think what might
have happened to me if the conduc-
tor hadn't found out that l was on
the wrong train! oh, might never
have got home again. And Rosie
trembled to think what might have
happened to her-a naughty runa-
way.
And that evening when she rolled
| into her own home there were papa
and grandmamma to meet her, and
both had many things to say to her
! about little girls running away.