Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-07
found. 1t was small white house,
dilapidated without having gained
anything picturesuue. with a low win


baby-carriage in the path, and from
swing at the side came the sound of
conflict. Three small children were
disputing vociferously. and faded
young woman with kindly face was
trying to hush the clamor. When she
saw us she united her gingham apron
and came around to the porch.
Good afternoon" said. Jameson
lifted his hat, without speaking. Il
came to inquire about child named
Lucien Wallace"
Il am glad you have come" she
said. I'm spite of the other children,
/ think the little fellow is lonely. We
thought perhaps his mother would be
here to-day"
Mr.. Jameson stepped forward.
You are Mrs. Tate?" wondered
how the detective knew.
Eyes, sir"
Mrs. Tate, we want to make some
inquiries. Perhaps in the house"
Come right In" she said Hospitality.
And soon we were in the little shabby
parlor. exactly like a thousand of its
prototypes. Mrs. Tate sat uneasily, her
hands folded in her lap
"How long has Lucien been here?"
Mr.. Jameson asked.
Since week ago last Friday His
mother paid one weeks board in ad-
vance, the other has not been paid"
WAS he i'll when he Gamer"
mo, sir, not what you'd call sick.
He was getting better of typhoid, she
said, and he's picking up fine"
"Will you tell me his mothers name
and address?"
That's the trouble" the young
woman said, knitting her brows. "She
gave her name as Mrs Wallace, and
said she had no address. She was
looking for boarding house in town.
She said she worked in department
store, and couldn't take care of the
child properly, and he needed fresh
air and milk. had three children of
my own, and one more didn't make
much difference in the work, butt
wish she would pay this weeks
board"
did she say what store it was?"
mo, sir, but all the boys clothes
came from Kings. He has far too fine
clothes for the country"
There was chorus Of shouts and
shrill yells from the front door, fol-
lowed by the loud stamping Of chill
dren's feet and throaty whoa,
whoa!" Into the room came tan
dem team of two chubby youngsters, a
boy and a girl, harnessed with a
clothes-line, and driven by laughing
boy of about seven, in tan overalls
and brass buttons. The small driver
caught my attention at once; he was
beautiful child, and, although he
showed traces of recent severe illness,
his skin had now the clear transpar-
ency of health.
whoa, Flinders he shouted.
you're going to smash the trap"
Mr.. Jameson coaXed him over by
holding out lead pencil. striped blue
and yellow.
"Now. them" he said, when the boy
had taken the lead pencil and was
testing its usefulness on the detect
ives cuff. now then, I'll bet you don't
know what your name isl"
II do" said the boy. "Lucien Wal
lace"
Great! And what's your mothers
name?"
Mother, of course. What's your
mothers name?"
And he pointed to me! l am going
to stop wearing black: it doubles a
woman's age.
And where did you live before you
came here?" The detective was polite
enough not to smile.
"Grossmutter," he said. And saw
Mr.. Jamieson's eyebrows go up.
German" he commented. "Well.
young man. you don't seem to know
much about yourself"
1--WE tried it all the week." Mrs.
Tate broke in. THE boys knows a
word or two of German, but he doesn't
know where he lived, or anything
about himself"
Mr.. Jameson wrote something on a
card and gave It to her.
Mrs. Tate" he said, II want you
to do something. Here is some money
for the telephone call. The instant
the boys mother appears here, call up
that number and ask for the person
whose name is there. You can run
across to the drug store on an errand
and do it quietly. Just say. The lady
has come.'"
The lady has come,'" repeated
Mrs. Tate. Very we'll, sir, and l hope
it will be soon. The milk bill alone
is almost double what it was"
How much is the child's board!' I
asked.
"Three dollass a week, including his
washing"
very WELL" I said. "Now, Mrs.
Tate, l am going to pay last weeks
board and week in advance. II the
mother comes she is to know nothing
of this visit-absolutely not word,
and, in return for your silence, you