The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-11-09
One Touch Of Nature.
SssesessssssssssSeesesze
By IDA ALEXANDER.


good time, though it seemed but a
snails pace to the man riding the
brake-beam. Every mile that they
passed meant that much nearer to
safety and Hollis Day Rugged the
little dog closer to him at every jerk
OF the cars. His name would have
sounded strangely in his ears He
had long since lost all claim to it, and
was known to his associates by a
number. Now he began to fancy it
might be his again.
The dog was an ugly little thing,
lean and half starved nothing pre-
possessing about it, yet it stood to
the man for all that is good in life.
1t had come to him, even as he scaled
the prison wall, in his daring break
for liberty, and he had taken it into
whatsoever remained uncrushed of a
heart
Trusted me- he reflected. Gle
trusted me, the darned little pup. |
amt agoin' back on the only thing
on earth as does.
No, he wasn't going back on it,
even though it diminished his chances
of escape. He had carried it in his
arms. as he hurried to pals" place
for a change of clothes 1t had par
taken of the hasty meal that had been
prepared for him. Now it was bump
ing along to safety or disaster in the
same boat with the friendless man
who pressed it to his breast.
Sometimes, when the train stopped
for water or coal, discovery seemed
imminent, as the brakemen passed
with their swinging lanterns. Then
No. SO had put the little dogs face
close against his own, and it had
licked his flushed cheek And the
brakeman had always passed without
discovering them, or at least without
making his discovery known. He be-
gan to feel superstitious regard in
addition to the human affection he
had conceived for the tiny thing in
his arm.
You're bringin' me luck he told
1t, as the rumble of the train made
speech safe, AN luck an me wasn't
never acquainted .
II.
nag been strangers from his youth up.
1ss.,portunity, if she had made her one
Wanted visit, had done SO when he
was not at home. He had never been
able to relinquish the legacy of woe,
bequeathed by father and mother,
whose one kindness to him had been
dying. From a home that was no
home to an asylum no better, to the
streets, to the jail, SO were marked
the rungs of the ladder down which
he had climbed.
Now, as he caught whiffs of the
sweet-scented air and the little dog
nestled close in perfect confidence
and love, No. SO began to put his in
heritance from him. Somewhere in
the world he would find place where
he could cleanse his hands in honest
work. He talked it over with the lit
tie dog as the train went on its way.
Very soon they would have to leave
their precarious shelter and seek
safer one, for the dark shadows were
tightening, and dawn would soon
throw a searchlight upon their hiding
place. A vision of green fields came
to him, of homely joys and tasks,
some little place where man might
work out his own salvation.
III twarnt fur meetin' you" he
said. I'D be most sorry made git
away, fur it'd be SO much better not
to have. was off in six months, an
but II they'd gimme a pardon I
wouldn't a-missed meetin' you.
The train was going a little faster
now, and No. 80 could Just begin to
distinguish the objects that they
passed. A few scattered houses here
and there, thrown out like sentineIs
to guard the little town, proclaimed
that one was near. Before they
reached it he and the little dog must
quietly drop off, for towns would not
be safe for some time to come. He
could imagine the huge p1acards post
ed at all stations proclaimiIig the fact
that a desperate criminal was at
large. His close-eropped head would
awaken suspicion, too. The hands of
men would be against him. He must
take care for the sake of the little
dog
The train was winding around a
bend now, going slowly. Before it
cleared the bend he must be off. He
rubbed b is face against his tiny bur-
den, and whispered words of comfort.
Don't git skeered when Jump
of. he cautioned. There amt no
danger. I've played this game before,
an allus won out. Jist rest in my
arms. safe as
came a roar. a scream,
zen No. 80 opened his eyes
fused view Of the lights
s. Sc sp ahead People were
E n 8 cecked train, some of |
me trying to speak
" the little place
81 wrecked trains
n the life of a
.' particular inn
Ne explained
ley weren't
s n't pas
n Red.''
ME un-
nj, but
pouth
sure
rye,