Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-12-01


and they were hardly aboard when
the wheels began to move. They had
found a seat when they suddc:.ly
missed something and cried out In
chorus:
my stars, but where 10 baby"
II Miss Ethel Huntington hadn't
been 80 excited when she laid baby
down she might have noticed Paul
Ashley sitting close by. She would
have pronounced him a young man of
about twenty.thrce. very good-looking.
well dressed and n gentleman. She
could have figured, that he was there
to take a train. but would have had to
guess that he was a civil engineer.
Yes, he sat there, and he saw baby
dumped down and knew that the ex-
element had called its attendant
away. He moved one seat nearer the
infant, instead of three seats further
away. as many a young man would
have done, and he said to himself. re-
ferring to Miss Ethel:
She isn't the mother. or she'd
never have done that. and she's too
good looking and well dressed for O
nurse girl. Couldn't have brought
the kid here to abandon. Not old
enough to be so hardened. Probably
come back in five minutes. Ha!
There she goes for the train with
another lady, Clear case, and the
kid goes to a founding home"
But 1t didn't. 1t awoke and smiled
at the mar bending over It. He
smiled back. Then a woman came
! up and blushed and laughed and
said:
80 the mink played a game on
you?"
If you want to hand 1t back on her
I can help you" continued the WON.
an with the same sarcastic smile.
There was another woman with her.
and she went away to buy IA ticket
for Blankyille. twenty miles out.
That's where they have gone to.
gether."
And that's where I'll follow" said
Mr.. Ashley. Il think | can get it
there all right"
Sure. You are a young man Of
spunk. II has a nursing bottle here,
and If It cries. you feed It."
When the baby was missed by its
mother and unit the train was under
full Roadway. The railroad company
doesn't stop and back up It's trains for
lost babies. The only way was to
get off at the first station, seven
miles out, and send n telegram to the
depot master and follow it by the
first train. Another telegram was
sent to the father. Mother and aunt
returned to the city and rushed up
and down the big depot. They found
plenty Of babies. but not the baby
wanted. After twent." minutes of the
greatest anxiety. and after Miss Ethel
had pointed out the spot ten times
owe where she had laid the infant
down, an old man who explained
that he was going to Montana when
ever his train came along. added
Say. | saw a young fellow steal
that kid! Yes. sir. he looked all
around to see II anybody was watch.
ing, and then smiled and clucked at
her and tool her up and walked out
to a train. I'd have tackled him. only
I'm an old man and have a bad liver.
The doctor told me not to get ex.
cited. Yes, sir, he stole that baby
as suro as shooting. and he's a hun
dred miles away by this time!"
There was weeping and wailing and
telephoning to Mr., Congdon and tele-
graphing to conductors, One Of the
latter answered:
Young man with a baby in his
arms got off at Blankville. Had my
suspicious"
The trail led to B~lankvllle. Irony
Of Fate! Young man steals a baby
in Philadelphia and gets OF the train
where it's father and mother live. A
telegram to the police at Blankvillo
read:
ARREST young man who got 81
five o'clock train with q girl baby.
Case OF kidnapping"
Ald there being no case for the
police to biunder and arrest an OLD
woman leading q goat. they nabbet
MIR. Paul Ashley as he sat In the de.
pot playing with the stolen child anc
asking everybody II they could iden,
tify 1t. Father. mother and Aun,
Ethel arrived and ruched snd precipi
tated themselves, and that sweetest,
incest. darlingest little bit of human
ity actually kicked and fought and
cried when torn from the arms OF
It's bold-faced abductor.
The police had no case. The , y
casa thew nnnpa red IN no aftap ~