Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-10-26
A SINGULAR
VEHICLE
By ELlNOR STEWART CATION
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

A seedy man, out at the elbows and
looking as though he had slept the
night in the park, stopped a gentleman
on the sidewalk and said:
"My friend, you haven't seen a fam.
lily consistin' of a woman and four
small children-two boys and two girls,
the girls lookin' like me and the boys
like their mother-go ridin' by here to-
day in a two story frame house paint
ed yaller?"
Excuse me, my friend. I'm in a hur-
ry."
The wayfarer passed on, leaving the
seedy man standing looking after him
as though he felt very much hurt.
Leaning up against a tree box, he
waited for another person to question.
a lady came along, and the man, pull
ing the rim of his hat, accosted her.
BEG your pardon, ma'am. Have you
seen anything Of a poor with
four children enjoyin' themselves on an
afternoon ride in a yaller house on
wheels down this here street,"
The lady looked sorrowfully at the
man, took out her portemonnaie, picked
out q silver coin to the value Of 10
cents, gave it to him and walked on.
He looked at the %retreating lady, then
down at the coin in his hand, and
didn't seem to understand.
The next person to whom he ap-
piled was q benevolent looking gen.
tleman with mutton chop whiskers and
spectacles.
"I'm lookin'," said the seedy man,
"for a family and stopped short.
"Well, my good man, tell me about
what family you're looking for"
1--WE tole that to two pussons al
ready, and they don't seem to know
what I'm talkin' about. l thort I'd
just call EN- a family to you, SOS
I wouldn't mix you up. and say nothin'
about the rest Of it,"
"But how can 1 help you to become
reunited to this family without your
telling me more about them?
well if you're sure you'll under
stand, I'm lookin' for 'em to ride by
here about this time in a yaller house
enjoyin' theirselves'-
"In a yellow house?"
eyes, two story, shingle roof"
"My good man." said the other after
contemplating him thoughtfully for
some time, "tell me where you live.
I'm going to take you home"
my residence is anywhere from "a
Union street to no number at all at
present. Hopkins street."
Poor fellow!" sighed the benevo
lent man.
81 tole you you wouldn't understand
me. None o. the others did. What's
the use o my tellin' people all about
1t? They only think I'm gone daft"
He looked very much troubled. TAX
ing out his bandanna handkerchief, he
blew his nose generously.
"Come with me-" said the beneyo-
lent man coaxingly.
81 don't want to go anywheres with
nobody. 1 just want to catch my wife
and children as they go by and enjoy
the rest O. the ride with 'em."
81 think I can take you where you'll
learn all about it. Come"
Where you goin' to take me?"
"Oh. I'll take you where you'll be
cared for
II don't want to be cared for. |
want to know whether my family has
gone past. There's a puff of smoke
BLOWN around the corner now !
shouldn't wonder if it's them!''
II see. They're coming in an automo.
bile. You confused it with a yellow
house.
II didn't do no such thing. The
smoke I'm talkin' about comes out o.
the chimbly."
The gentleman assumed an authori-
tative tone. Now, my man, either
walk with me to a police station or
III call a policeman and have you
taken there by force. You're off your
head. l don't know whether you are
a dangerous lunatic or not, but you
need to be shut up, if not for the pub.
lie good, for your own"
II knowed it," said the man lugu-
briously. Il knowed if I tole you the
hull thing I'd get myself into trouble"
Twill you Gomez"
who are you anyways?"
I'm the president Of the Society Of
General Charities. Now you know
that l intend you no harm. l wish to
help you"
But I don't need no help. There!
There's another puff O. smoke. 1 reck-
on they'll be turnin' the corner purity
soon. Will you wait a few minutes?
If they don't come along just as I said
they would I'll go with you"
Instead of waiting I'll go with you.
If you are satisfied the smoke you see
comes from another cause than what
you suppose, perhaps you will go with
me-
"Reckon I'll risk it."
They walked down the street to the
one where they saw the smoke and,
turning into it, saw a windlass pulled
around by a horse. Ropes led from it
to a two story yellow house about 100
feet away, which was being moved III
the middle Of the street.