Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-23
TWO YOUNG RUNAWAYS
SPEND NIGHT IN COLD
Arthur and Francis Smith Missing
From Home Twenty
Four Hours.
Go for Car Ride, Lose Money, and
Darkness 0vertakes Them on
Walk Back.

After being away from home more than
twenty-four hours and spending the night
in an unprotected station on the Wash
ington and Suburban railway line be-
tween this city and Laurel. Arthur Smith.
Jr., nine years old, and Francis Smith.
his seven-year-old brother, were found
this morning about five miles from I.au-
rel, and this afternoon returned to the
arms of their anxious parents
Yesterday morning about 10 O'Clock the
boys left their home at eo7 Allison street
northwest, but failed to tell their step
mother where they were going They
were away from home the day before,
having gone to the woods to get Christ
mas tree. and their delayed return caused
members of the family much uneasiness
Searches All Night.
1t was thought yesterday that the boys
had gone back to the woods TO make an
other search for a tree, but when they
had not returned at o'clock their father.
j. A. Smith. became anxious and asked
the police to institute search for them.
An automobile belonging TO Percy +.
Grady, a neighbor, carried Mr.. Smith
about the city and over the country roads
the enllTt illkIllr anu Tins ltoAiiAhc
when nothing had been heard from the
missing children the father was almost
frantic.
The police of the tenth precinct searched
through the woods and made inquiries at
stores and private houses. hoping they
would find some trace OF the children, but
IL was not until shortly before noon
when telephone message from J. w
Wachter manager for the Laurel Furni-
ture Company, was received that the.
whereabouts of the boys was learned
Clarence Z. Beall, salesman for the
furniture company. was on ms way TO
Lakeland to transact business and saw
the boys on the Baltimore and Wash
ington road. Recognizing them as being
the children who were seen In Laurel
Yesterday and thinking they were lost, the
salesman alighted from the car At the
next stop, walked back and questioned
them.
Spend Night in Station.
1t was learned from the children taat
they spent the night in one OF the rail-
way stations 1T was awful cold said
one Of the boys. land we tried to keep
each other warm"
Mr. Beall boarded the next northbound
car and took the boys to Laurel. They
explained that yesterday morning they
left home with about $50 in cash and
thought they would take car ride.
Remaining on the car until they reach
ed the terminus of the line. they got OF
and remained in Laurel part of the after
noon. They would have returned home
on a car, they stated, but they lost their
money and started to tramp over the
road, not having the slightest idea OF
the distance they were from home. Night
came on and they sought shelter In the
railway station. This morning they lett
the station and renewed their walk to-
ward home.
Stepmother's Version.
Il left the boys quietly playing marbles
on the upper floor of my house." said
Mrs Smith, stepmother OF the boys, in
explaining their disappearance, and
stepped to my sisters house next door.
Almost as soon as I had left the house
they must have quit their game and
slipped out. They were not dressed for
on. In the hall each got his cap and
put on an ordinary coat, but not near
enough for protection against such raw.
damp weather.
The peculiar thing is that they were
rather frightened when they returned
the night previous from their Christ
mas tree search because they had lost
their way and il was getting dark
one would think their desire for adj
venture would have received "a check.
The older boy, it was explained. was
very fond of and interested In the
street cars and loved to ride on them.
and this probably explains their start
on the adventure. ->A