The Washington times., 1915-09-20

"AEf didn't Know his name-the
>. little boy whose body they pulled
i up out Of the Chicago river the
other day. e
He went down on the steamer East
land. and he seemed to have been all
alone-at least no one has over claimed
him.
He was a little fellow about eight
years old. plainly dressed in a dark
shirt and trousers and school shoes and
stockings. and he wasn't particularly
beautiful or unusual in any way, but
somehow the city heard Of him. and
when the day came for him to be buried
his little coffin was heaped high with
flowers
There was a wreath Of lilies with
card which said Somebody's mother"
ing For the lonesome little boy"
And children from one Of the public
schools brought arms full OF wild flow
ers; So he lay in state. the unknown
little boy, in a bed Of beautiful flowers.
and all the city smiled and wept to
think Of him.
Who was he. I wonder?,
Was his mother with him when tho
ship went down. and have they met
Ing 1t all over, the sudden shock, the
terror. the struggle. and then the peace?
or did he wander down there alone
trick. and is there somewhere a little
aches?
Who were you. little boy? Can't you
speak from somewhere and tell us?
Were you happy little boy. with
brothers and sisters and a dog that was
all your own?
And had you learned to whistle
!!.,,T through ~ your teeth yet, and call man
feel yourself to be rather a terrifying
character when you slanted your cap
over one eye and shut your little teeth
Wbat ad xeSe yerr 1Ss best ons to LOOK
Yrew up? Come. III warrant I can tell
In three guesses! A fireman, an avia-
tor or an engineer?
Oh, 1t was one Of those three, II YOU
were a real boy.
Where Do Ambitions Go?
Where do they ell go. the little boys
who want to be flremen. and why do
they change their minds and make law.
yers and doctors and grocers OF them
selves instead?
How often have you stood. little fel-
low. and watched a great train whiz
by In the early dusk. and said to your
self That's me. that fellow there In the
engine! See. I'll pull this lever and the
whole big train will have to stop.
Now I'll start 1t again-too. too, ch-h,
ch-h! Here We 90 across the fields,
over the bridges. to the top Of the
mountains. To-ot. t-o-o-t-here's a tun-
mel. Got to be mighty careful in here,
we pretty near had a spill last week.
loot. toot-out again. on top Of tho
world. tho King of the earth. with
great wr:3t!e for a voice and q train
load Of people for q plaything-toot.
foot" and then somebody calls you
10 go to the grocery and get box Of
And thew thought at home that you
were Just kid" and they laughed
sometimes when you said things that
were not funny at all. And when you
tried to be funny they said you thought
you were smart" and nobody seemed
to understand. and sometimes, right at
home. with all the folks around, YOU
felt Just as lonesome
And how often you've looked up at the
stars and, wondered what made them
twinkle SO. And the moon-they told
you at school that you were the one that
moved. you and your world, and not
the moon at all. shucks! They couldn't |
believe them. but all the time you knew.
YOU knew!
Because We Have Remembered.
. r1adh you nad the old moon come |
sailing right along and follow you the |
night you and the other kids slipped |
out down to the fire engine house, lust
Tor fun? And the wind! What made
the wind. and what was 1t always try.
Ing to say at night in the telegra oh |
wires, near your house? Wings! How
often you've wished you had them-real |
wings, like bird-and now, have YOU '
found them, little boy-the wings-and |
10 they bear you. fair and free and |
Aght and swift. somewhere In some
blessed country Of dreams and sweet |
magings come true?
The flowers they heaped about YOU in /
Vur last little bed. were they az sweet
pr sweeter than the blossoms you See
now? 'N 'eo
How you loved flowers, and how
quickly they wited in your hot and
eager little hand! N
Dear little boy. can you pick them
Jade? Ao'
And are you glad that you have left |