The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-09-20
THE CHlLDREN'S HOUR.
LITTLE PENNY'S TRIP.

| this week because she was going to
visit grandpa soon. Her mamma said
so after having read very long letter
that she had received one morning
from grandpa himself Penny had
reached the age of four and consid-
cred herself quite young lady. She
had one brother, Ted, who was twice
her age, and whom she thought most
wonderful. For didn't he know how
to write the most bee-yoo-teeful let
ters? And go to school and play leap
frog and every other boys game? But
just now she looked at him in a big
sisterly way and quite pitied him. She
was going on a long journey and he
was not.
| Curiously enough, however, when
the wonderful day came and grandpa
himself came to get her, she felt the
most uneXplainable reluctance to
enter the big coaches. And when she
did how far away everything seemed.
Mammals kisses were still fresh on
her check when the train drew out of
| the station, but she controlled her
| '0olo dliu Sluucu Nely bldFCly dC
grandpa Grandpa didn't like little
| girls that cried and she had a vague
| idea that she wouldn't spoil his trip
when he had come so far to get her.
| Grandpa fell asleep and the little
girl tried to amuse herself by watch
ing the trees fly by. But she couldn't
| fix her gaze on them. The vision of
mamma and daddy and Ted came be-
fore her and filled her eyes with tears.
How she longed for them! But she
wouldn't cry, oh no. She was a big
| girl. She drew herself up and tried to
dry her eyes. Suddenly a grand idea
dawned upon her. She would get off
as soon as the train stopped again,
and walk back home. She had gone
for long walk with daddy one day
and on her return felt only the least
| bit tired. She remembered how she
had boosted about it to Teddy. The
thought of these two, daddy and Ted,
strengthened her resolution. She
| slipped on her hat and coat and tried
to pick UP her suitcase. 1t was heavy,
| but she would not leave it behind, as
she thought of the pretty new clothes
| in it. And Dolly was in there, too.
Oh, no! she wouldn't leave that behind
She looked around. There were not
| many people in this coach and the few
| there lay asleep. She kissed grandpa
after her suitcase was safely dragged
down to the door of the coach. He
stirred slightly, and frightened be-
| cause he might awaken before she got
to the door and off the train. She ran
down the aisle as fast as she could
The noise around two of the sleeping
| passengers. She grasped the door
handle and pulled. 1t opened with a
jerk and knocked her down. She
scrambled quickly to her feet and ran
out, pulling the suitcase with her.
Then it seemed as if a dozen things
happened at once. The two passen-
gers jumped to their feet and ran
down after her. Grandpa woke and
cried, Penny! Penelope." She wanted
to Jump Off the train and run home,
but she couldn't leave the suitcase
behind with Dolly in it, In a second
would not be able to go home. With
a shrill scream, Mamma; mamma"
she pushed the suitcase before her
and hanging desperately to it, she
went tumbling down the steps of the
swiftly moving train and landed in
little silent heap On a pile of rock be-
side the train track
The next morning little Penny
opened her eyes to find herself lying
| in little white bed At her side were
papa and mamma. Mamma was kneel-
ing by the side of the bed looking very
white and worried. Daddy, white and
haggard, too, was leaning over her,
while deep sobs rent his bosom. And
there at mammals side was little
Ieddy, who was saying his prayers,
very rapidly, while the tears rolled
GOWN his pale cheeks. Penny forgot
about their queer actions in the Joy
at seeing them once more and gave a
scream OF joy. In a moment she was
IN mammals arms with daddy and
Teddy hanging over her, joy written
on their faces. Then she fell into a
blessed slumber. In week she was
well enough to go home. 1t seemed to
Penny as if she had never been SO
happy in her life. Grandpa could not
do enough to. make up for falling
asleep. Dolly had not been hurt,
either. She told her, story to mamma
ana daddy and next summer they are
all going to visit grandpa and have a
good time together.
Alice Carter