The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-17
couRTINe DANGER.

The fate of the Coughlln BABY is Sllll
unknown, in spite of the gruelllng or
.'The Crank" and every effort to I'M
tangle the mystery which has sur
rounded the disappearance of the
child. since the evening when 1t was
taken from its New Jersey home.
No act of carelessness seems to nave
been responsible for the disappearance
of this child. But to those VINO see
tne wav in which small children are
left 70 fend for themselves, II 10
.,,oo5ar that a great number are hoe
lost each year.
On Sunday evening "a tiny girl was
on an East Hill street car after dark,
depending upon the conductor and. the
direction of passengers, to get her from
| the car. which had turned the corner
of Wright on its way east 10 .ne
North Hill car, not then In signt- Inc
child was frightened and crying OIL
terly.
A week ago a little chap Just apout
three years old, trotted up 10 "o-
man standing on her front porch an.
calmly announced that ne nay
s1ost his muvver." He uid no.
know his mothers name, nor tne
name of Daddy, and could not tam
plainly enough to give his own hdiile
or any directions, except that ne hdu
| .tum on a 'treet car. he was
brave fearless little chap and so the
| woman and he set out to flnd ms
| ..n,,vver.D without either having any
| ;daa of the direction that they shcuio
4 t.ke But the Good Lord must take
| oora, of fools and babies,-so when
/ thew had walked short way they
/ met a small chap on wheel WIZ
could not tell the ebabys name nu'
| Thought he knew his mother by signt
And piloted by this youngster' abou'
fi,,a mother was found making g
| friendly afternoon call, and mucI
| surprised when her three year oiu any
| a strange woman, made their appear
ance. ,,,;,s
few nights ago 1t was rainlhs
heavily and this same woman stooo OF
a street corner waiting for ner car
Ipst as the car approached two emil
/ aran clad in overalls crossed TINS
| s.raet hand in hand. The woman
stonned long enough to Suggest u
| tbero that they wait under the awnine
until the rain had stopped. AND I'M
older who was clinging to the littp
| fellows hand said; I'VE are LOOKING
for my mother and sister. me CD :.
came along and the woman ran
4 catch If. not quite taking in the sig
nificanee of what the child had salu
| mill she turned to see him stanoihs
wistfully watching her. Then ne Wen
On with his baby brother, up Paiato.
street.
what she should have done, ana toi
49, raalized when she had had TN
- .h;rlx was to have waited over 10
another car, until these chiiasen' .l'l'
located their mother She was ho
h,ameless. But anyone who mas
catch East Hill cars OF an evening
Knows that it gets to be a habit 10 &c
!. one when the going is GOOD.
II : not the business OF this WON
~ locate strange children, ana Sc
, | If she was to blame, now nue,. -.
those mothers who allow tner chi.ui {
Ia 90 out alone. on these ouslhes
streets of Pensacola, with
: ,,ahicles and motor trucks speeding
s,,cb rate that it is with difficoie
J +hat even an adult keeps his heao.
Tns tragedy of the Coughlin bah
! 10. struck terror TO every heart ina
t feels tenderly toward children An
= -. .bat careless faith that notnin
. viii happen to them" sends these III
tots out on the streets. counting oan
60 az all hours of the day ana some
times far into the evening.