The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-18

WhiIe Nd e1Runts calmly retired
n ~ housG to which thsy had tisst
novod, lo-yeaS-old Eddie Ellis
1oamed tle Rock IsIand streets
theough TIE cold and the yain last.
NIGHT, searching Tor Mamma"
4 Vas moving day for the family
~ Ben Ellis, laborer 1t the Black
Hawk coal chutee. They took theif
Nongrs furniture from the house
they have lived in for months, rear
u ma Fourth avenue, and they
took Dennie, aged 3, the other child,
nnd departed while Eddie was at
tsnding Eugene Field school, The
nd had been told in = general way
where they we're going.
Just what he did after school was
Gat is~not known. but he started
0ut after nightfall to find the new
house. Il il at the corner OF
Twenty-ninth street and Fifth-and-
n-half avenue. Eddie went in the
right direction, east on Fifth ave-
nue, but misto0k the Stevens apart
msnt hou5e. 2907 Fifth avenue. for
tbs house, and wandered in there.
It was then after 8 o'clock and
the child was soaked through his
.jAunty soldier-eAp and heavy old
mAckinaw by the rain. He was
shivering, and nearly exhausted.
Tim looking for my mamma and
I've walked awful far" he inform
"a dodgers at the place who cues
ton him about who he was and
where he was going. At loss to
know what else to do they tele-
phoned to the police station and
Ohirer David DeSmet took the lad
IL hand
whats your name" the police
man asked the boy kindly.
Eddie Ellis" was the reply.
where do you live?"
ION Fourt havenue." He did not
know Just where. He contributed
his fathers name and occupation
and some other details about the
family in further examination. and
then went to the police station in
the department auto.
"Your mother will be calling up
here sooh," Night Captain Charles
Bieuer Opined after learning the
facts in the case. The directories
carried no information about the
family.
Gets Inside Information.
In the next hour Eddie received
complete course Of instruction IN
the two subjects, What jails are
like, for and built Of; how to open
cell from the inside" and How
to be policeman"
Unabashed, but not boisterOus or
smart" the waif in the soldier
cap took q careful survey Of all the
police station contained, and in his
serious and Straightforward an
swers to questions, even ridiculous
ones, he proved to be a winning lit
tie chap.
Mamma" was expected any min
ute, and frequently Eddie ,woult
pause his play moment and asl
II she hadn't sent for him as yet.
M After an hour had passed with
out any news from the supposed!
anxious family having come, tn
police decided to do little invest!
eating. Eddie was able to Civ
fairly accurately the name Of 1
playmate At school whose fathel
\ operates a grocery store. Thu
storekeeper. Louis Isenberg, 275
4 Fifth avenue, secured the Jexac
place OF the lads former residence
in the rear Of 2523 Fourth avenue
Neighbors there directed Office
DeSmet to the vicinity into whic
the Ellis family had moved, ahr
the house was found with littl
more difficulty.
When the police machine stoppe
before the house q woman in nigh
clothing appeared at the window G
the second floor and the sharp eye
OF the yOungster saw her.
There's my mamma" he shrek
ed, wriggling from the car All
running to the dilapidated fror
porch Of the house. Let me il
mamma: hurry" His teeth wer
chattering with the cold.
~ Safe From Storm.
1t was several minutes before tn
mother came to the door, and b
that time she had donned a dress
I'm glad you came home" sh
remarked at seeing the boy, VIII
ran into the house.
HE wasn't at home for supper,
she said to Officer DeSmet i,
rather a nervous and furtive man
ner. land we thought our little b.,
was away somewhere"
why didn't you call up the sta
ton about 1t II you wanted to sin
him? Didn't you know he was lost !!
asked DeSmet.
well, Ben and me was just nov
studying about 1t and Isaid l wa.
going to get right mp first thing il
the morning and see IL Eddi,
wasn't down there" replied thu
mother.
Officer DeSmet thought there wa.
nothing else that could be said, ant
he turned and walked away:
Goodbye. Mr.. Policeman" Eddi.
shrilled after him. Il had a goot
time"