A WAIF'S STORY | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 4, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 36.

A WAIF'S STORY.

It happened on a Wabash railroad train. The lady, a Mrs. G—— of Texas, was on her way to the town of G——, in Missouri. She had in charge a little boy of seven years who was being sent by the Children's Home Society in Missouri, to a good Christian family at F—— for adoption. Mrs. G—— had drawn about her a party of friends, and was passing the time pleasantly, when the attention of all was turned toward the little boy.

The lady, in her cheerful mood and being moved by solicitude on the part of the little fellow, turned toward the lad and asked if he had no home, and was told that he had none.

“Have you no mother?” asked the lady.

“No, ma'am,” came the slow and gentle answer.

“Have you no father?” was her next interrogation.

“Yes, ma'am,” he replied.

“Where is he?”

“Down in Joplin or somewhere.”

“You don't mean to tell me that you have a father, and that he can't take care of a nice little boy like you? Why, I could do that myself, and I'm only a woman!” The little boy raised his large brown eyes, which were always floating in tears, to the lady's face and said, “Yes, but maybe you don't drink.”

And as the train sped on, nothing more broke the silence for a time, save its rapid rumble, and the occasional shriek of the engine at the crossing. The little boy munching a banana little knew that he, in four words, had delivered a great prohibition address and shown the duty of a Christian.—Children's Home Finder.