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Show ; A .LiPXLESTpRy.SpK HUMAN INTEREST ; 3 Jf245S)l44r who had assembled at the counter took part. The men were willing- to talc the boy to the police station. They war willing to seek a policeman. e e. e .-.. ""No, let him stay her,' was the an . swer of th clerk, and there was cheer. MHowd you like to stay har to' . night r queried the clerk. ; "I'd rather' have my mamma," said ' the boy, and the Up quivered again. . "Well" we'll nnd her in the rooming-." , promised the clerk, and the boy was appeased. The matron was called oyer the telephone. She was told of . the boy's predicament. ' . - . ; "Soli the beds?" she exclaimed. That was a difficulty. There was aa other consultation. ' - "Give him a room with bath, said the clerk, and he looked erer the Uat of vacant rooms. He slowly shook his head. "Only one that's vacant. thoofh.N And that was how Charlie Dodge . came to occupy a room facing Mlchl- . , gan avenue. The matron led him away. When she mentioned bath he demurred. But he was tired and the warm room had made him aleepy and his objection were faint. He was placed, in bed, th- light was permitted to burn, and in a few minute he waa asleep. It was about I o'clock yesterday morning when -a bellboy summoned hlm and he had not stirred.' In the meantime the rent In the garment had ibeen patched. There waa another bath, and Charlie Dodge waa prepared for breakfast. "Where's mamma?" was his first p.uery. "Ob, she'll be here after a whlle.T he was told, and .was contented. " f ! The boy had an excellent steak and i all the potatoes that he could eat for breakfast. Also there, was fruit and breakfast food and delicious coffee. There was candy and even gum from the newsstand. It waa an excellent breakfast that was served Charlie Dodge. Then came the problem of finding his mother. Frank Repetto, the bouse de tectlve, volunteered to perform this duty.' He went to the park policeman tatloned at Van Buren street and Michigan boulevard. He told of the boy that was at the Auditorium. The officer Informed him that Mrs. Dodge had been searching for the boy and that I. he lived in a tenement house across from the Polk street depot. ' A " The officer and the boy started, and j - Charlie had no difficulty in finding the " Jj house when he got in that neighborhood. neighbor-hood. Chicago Chronicle. j . Charlie' todge,VtP3r 'wllo"n,T' aw a blanket,;during the five years," t his existence,' and who never owned coat and pair of trousers of the same pattern, pat-tern, apeat-Eaiurday night between the finest sheets of the most luxuriously furnished room, of the Auditorium hotel, ho-tel, where princes have often slepU '.And this same Charlie Dodge, '.who never owned aa many as ten pennies In all his life, sat before a cloth of spotless spot-less white yesterday morning and ate a breakfast that represented more than XL .-:' . ' ' . ' ' . All this happened to. Charlie Dodge because he was brave.. .It was after II o'clock on Saturday night when the storm' door of th hotel -was pushed open." A moment more , and Charlie stepped in. It was evident that h had entered the -wrong place. His clothes were shabby. The coat was in tatters, the trousers In rags. Even the stocking n-r torn-and the shoe almost In pleoes. The boy wa cold and shivering. -But he wasn't crying.' cry-ing.' He looked about htm in wonderment. wonder-ment. He walked around the lobby and finally came to the clerk' desk. - 0 "Well, what do you wantr' -asked Clerk, Bhafer. ' "I'm lost." answered the boy simply, e It was his calmness that won, ' The clerk looked at him a moment. "You seem to take it coolly," he said. "I'm pretty cold," answered the boy. . His rags attracted attention. The the-ater. the-ater. had just dismissed the pleasure-seekers. pleasure-seekers. ?The men and women were on their way homeland some were on their way to the hotel for an after-the-the-ater dinner. In a moment or two there was a crowd about the boy. "Where's your mother?" queried the clerk. "Don' know.t; answered the child. He was on the verge of breaking into tears, but he controlled himself. Only the quiver of the lip told that he was III at ease. "Where waa she when you left her?" asked Mr. Shafer. "Over there." and the boy nodded toward to-ward the lake front. "Oh. picking up coal?" was the next question. "Yes," answered the boy. The crowd had increased. It was a cosmopolitan crowd, too. Men in evening even-ing dress and women In silks had gathered gath-ered about the boy. The bellboys and the porters had been attracted and were watching him. "Where do you live?" asked the clerk. "Don't know," answered Charlie. "That's funny." remarked Clerk Shafer. "Used to live out In South Chicago, but moved the other day. Mother came over to pick up aome coal. First time I was ever with her. I wsjked away, but I don't know Just where I walked." The sympathies of the people were with the youngster. Exclamations of pity came from the elegantly gowned women. wom-en. "Cold?" queried the clerk. "Well, I should say. Fierce," and the boy clapped his hands to get them warm. "Been lost long?" "Don't know." The boy had become popular. He answered an-swered the questions In a straightforward straightfor-ward manner. But he wasn't forward. "Well, how do you expect to get home?" "Don't kjiow," and It wis evident that the question had not presented itself to the boy. There was a conference In which all |