The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-07-19 00:00:00

THE If YSTERIEI OF BABY FARMING.

A lady eorrearowlent of 17se riots details some
personal eanerienoes r sprotieg W. grave matter,
which ate tenthly intereoting. She b. gnu by on wering
adv,rtimuleois offering arc num° latimi to ladies with
medical attendance, sod got tight peroono to help her,
gentlemen to write as if they trete in trouh'e about some
young girl or married woman—from tie man who said
lie had got into "an infernal scrap" with a woman,"
ant in • oolddilooded buoin. es enty ask-d ti know how
much it would coat to wash his halide of the whole
affoir. as lie wanted to ito abroad, t, the glumt dt•op•iring
boy writing with tears in his ink (as it were), who have
wore lore than money, and beard "fur God's sake"
to get an amts. rby return of pool. One letter from
" • swell" (as I knew tbe midwife would call him) was
a muterpi.ce of art. His poaition and honour were
oft. n mentioned, and alternoto bribes and Operas were
ksiouated if profound secrecy could not be in.ured.
Then come letters from women of all ages and stotiouo.
My maid, w'io was (for her stotiou) well 4-demote i, on-
pooed it letter beg .ing for an interview with one of
thooe übligkg lodgingtiouoe-keet.ers. She wrote in great
ili.tress about being foigted to give up Ler situati in. but
soil tie feller of the child, who was a " perfect
gentlemon." w.OO realy to do anything to make her com-
fortable. My little kitethenm.id, after gr at perouasion,
aloo undertook to write • letter on the .übj•ct—the
r..oult was • wonderfully ill-spelt note on piece of
dirty paper, which would have bee. pathetic enough
had its cont,nta been true. I wrote • few letters
my.elf in feigned hoods. supposed to come from
married some°, governe-ses, widows, U. I persuaded
a maiden lady to write about adopting a child from the
birth. In due time answers mous to all the letters, and
elicited a feeling of hatred in my heart, my former
motive having been philanthropic end PlttintsoPltionl•
The ill•swelt he tees are answered ins brusque and coarse
manner, all tending to one point. " Flow much
000ey have you gun • or. bow mach con you
get from the father of the child?" Thorc was
a kind of creserrodo scale of aceniono.lation ;
neeeseries so much, comfort so much, sectecy so much,
oblivion so much. I felt beart-oick sod hot tilt ii,
more than ball inclined to abandon the pursuit of this
dreadful kind of knowledge.
I iaferret from a study of the answers that many of
them come from one person, who alvertioed under
different forms and gave diffetent eddresses, sod this
suspicion was subsequently °unarmed.
I selected this perion for my first visit in search of
accommodation outing my suppose I cowing trouble..
end my call was made on one of the kittr-re4 day' of
N. camber I ever r-meniter. A nasty bronchiii thetlith
cliotteso.d me dreadfully, I certainly Voked i'l enough
to justify my assumed condition, at,cl that day's exposure
to the snow and keen east wind did me serious harm, I
feel sure. My dress and "get up" were the result of
mu.), thought and care I I .ft my Gee as it wan.
because it looked pinched and sickly enough. I put or.
• very becumMg hat to indicate thot watti,y wos not
unknown tome, and a thick Maltese veil to suggest an
aforethougt of prudent:ye and fear of sudden recognition
in the streets. My well-niade quiet silk dress wag
giniref.vvello°'duc*lsbutmulp"opaldenwtedie:rte.reewu waterproof
hwYc". gf I itsocu:l costume,
oeeki, srr:w7f ek eh" rah.m'a sib 11
or covers"
41.ieob boots
, bu
e dand
a
by deoperation, imparted, I thought, • otronge air to
my whole
.face and person. She went to the
street, accompanied by a gentlemen, and then
circumspectly approached the house. It looked
and
decent
goneyrian'r7lge: no:Qin:lel insidela etdtiege slheo. eut°Bl'lllll.3l"apnldat *hi
wnr
requested dqueustdeootsiv:megb:dy the
nd
mistcsoekrr: Mrs.Wh andanAd.
- • ; the girl said she was "most particular" engaged,
but begged me to go into the " drawing-rootenpotatra,
gone away lasapPeV,Dnigttl" al.
to
The be
two words
vacant, tie
?Pat' patrytl;:vanindg
" night," were suggestive, and remained in my winery.
Mrs. (as I obeli call In-r for the sake of ennveni.

enc.) bad tier eye on we while going upatairs. I heard
the back parlour door softly open. A fit of eoughieg,
mused hy the sudden transition horn the cold ontaide
air to the warm house, quite juatified my resting in •
decidedly invalid attitude on the first little landing. I
li,cl a motive besides tor this stoppage. The house hai
a room at the back between the " drawing-room" and
the ground fiicr. I beard a womsn's mune within, and
the feeble well of a child, and at the door I saw plain
that a child had just been born into the
. . .

world, and war destined, I re:red, to • very short ex.
perience of it. The drewing.rooin wee evidently in.
tended for best custom, re, bud list the usual chnuney•
piece decked with wax flowers and cryetel.dropping
, cenellesti, ks ; the otinventiotiel round and side tables
were there, covered with odds end emit of niomacks,
soil some numbers of • cheap periodical. Two vile oil
• paintings of Mr. and Mrs. adorned the walls; an
old-fashioned cabinet piano fill, d one corner; • gaudy
carpet, chairs and footatoels, and dingy green mer.en
custains finished the liet of furniture. There wee no
fire in the grate, and I was kept waiting • long time, so
I had ph nty of opportunity to observe everything. I
turned neer the grimy ILlntit 4.1 music, and curiously
inepected the medly that wessilleoted together. There
were sown of Meudelesohn'a "Sotiga without words,"
mxii up with she. ts of the " Ammo Polka" and the
Vie Purielerme Quadidles ;" "Not for Joe," ** Tau
Last lime of Summer," " "Ch•mpagne
Charlie," " I would I were a Bird," aid " Awe Marie"
were stolid into the Centetbury together in the 'lost
admired eonfusion. I was there to m•he mental mom.,
end this musicsl pee pearri seemed to oonjure up to
my min 1 the different women who had been lodgers in
that shebby.genteel room --comes (for they cannot be
all criminal) half med. petheps, end desperate from the
koowledge that, however willing they might be to wen h
for the support of themselves and the child they ex.
twisted, society wee pitiless, end would tusk., even a life
of honest labour no lii iii to bear by scorn and coutempt
that they had not the nerve to feu it.
At last Mrs. walked in. I may as well describe
her here. She wee • buxom, merry.looking women, of
middle height. Good tamper, good livieg, and • good
digestion had evidently agreed with her, and her 40 or
45 summers set very lightly on her. Her hair was
glossy, aid hung in wellmiied clueters of ringlets on
e•ch side of her face. Altogether, ber sparkling bleak
eyes and jolly appearance mule rip no tumble so
totally unlike what I fumed she would be like that I
wan quite startled. S:le advanced towards me with as
air of mixed deference and fansiliarity. I, with my
veil down, rose and said. "I ,uppose I see Mrs.—,
end, if AO, I shell be glad toh,vea tittlg privet. (louver.
As I spoke I looked significantly at the
folding doors, behind which I had heard • rustling a
short time previously. "Oh, my dear," she replied,
with startling familiarity • "you need not be afraid;
you are as safe as • shard; here. lam rather full at
present, and all the servanta have their hands (WI too."
There was a pause after this, and then I apoerently
gained courage to say, "I hear you let lodging, to
ledies during their confinement; and as I shortly ex•
;sect mine, I wish to speck to you about terms, &c."
• Well," she teplied, ceutiously. " I do let my •p.rt.
manta but 1 am very particular ; I d ,n't receive
ev, ryborly, and it depende—in feet—" Here I lied a
severe fit of coughing, and to get out • lozeuge I
removed my glove, Inhibiting • very handsome diamond
ring, "My dear," said the woman, with sudden 111:CCIS
ef sympathy, " why, what • cough you have to be sure.
Ah, it often takes us so; ene suffers oae way. and one
tee other; but 1 thinke a cough the most trying. Sick.
nese one can cure, but a sough kora one so. Poor dear,
let me loosen your bonnet, and put up your veil."
I expected this move, and almost anticipated the
action. When I had somewhat recovered myself, she
brought her choir near use, and continued, quite. oonfi.
dentielly, "Now, my deer, tell me ail about it, and if
will h. 1p you. Bless you! it you were to see the
deserts and dozens that come to me; but, you know,
I've been 20 years in the lumina% and I know
What lam about. No servant maids, say 1. Why,
t'other night me and my 'ueband wee routed out of our
warm beds, at midnight, by a 'atueom cob, and a gent,
• regular swell, jumps out and begs to see me. 1
popped on my cloak, and came into this very room, my
dear and then I finds him walking up and down, pulling
his moustache and looking wild. ' Kra ' says he,
there', a woman in labour in the cab at the door. Can
you take her in and take care of her r Well,' says I,
' is she a lady?" Well, no, says be, 'not °slimly. but '
• very gout en:Wore, and I will iay anything reason.
able, if you will only keep the thing quiet, and get the
child put out to nurse.' 'No,' says!, iseeing how things
were, I never lets my rooms to any but ladies. I could
not do it, sir ; indeed, I could not.' He beced and
prayed, but I was firm, my dear; but I told him I
knowed • Mrs. —, a very respectable woman, who
took in servant.s and such people, where he would find
everything imitable, and 1 sew him down stele. and
' out of the door, cursing and swearing in an undertone.
I was sorry, my dear, but, se my 'usaand says, I have •
position to be. p up." All this wu to pave the way and
give me confidence, making the pumping 'misuse nosier.
I I invented . short story about I eing very nervous about
my coining illness,•nd anxious for mirtain MS Os to keep
It quiet. "Are you merried or single, my dear I'
"Married," said I immediately, quite by instinct. I
felt sorry • moment afterwards, as I lied intended to
act an unmarried woman, but having said " married "
I had to adhere to its "And that makes it Go awkward,"
I added in a worldly tone "becauee the ounsequenoes
seeld be ...Dry ...rims% if my husband returned and
heard anything &bolt it." "Ah I" sail the wide-awake
lady. "In the army or navy? But," interrupting her.
self at seeing me hesitate, " not that it matters to me,
my deer! I did not ask you your name' now did I? and
though I have seen your funs I should never reoognize
it again, bless you I I bee so many. I do soy best for
them while they're here, and I never think of them
again when the door shuts on them, though some who
know me are not afraid to trust me, and wany's the
hamper of game and valuable presents I got frms
abroad, just directed anooonsue like; but It's no use
people coining here asking questions and trying to fish
out things--wienting news about that sweet creature
who, they leard, was in my first pair front, and would
I let them look at her last letter, and such like. I
know better ; I'm the mother of six, and exacting
mein, my dear, and my living depends nisei,' my keeping
my tongue quiet; and so she said, suddeuly return
lug to the point, "you need not feu to trust me, my
dear." During the whole of this harangue the good
woman bad pinned me with her eye as it were. I kept
looking at her with an interested and admiring air,
nervously playing with my gloves, as if I was trying to
gain courage. She touched me with one of her sleek
bands and waited for me to reply. I, with apparrntly
growing oonfidence, told her my husband was in the
navy, and away on a long voyage, and that I was most
anxious to arrange matters so as to gi t nut of my
difficulty before lie mune hotne. My tone was so heart-
less and basioeselike that the woman got quite at her
ease with co apperently congenial a spirit, ód in a gushing manner said, "But how pale you're looking
won't you have a glass of wine and a biscuit' M ; 'unbend will get you • bottle of prime sherry he has in
the °eller." I hesitated and protested, but seeisg a
cloud cone over the woman's face I cons, nted, though
I felt some apprehension that the wine ought be
drugged. To nip dismay it decintel bottle of sherry
appeered. I became seriously alarmed, and very much
inclined to nuke my curtsey and exit at once. Had the
woman uncorked the bottle in my primenoe all would
have been right, but to bring it up decanted seemed
suspicious. I dare sty my fears were exaggerated, but
I was "strung up" inwardly, though outwardly Ibo
OIMPOted. However, like the Amateur Casual h
on the brink of the
grimy bath, I gave my courage an
extra turn of the screw, and boldly drank • glum of
wine. It was execrable 'tuff, but I looked pleased.
and pleased my companien to take a said she never drank
anything "olam-oh"rningal,'"°.whlShche
olotement I doubted, hi had ah her entrance

too fiadittyoiloyorsutofpwchoisiii.ky toddy, nor did her refold kelp
oT I:otitel
se:Alasial4
asa Inosdulla.ined,th the "fencing
ftehneci °bans it'll:seta();
1,,,,800, serious.
its
to
01l
my
symptoms. I
ale Laild I,:i:o°64..yinmiinouico,,WyouLt
iseestoheayeshi.4ldy.,a.ndtitylioesati
you won't feel its lomat all.
want to keep it,
iwahearyt,thyeeaeyl
never grieves for, and it's true, moy, r
beau': .teeehe old saying aand
helsr, may want
sees
w h thel heartiave
confined a fortnight
a "" new
in
the
house.
She
of all I said, insisted on
cutuu Saturday, and she, spite o
UtilentiO, because
seeing the baby. I told her it
out e cootelpiolcuko,tteblOr as it was. übrd to get it adowpatiodenluid.
',hal ghotad tobeebee
Thu father,
the
bull',
had
dele!te
iu Ireland and
tool of too child, and I had to spook to her
aeewitiothU:ljis.
MO. to lee un a viait to some friends
.0.1
asked.
must emu return home, or questions 4 be
w• rket on fir
to let me take
away from tier. It soon looked pin%
octor,
t 0.,.
tflieeelceedad("fryufmeart'l):eabereost. at
ea. Pea
reu'ueuareeide,eapbnaidar
nto aoriirdp gail.tylte,Raili.aoritaFpt4h, :gar' atltenael tya:Lrseft.fourdiirs:elye, tdhweh eborea:
eist4ta,i died
oiael,d;
an'i
a bee"'
"lea."
was.
I eat.% abeuriednito-iiighol
everything euudortable,and it's to
Ti,,. turegoiog herrstioe woo told withltroot
unciiOfl
and without ifierstioa. I felt hootsi cit.. 1
the
o
tray,tedd-bmiolldf
murder
oftimih.l, ditutitilneg rnetlf..ettoon tt.0.441
the proms. of starvation be it still going unt .
I u.
to
I ishould have done eometising dreeperate, and e
sea the child', lie at any
sof. from .11 further torture,
I c; but
aroilledweetay dead an
self, an,!
eawalsm. Isyort, e I
am ouptt:rl
isTulekethsiteogoewrealey,hbaiptproethwiseedeeay it
anicyotidnisg.tith:ll:l, pihatotta,reahnutod.siintrutliyaltoduf
reth.wetpumoi
fli aitelmereaciuteeltrye
With . hotvl
•
heart I resumed my cress-examination,
tool uudor the prettetf eiohiug to wake up my mind
bloc.-
lit
geeette u
thha: ittiguomy4abatoby setontit tormen.uhresat ottrouslidopbtd,h4l
expense of each course and the risks to be encountered.
Having by this thine become quite conedentiol and 4,11
4.hecrt4,lu4s.rtd
bittetitest,irmeoci,tnooo
wprptlssoieriT. and uuvoiled the
I will let her speak for herself, as by so doing I can
be more accurate, sod my renders will 'collie the
wom.u's character better.
re
" alYde:4hariclisieled ad" yoepatehdaeaendawpouteetiougreeilt obeufte to
you—getting:poeaUahowl meaueohleur.eaitoneey ybolhhaireer. yeDeOn'btetthainilkdlel'emaindds
which you do. I don
,
'c want to make any profit out of
you as long as [get. my
terms tor in room, and your
board end uursing. that's all I care for. I know many
people Who would for a Jew shillings a week nurse and
do for your child, and you could go and see it when you
like, or I could have it brought here, and no roue the
•i.er ; 'stripy. the (other would like the child roared
(with an inquiring look at me). Sowo men are fund of
children, you know." I said I fancied that plan would
be clang , and put me very much in the power of
the nurse, woo would find out my position and make a
trade of my fears. •• Oh, dear no said the coin-
pl.ivant woman, "I should be the only one who would
kiiow anything about you; and you could trust we.
you know. You need never tell we your real name,
and while you are beteg her., and during your confiort-
meet, no one need see your fare, not even the doctor.
I can attend on you, and if the doctor is obliged to be
called in you can throe a veil over you face, but if you
liko to coosult the doctor now and ask bun about ion
you can. He lives tory near here, and as he is one of
the pars It authoritiee it is very convenient when any-
thing goes wrong ; but, toy dear lady, pray oon't tell
him 1 said anything to you about adoption. You know
he hiss a position to keep up, and he dare not listen to
anything of the kind." This mystified me, as the word
adoption seemed to my ears able 4i stand scrutiny
bettor than putting the child out to nurse. This anxiety
ior the system of adoption to be kept dark arous-d my
curiosity, and very cautiously I led up to the subject.
Having giving her to undersimod that money Was no
objeot the gut over her restraint, and told we many
anecdotes of adoption that certainly opened my eyes.
It ..eu a small portion of what she related woe true,
the .oM.h's courage and daring were moat estroor•
dreary. lied she only expended on go d actions bait
clic euersty and perseverance she had displayed for A,
years on deeds of wickedness, she would bave been a
heroine. Her monuer became wore earliest and iuteuse,
amid her fate glowed with excitement when relating
various well monaoed affairs, The danger of discovery,
a household foil of 'errata.' hoodwitiked, dread of the
police authoi Wes, were all put baling we in a graphic
way. She spoke Oka an old general who enjoys telling
of battle* won by hie own wit, courage, and energy.
I will use her own words iii describing "au affair"
she teemed to consider her chef disarm
"One summer evehing, as I was sitting with my good
man in our little batik garden, the girl came and said
• lady wonted to see me. You know twineu is
business, my dear, so I got up, though very loth, and
Caine into this room, where a lady was bitting, as you
'nay be now, my dear. She Was middle-aged and
sickly-looking, but a nice spoken lady enough. She
said she had been recommended to me by a lady friend.
and said that she +rented to consult uoe about adopting
a cool I said that it would be an easy or difficult
thing to do, according to eircuen.tanceo. Presently abs
trot nervous and began to cry, and then when I cheered
her Up r.lie told me that her 'usbond was a blowy num
of good family, and that they had always pined for a
maid, but never bad their oisti• I wind not lint out
those fault it was, my dear, but I think she was too
anxious, and you know that is not good. The poor
thing .aid she bad fretted, and tried everything in vain,
mot she fancied her 'usbruid was getting tired of her,
and would perhaps uever come bsck to her if things
went on as they were. A friend of ber's told her to
adopt an infant, Lod she did wyntion it to her •usbaud,
but lie shut her up quite short, and she wire afraid to
-peak about it again. Then she sees an alvertissuient
in the p.pers, aid comes to me to adv se her. I told
her if she had spirit enough and was not afraid I'd loon
bring her 'esband to his ['terror bones, and as proud as
• peartoek. I told lier I had a boy on iuy list who was
expecting about Christmas, and I asked how long the
captain had been away, and when be was expected
boom %oda. She said not until the early spring. Well,
this was famous Here we were in June, and lots of
time before too I told her to leave all to me, and to
do just as I told her, and all would be right. I told
her to write and toll her Lti.band she Unwed things
were Coining right at last—a kind of warning letter,
you ko •w—and she did, there and then, and alio woe
to take it home and post it. He had nut been gone
sin weeks, so that was quite enough just then. Tbe
poor lady went home to her nice house ia the couutry
quite satisfied like and I used to go and see her every
few weeks. I bitiCto keep my eye upon the other party
woo was really exptcting, and it made her mind quite
easy, poor roul. to thiok 110WO one would adopt her
baby at mice. Howl tined to ;tray it wouid he a boy.
Buys, you knee, my deer, are always more value ; thy
are more delicate to re•r, •nd die sooner at nurse if
they are not wanted, and ii they are wonted, they fetch
a !dither price as heirs to property, and Lilo., are easier
adopted, as most mothers like a boy first, sod will pay
more for the acoommodation Well, ell weut quietly;
the lady as autumn came on clothed heavier and
looked clumsier ; baby clothes were made, friends bent all
kinds of preeente, and the captain wrote so pleased, and
told her to spate noexpense; and ic order to be near clever
doctors, at my advice, the lady came on to town to be son.
fined. She engaged rooms in -- Hotel, and wrote to
me to attetid her as moutoily nurse. I had my hands
full, as you may fancy, and I got very anxious as things
Conic to a crisis. At last, one afternoon, my lady here
was taken aud I sent a parcel agreed on to the hotel
44 a sign. She was 5o have 'flying pains' and give a
great deal of trouble, and go to bed, but not to send for
• doctor. In the meantime I hurried matters as far as
1 safely could here, ant about midnight I brought into
the world • foie little boy. I settled everythitig quietly
and took a bit of supper and a drop of somerisiog hot,
and waited till the wound messenger came that
expected from the hotel. About 4 u'c.ook a cab drove
up with • servant 4.1 f-dressed and all white and tram-
blips, saying the lady was very bad. My tetsket was
slieady packed, which contained everything from the
bed of my lady patient, and I had nothing to do but to
put on my big cloak, and sling • handkerchief round
my neck to bold the child, who was foot euougb, with a
few drops I had given him. I got into the cob, making
the man go with the driver, and when we got to the
hotel all the house was in an uproar, for the lady was
making • fine noise. I set evelybocy to the riglitabout,
and went is to the bedroom uul shut the door. I found
the pour lady in • great fright, and .Vrtsioly it was high
taints I got there. I managed everythiug very Ditty'',
and v. ry soon the baby cried quite naturally, and his
DOW mother took to hint as if it had been her very own
flesh and blood. The doctor was sent for, as I told
tern I did not wish for all the reeponaibility, though
*odd do for ladies as well as any doctor, and had clone
so hundreds of times. The doctor was quite satisfied
with all I bad done, and be has got me many • square
job since, poor inan ! Little did he think how he was
taken in. Well, my dear, to make • lon story short,
toot trilby is now • big boy, and the lady and gentleman
who adopted hint are as proud of him as if he was their
own. The captain knows no better, bless him, and all
his friends say the boy is the image of him. My lady
here soon got well, and went bock to her friends as if
'totting had happmed. She often comes to get
news of her child, and has tried to get it out of
me where he ; but my lips is sealed. Money, my
dear (this was in reply to • quest on of mine), oh, yes,
money plowed, bat I got none of it. You may well say its
hard ; so I say, bit £6O was paid to get it adopted, and
was only paid for my nursing and trouble as usuaL I
say it's the lady that gets the child that rat ligte4 taocpailiyid,
aid so they do sometimes, but I
,adoigipbteelt
touitnedtetrhEe6omoanneyd
ttobtat4O.
tab ef "risk IA tes. kyeee for law% al
with the doctors, servants, and chance of anything
gmoyi itge,wl
irnognsit:it'tetunto
tehhild's
e longplasyn, l
dtteaollbylotum" gsTtootydeectsnt'tltiet.
toapineeldd.i.blbeloi.leireyWiewhaallts:shtwoctokineedde moot was the semi-jocular
hwayold in
twhich4 t the
as towrwas
men
aconvilertolAiltiocunldincatoer hand, de,ndwhotosecontittaubLuvreins,..ifvedtisal-
families. Here was no end of ploitiog and °tiltrotor
i
plotting going, apathetonnu4blinded, doctor's hoodwinked,
Children chancing
mothers buying chl ren,
the law as well as nature defied and laughed at, and a
Pitying and steadily-increasing tr.de springing up among
us out the mire of all this wickedness. It seemed to
me monstrous and ineredib'e, but there was no gin-
saying it. Besides, these perfectly dovetailed adoption
Comm were evidently rate; what, then, became of the
children who missed being comfortably adopted? I
questioned and hinted at this point, ant though the
woman did not ray so in as many words, she hinted,
hesitated, contradicted herself, and lett no doubt on
my mind as to what became of the unplased orphans.
03, with the money," said the woman, "it is easy to
get some one to adopt them, and I have often passed
under the very noses of the policemen, with my big
shook on end Imaket on my arm 414 if going marketing.
Few women would like to go at night where I do. I
have • private key of the gate through • passage not
far from here—it'e a short cut, you know, near—but
that's nothing to the point"—and here she broke off,
and Was too tally on her guard to be indooed to retion
to the subject. Indeed, she informed me that she had
never before spoken so freely to any of her patients as
the had to me. (hod forbid that I 010014 do the woman
injustice, but I have thought over the words again and
sig.in, and no doubt remains on my min.! as to the fate
of the treat majority of adulates supposed to be
adopted.