The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-04 00:00:00

A I'URDAY, APRIL 4, 151,5

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]
STRIVE AND THRIVE.

CHAPTER VI.

SIMIALD FAMILY.—A CLAIMANT.
tr°l% SIIIIIALD was a lawyer of the easy-going order,
,good-natured, amiable man, about thirty-five years
Who had never made a living out of his profes-
-11 alUa during any one of the ten years in which he had
.lactised it. His younger brother, Arthur, had con-
in various indirect ways to his maintenance;
• Arthur, notwithstanding his great prospective
masealth, had really little to give, and there were
ers who had still stronger claims on him than his
il'aolent and improvident brother. These
,were his
sisters—one of whom was a maiden several
for• s
older than Tom, decidedly more masculine in
Ks and temper, shrewder, sharper, and more self-
reliant
BailY Sibbald was as noted for industry as her
her
'was for indolence. She possessed an impetuous
07111Perament, and went about the house like a hurri-
r„llB; but, instead of desolation, order and neatness
c'u.oWed in her path.
1
be. The other sister, Grace, the youngest of the family,
5,„.1, 1g scarcely eighteen, was a fair, gentle, blue-eyed
of medium height, and very slender—looking like
hf97l-10 partook, constitutionally, more of the clia-
tilcl.er of her brother than of the resolute Sally. But ;
tte,r,_e Was a world of dormant energy in Grace, ready
lc, ;fie call of affection or pity, and her heart was a
e,t..spring of all pure and gentle emotions.
s upta Sibbald and his two sisters lived together in a
house in Brooklyn, where Arthur had resided
• them previous to his marriage. Their parents
t'ad,:a both died in middle life. The brothers being
tip but eighteen and twenty years of age, and Grace
thide more than a baby, Sally, who was the oldest of
e family, found tle charge of the household chiefl
81iliher hands. The boys, fortunately, each had
Ps, clerk-
though Arthur's alone was profitable --
6r Thomas was already a law student. ,
011 tile small salary of the eldest son, and
hial,,„the secret earnings of Sally's needle, plied often '
01)4 through the night, the little family contrived to
a decent support., and to maintain a position
ha Society. Arthur, who, like his brother, was a
Oh lictsome and intelligent man, and, unlike him, an
ite
rprising and industrious one, gradually improved
condition, and was able to add greatly to the
"L• leral comfort.
4 4, is acquaintance with the Frazers was the result of
t_ollsiness arrangement by which, at the age of
wenty-seven, he became the junior member of a mer-
cantile firm of which the old man had been for many
tears the head. Though he had long retired from
4'llll:less,. he was still a silent partner.
th'razer visited the store every day, and Arthur's
th:,,rough business habits, no less than his frank, cor-
nature, attracted his attention, and seemed
▪ to win his enduring regard. Midas, indeed,
'tUt• him to his house, and it was believed with a
• to the very result which followed, but which
t 441, by no means formed any part of Sibbald's expee-
`,.,•°lls on his first acquaintance with the family.
.t Anna Frazer did not require tnc great wealth
herwfach she was the prospective heiress to commend
se 14 the regard of any young man of taste and good
14,11,5% and Arthur believed that he should have loved
rt." sought her under any circumstances in which she
it have been placed.
thAWhen, two years later, he became the son-in-law of
bA: taillionaire, although he received but little direct
1111, iary aid from him, he was in a condition which
()fluted him sensibly to meliorate the adverse fortunes
is brother and sisters.
I)4\l'ith this cursory view of the history of the Sib-
vie proceed with the narrative of events in
ch they were so greatly interested.
(1,4°111 heard, in common with all the town, of the
eadful accident, on the afternoon of its occurrence;
ofiltuatile earliest news had, of course, contained no list
f e lost passengers. He knew that Arthur and his
dialll4eilY had gone to Saratoga, but he believed that
be:lr intended stay precluded all probability of their
g on board the doomed boat.
E3a)"11e11 the dreadful news finally reached the
3olriba,.ld family, through the morning paper, their grief
th" utstress were beyond old bounds; but, of course,
liveY caught gladly at the hope that the rescued child
11:.a their little nephew, whom they all tenderly loved.
ittPlas naturally gave his first attention to seeking
iaa claiming the remains of his brother and his sister-
to,2W, and, in order that .no time might be lost in
00aating their anxiety about the identity of the
to u, it was decided that Grace should be at once sent
it gee it, and, if their hopes should be verified, to bring
orae.
widely disseminated was the advertisement which
ths.;.Walworth had inserted in all the leading papers,
it could scarcely fail to awaken some false hopes,
to" to bring some bereaved people to his house, only
111dergo the most agonising disappointment.
ea, 0e hours elapsed, however, without the appear
thaT Of an actual claimant, and Eda began to believe-
the foundling's real relatives must reside in the
iltltry, and that she would probably hear nothing
t ura them on that day. She had even begun to cal-
-01-1u
'Would
h
t ths, possibility that the child might ho left
wr "cls, and to plan the many kind things she
at do for it, when a violent ringing at the bell
artled her from her reveries.
A stout, full-faced, middle-aged woman, with quite
t_a° dress but not at all the air of a lady, entered
oth
abruptly. Her tearless eyes were as red
rubbing could make them, and her face, on which
17.reething like a fawning smile was visible, was
1,;1:411Ped with an expression in which a physiog,no-
i7st Would plainly have read craftin !ss, deceit, and
'lPocrisy. .
I've come after the baby you advertised," she
1„1,a; "it's my little grandson and mighty glad I am
alive, too; for his poor dear mother was lost."
,(1)h, you are sure it's yours, then ?" said Eda.
°Pe you won't be disappointed," and she called
. the infant to be brought.
. yes; the description is exact. Besides, a
)30'1 d of ours who saw him taken away from the
thaa:.t. last night described him to us this morning, so
We knew it -Was dear little Neddy ; but we didn't
latly where he was taken to until we saw it in the
.:WSPaper this morning."
to,: I -should have thought he would have claimed him
• You.,,
la! he didn't know the child, nor know we
20st any friends then. He heard that after-
and then he came and told us about this
it 15:s; and greatly comforted we were, too. Didn't
toOve a white muslin long frock on, and little
4141 armlets and wristlets, and big, blue eyes--and—
herh, yes ; yes—that's it, exactly. He'll be
50,» Lut a minute. I don't know what keeps the girl
41,1'1 am in a hurry, miss, that's a fact. There's
et 4
0,44 t home that are anxious enough to see him;
le in really in a very great hurry.'
herjs• Mallows looked out of the window, with a
go-211s air, as she spoke; and Eda said she would
tath'lld see what caused the detention, but that she
. hittler, thought the girl was washing and dressing
ela: We had to have all his clothes washed, you know,"
-
Yolia‘ Of course, miss. lam sure lam much obliged to
1314: tind I'll be very glad to pay for all the trouble—
taldaY don't wait to dress him. I'd much rather
"ma 'jest as he is, and wrap him up in a blanket,
Lecessary."
• went out, feeling not a little hurt, and quite
be rid of her ungracious visitor as soon as
k„Ulble.
had guessed rightly as to the cause of the delay,
lent her assistance to the maid, and expedited
terk as much as could be done with proper regard
"e baby's comfort. She had wished to make some
about the child's parents, and although Mrs.
:Ws' impetuosity had prevented this, she resolved
)ing so when she went back.
kie"1011
she left the room the affectionate grand-
11001a stationed herself at one of the windows, and
teed to watch the passers with great interest; nor
She confine her inspection to the immediate
*thVlitY of the house, for several times she threw up
Ohi and looked up and down the street. At last
liae;.'Paied to discover something which increased her
A BlaOss into positive trepidation.
tilt Young lady was approaching the house from the
here Lion of Broadway; holding a folded newspaper in
Zod, and looking at the numbers on the doors as
• e along. She was some distance off when
hit billows discovered her. Instantly closing the
"laadc'w she went into the hall, and called out in a
Yet quavering voice—
'h, :W., ray dear, if you please, I really must have
Ntiii 'tear baby. Never mind about all the things. I
hid for them to-morrow."
4tliee ea—he's all ready," said Eda, making her appear-
at,lls,at the head of the stairs, with the child in her
ttile aue"l4.eanly washed and beautifully dressed, even to
'ellow"., of his little ornaments. "The dear little
• cannot bear to part with him."
Y 0 followed, crying and begging the strange
which he was 're
name a price for the baby • ,
ii Oh Papa would buy for him.
,ttle Neddy—Neddy—you dear, sweet, darling
'Lk, ub !" exclaimed the soi-disant grandmother,
Wabottio ,1112. and snatching the infant from Miss
t Tte's arms, and giving it one hasty kiss.
Lis aft,„lttle Arthur screamed and kicked, and put out
to Eda, seeming to implore her to take him
Qd
1,;)(t oo
(la Morning, miss; I'll call again to-morrow or
thank you," said Mrs. Mallows; "but I'm
eat h hurry now
•
411 e ad
c 1 p..4_ advanced to the front door as she spoke,
1111ite raerely said, "good morning," being now
tOZ ts ding to suppress her curiosity about the child's
4 etriqed,
ttaind their fate, until the promised visit, and,
Ithi raterlost choosing that it should never be grati-
'4El collve_r than that she should be compelled to see
r
04The voe se with "Mrs. Stiles" again.
l)ol4ght si 'llan had no sooner closed the door than she
tlrr feat,,B gilt of the young lady who had awakened
44W the p•nd who was now very close at hand. She
tit g
eartkin lt shawl entirely over the bead of the still
441.41 a
ofbt
Sibb arbie, and then, with an air of determina-
umph, descended the steps.
tip ee
,rootte,, Itld, for it was she who had arrived at
7." in quest of her lost nephew, and who,
-4144
.Litne, had scarcely entertained a doubt of
turned Dale with alarm as she saw

woman and infant coming out of the house, which
she now perceived was certainly the one indicated in
the advertisement.

At once accosting her with much trepidation, she
said—

"I hope, ma'am, that is not the child that was
saved, and—and that was advertised ?"
"Oh, yes, it is, dear; and it is my little grandson.
Have you lost a—a little brother, poor child? lam
very sorry for you."
Mrs. Mallows passed on as she spoke, with only a
glance at the appealing and tearful face of Grace.
" Oh, I had so hoped it was little Arthur," said
the young lady, following the woman a few steps.
"Won't you let me see your child? How was it
saved?"

"Not now, poor thing," was the reply. "He has
beem so frightened by seeing so many strange faces,
that I thought it best to cover him up. But if you will
come to my house, any time, at No. —, 29th-street,
you can see him and welcome."
Of course Mr's. Mallows did not give her true
address, but Grace had no suspicions, and her curio-
sity was certainly not sufficient to carry her so far.
She turned away with a very sad heart, and looked
up at the house on which her hopes had been fixed.
Then, scarcely knowing what she did, she mounted
the steps and rang the bell.
Eda herself answered it, for from the parlour win-
dows she had witnessed the interview between her
two visitors in the street.

Miss Sibbald scarcely knew what to say when
Miss Walworth made her appearance at the door. She
hesitated, and coloured a moment, and then said,
mournfully—
" The child is really gone, is it? The one that was
advertised here. He has found an owner ?"

"Oh, yes! His grandma has just taken him
away."
"I am so sorry," said Grace. Her voice trembled,
the long-repressed tears overflowed her eyes, and a
few sobs succeeded.

"Do come in," said Eda, "and rest awhile. You
look tired and faint. This has been a dreadful day.
There have been so many disappointed. I almost wish
pa had not advertised, but had taken some other
means to find out the little thing's relatives. Then
there would not have been So many people dis-
tressed."

"Have you had many applicants, then, for the
child ? " asked Grace, following Eda into the parlour.
"Not less than five—and I should not be surprised
if there were still more to come. To be sure, one of
them did not seem to care much about it; but the
fortunate one excited my interest least, and was the
one whom I cz,suld have best borne to see disappointed.
She seemed so coarse and unfeeling."

Miss Sibbald inquired minutely--about the mode of
the infant's rescue; and when she found that her in-
formant and her little brother had themselves been in
so great danger, and had had so narrow an escape, she
was deeply absorbed in her story, and fairly trembled
with the emotion caused by its recital.
Her excitement and enthusiasm quite charmed Eda,
who rejoiced also to see that Grace's own griefs were
temporarily effaced by her unselfish interest in others.
The young ladies found so much to talk of in con-
nection with the recent disaster that "little Neddy "
himself was but slightly discussed; and when Grace rose
to go, each of these gentle girls felt quite as if she
were about to lose a friend. They promised each
other, however, to 'meet again shortly.