The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-04-28

mat petted and noticed ehlS NtsIe creature no
. little.
At noon the train stopped for fifteen minutes
Most Of the passengers got out meant to hav
the novelty ola six O'Clock dinner in Boston, o
did not stir from my seat. Seeing that di,
not, The woman begged 70 know IL / would NO
hold her baby for few moments while she 60
out assented She put the child in my arm
and vanished. The minutes passed away; on
BY one the passengers returned; presently, whel
the bell rang, a crowd came with rush to ne
sumo their places; the locomotive started; v,
were on; and where, oh, horror Of horrors
where was NIas woman? Ny hair began to rise
and the sweat to start from every pore; still
waited, hoping that the woman was trying Il
get through the other cars, and would come Fl
nally to assume her responsibility. A quartz
of an hour elapsed everybody was quietly seat
ed, aud still held that child. People began 4
stare, Young ladies to litter. feltmyself Ms rct
as lobster. The conductor passed through;
stopped him. With a shaking finger pointed
to the burden in my arms, and stammered on
something about the mother having been left be
hind.
what the d.! he exclaimed, as his eye fell
on the child. We'll, you're in for it, and no mis-
take saw that woman after che got ont, streak
ing !. like mad away from the depot, but tho
she had her young one with her. You're nicely
took in and done for, that's fact
But what's to be done with this child' asked
Don't know, I'm sure. How far are you 60
ing:'
To Boston; to night
Then guess you'll have to carry It as far as
there Then you can take it TO one of the hospi
tails or asylums where they attend to this sort Of
business and leave it. Perhaps some Of these
ladies will help you to take care Of it till we get
to Boston, and the conductor passed on As he
went forward, evidently he told the story, for
heads began to turn, and then men and boys came
sauntering in from the other cars to see the fel
low that had the baby left with him. Plenty oil
Jokes we're cracked at my expense, for every now
and then regular gnffaw, and some such phras-
cs as, precious green, oh ? Such gop Looks
fatherly etc., etc.
I was in a rage Nv blood boiled furiously-
One minute wanted to swear, the next to kick
every person and thing in the car. suppose in
my passion gave the poor little thing in my
arms grip. for she uttered . quick, little cry
She stopped in moment, and l looked at her.
She lay in my arms so innocent, and helpless, and
tair and white, and looked up at me with such
complacent placidity, that somehow felt my an.
ger dying out in spite Of me-my embarrassment
too.
4 NAV as wei! he man az s,ch acontemptible
sneak thought. j was an incffable greeny 10
get saddled in this way, to be sure; but that's my
fault, and not this poor little pussy's, and may
as well brave it through. As for these COMPOUNDED
fools, Just let em laugh, that's ALL
SO settled myself coolly to the care ofmy ba.
by. People after awhile grew accustomed to
see her III my arn,5, and most of the afternoon
she slept soundly But OH hov heavy che grew
seemed TO have a leaden weight tugging heavier
and heavier upon me. How ON earth do womeu
lug about children day after day, In the way the,
do! For me. I'm certain I'd rather NOW, though
never triedit. %
However, to my story. Toward night my baby
walked; and walked frctfal and hungry, l suppose
She bessa 20 cry; a long, despairing, entirely un
comprising cry. FeofAs hagsp to look again, Gu
rious to see what master nurse would DO: ttasd
every possible means to pacify the child; my
watch, my eagle buttons, held 1t up to the win
dow. handled it, nearly turned it upside down;
no use. Baby properly despised my miserable
efforts to make 1t forge: its needed and rghttu
consolation, and cried louder and louder, till al
last seemed to hold nothing in my arms but an
immense squal. A man could stand it no long
err, let alone cadet, aud rose desperately from
my seat. determined to appeal TO come lady o,
woman for assistance ASH passed through the
car, come of the young ladies broke into Their
senseless litter again, the older ones looked out
Of the s;;ndows, and the men eyed me with a
knowing sort Of ieer, tna., IGd not my arms beer
occupied, they would have had hit straight out
from the shoulder. One motherly looking per
son whom approached hopingly, transfxed me
with stony, virtuous sOrs Of glare, that made
me shake in nv shoes as il had committed III
objectionable offense. gave up in despair, and
was about to return to my scat, when gentle
man at the extreme end Of the car beckoned ms
forward 1t was little family party, the gentle
man, his wife, as,a ca,srcJ Girl with them, who
ie;d their babe In her arms. The geatiemaa anl
his wife were both young and evidently South
erners.
We heard about this baby from the conduc
tor said the gentleman. as came nearer My
wife has been idgeting ever since il began ia
cry. Can We do an, thing for your
The lady leaned past HIM. viii you let me
look at your baby, sir, n moment y she asked in,
it seemed to me then, the sweetest tones had ev.
err heard She held out her arms, and laid the
baby in them.
Such a young child---and so pretty, too =
How it cries! What is the matter with its'
Idon't know, Madam unless it's hungry l an.
swered. 1t has had nothing to eat since that
woman got in this morning. 1don't know what
to do with it,
Poor little love y exclaimed the lady, what
a shame! no wonder it criesv She hesitated
glanced at her own baby in her servants arms, al
her husband, then, Flushing like any rose, the
sweet mother laid my baby on her bosom, be
meath her shawl, and hnshed its cries as if it had
been her own-of her very flesh and blood.
Her husband smiled and leaning forward as i
to protect her from the gaze Of others, made
room for me on the seat with their muse. ex
planned the affair to him, told him my name, ant
found that my family was not 1nknown to him
A We talked, saw that his wife. listening, ex
amined the dress Of the child on her lap, felt o
its texture, and finally unclasped some chains
that held up its sleeves. A little miniature wal
set in the clasp Of each. She looked ut them
then she said, 1 am convinced, sir, that the wo
man who abandoned this child in your care il
not its mother. In the first place, no mothe
could do such thing; then this babes clothing i
of the most exquisite make and quality, and il
these sleeve chains are two miniatures. See! on
gentleman with epaulets, the other beautiful
woman, evidently lady. Depend upon it, tn
child is stolen one, or came into her hands D.
some unfair means. What can be done !
DO not be troubled, madam, about the fate Q
this child. After the possibility or probabilit
which you have just suggested, l shall no
leave it in Boston. / will take it to my. mothe
and advertise the case. lifts parents are found
! shall be glad; and If not, ] think my mothe
will care for the rest Only, l added, wis
the meeting were safely over
The lady's eyes sparkled through tears.
can't tell you, she said, how hat you have done
and are doing, seems TO me, but think you to
noble to dread anything. will answer for tn
| mother that has such son!'
Softly, softly, if you please expostulated he
laughing husband; don't be quite oblivious Of tn
fact that exist She turned to him with loo
that must have silenced the veriest grumbler j
the world.
| We reached Boston, took carriage together
and only at the hotel entrance did my new friend
bid me adieu. God bless your said the beaut
| full, noble woman, as she gave me back my bah.
I should have knelt and kissed the hand Of sue
princess, but my arms and were then 70 awl
ard at baby tending, that nothing else seemed
possible accomplishment NJ one and the sam
time. The clerk glanced suspic:ously at me m
my burden
we are full, sir. Not q room to be had
sent for the proprietor, aud again my nam
vouched for me. What Is il 10 have family
| the land But where in the world, Mr.. Edward
he demanded, did you get that child = ! tol
| the story, He shook his head, but said nothing