The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-06-16

1 IS Sometnlng Wig In your manner and
ifIam not greatly mistaken, have
often seen you wandering in this
vicinity, with an appearance which
indicated lunacy. Are you not in
the habit of drinking"
mo, madam, nor do think ] sm
insane. It is true there is q heavy
burden upon my heat, and if you
are a mother, you can sympathize
ingT' ' y Oul '''i
sMy ehild-my only and darling
little boy-has been stolen from me-
You may have noticed me h this
neighborhood, but I was searching
for him"
A deadly pallor had overspread the
rich Woman's face, and she Kissed
through her teeth;
"Go-I can not engage you-go.
If you are poor, there is something
to relieve you, but quit my house at
once;" and the lady tossed Mrs.
Avery bank note, which would have
paid for whole weeks Of toll, had she
been engaged.
At that instant child ran into the
apartment, laughing innocently, and
exclaimed:
mamma! mammal
A piercing shrek burst from the
lips Of Mrs. Avery; and springing
up, she caught the little one in her
arms exclaiming:
"My God, it is George, my own
lost boyP'
The little fellow was evidently
frightened at the wild manner Of the
woman, and beginning to cry, he
stretched out his hands toward the
rich lady, and said:
'Come, mamma-up-upr'
By this time the lady had recover
ed her calmness, and attempting to
take the little one, she said:
woman, know that you are in
sane now. Give me up that child.
It is not yours-don't you see, he is
afraid of you"
at is my child, and no earthly
power shall part usF'
'Giye him up, 1 say, or l will call
the police, and give you in charge as
a dangerous lunatic. Give him up,
IsayF'
"Never. Call the police, and /, too,
will call them" With the boy in
her arms, she made q dash for the
front door, which she opened, and
was about to descend the granite
steps, when she met an officer face
to face. The rich lady saw him,
too, and exclaimed:
"Arrest that woman. She is
maniac, and would steal my child"
The commands of the rich gene
rally outweigh those Of the poor,
under such circumstances; and at
time appearances were greatly
against Mrs. Avery. She was her
self poorly clad, and the child was
dressed in the richest garments. She
was not at her own home, but at that
of the woman who claimed the boy
as her own. So the officer attempt
ed to take the child, while he said
to the poor woman:
"You get away from here, and If 1
ever catch you in this neighborhood
again, I win lock you up. I have
seen you around here before"
"But I will not give up this child,
for it is mine" she shrieked, sand
that woman stole it from me. 1t is
mine, and 1 can prove 1t.
By this time, as might have been
expected, a crowd had gathered
around, and as they cleaned some
thing Of the affair, they demanded
that each party sould be taken be-
fore justice, where the merits of
the case should be decided. To this
arrangement the officer consented,
and in a short time after the rival
mothers we're at the police court, the
rich woman backed by her husband
Bnd their friends, while Mrs. Avery
was all alone, unless her God was
with her.
The justice listened to the story
of Mrs. Avery, and it was given as
recorded here, but with almost too
much Wildness Of manner to pro-
duce altogether a favorable effect.
the child had been kept
from both claimants.
"Now, we will listen to you Mrs.
said the justice, address,
ing the rich lady.
Calmly she told her story. Her
husband and herself had been ab-
sent in Europe for the past three
years, and had returned but a few
weeks before. During this absence
her child, little William, was born.
She was the daughter of one of the
most respectable and wealthy gen
tlemen in New York, was herself
and the idea that she should
steal the brat Of any poor woman
was simply preposterous. The per-
son who had presented such claims
was evidently insane, and was a
character to be permitted
to have her liberty. She should be
shut up in some insane asylum.
Other witnesses were examined
who declared that they had frequent
" observed Mrs. Avery, that her &C
lions had always been very singular
and that they had looked upon her
rs a lunatic.
'HoW long is it since your child
was taken from you, Mrs. AVery?n
asked the justice.
"a little over six weeks, sir"
'At his age he would scarcely have
you yet. Now let both
'hese claimants go to him, extend
heir hands, and ask him to come.
We viii see to which he viii cling"
Both women advanced, and extend
ing her hands, Mrs. Avery said:
"Georgie, come to mamma"
The little fellow gazed upon her
with something Of wonder in his ex-
preston, and half extended his
hands. But Mrs. Bradley exclaimed:
"Willie, dear, come to mamma"
The child turned to her, stretched
out his little hands, was received,
and then he laid his head upon her
bosom, repeating the word;
Mammal mammal
at is enough" said the Justice.
The child belongs to Mrs. Bradley