Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-02-28
DPOIAN3
the tears that glistened in her husbands

the tears that glistened in her husbands S
eyes.
The doctors fears that Eva would
not recover rapidly proved to be well
founded days and weeks of fever sue
ceeded in awakening her to life, during
which she talked incoherently of Spa
pa " and "poor mamma and of the
burning ship, and of hunger. She
finally awoke to consciousness, and ask
ed many questions as to where she was
and; how she came in the dark room,
and who were those who attended her,
but Dr. Hunt forbade her being ques-
toned till she was stronger.
How interested were all in the little
convaIescent whom. the elements had
cast into the little seaboard town. The
ladies' declared that never before
did a child possess such lovely eyes, or
such beautiful curls, while the gentle
men seemed no less interested, and
brought her gifts of everything that
might please her childish fancy.
"My dear little girl, % said DR.. Hunt
when Eva was at length able to ride
out, "will you tell me your name 2"
Eva," said the child 81 thought
you knew it..
Eyes, [ know your name IS Eva, but
want to know the rest of your name
your fathers name "
"Eva Durant Mr. Durant is my
papa
/" Yes. but I want to know all you
can remember about your father and
mother"
Eva's eyes filled with tears. "Oh,
sir, my mmama died aud went to live
with the angels. And [ do not know
where papa is. He said if [ never saw
him again I must know he had gone to
mamma"
"Where were you when he told you
this 2"
"On the ship; and oh, the fire burn
ed me SO; and papa held me in his
arms until a strange man took me and
tied something under my arms and
threw me into the water, and l have
not seen papa since. Oh, sir, can you
tell me where he is 2"
& No, dear child; but perhaps we
may yet find him. y
And this was all that Eva's new friend
could discover. It was plain she had
come from the ship which had been
/ burned a few weeks before; that she
had been cast upon the sea, and foated
to the shore; but where was her faith
er? Had he been saved, and was he
searching for his child2 Every posi-
! bic effort was now made to find him.
The circumstances of the case, with the
statement of the child, were published
fully IN the newspapers of the neigh
boring cities, but the grief stricken
father, believing his child to be lost,
had sailed week before for Europe,
and it soon became settled in the minds
of Eva's protectors that he had perish
ed. But the little one still prattled
about her papa," and said he would
come back by-and-by. Those who be-
lieved differently would not pain her by
contradiction.
The square and compass that had
been found upon her clothing was re.
garded as a powerful appeal from a
/ Mason to his brethren to care for hia
child. So it came to pass that Eva be-
came, as it were, the special charge OF
Hiram Lodge No. SO. Mr.. Turner
would gladly have taken the entire care
of the little waif, and tie wealthy SEN
ator W requested to be allowed to
adopt her as his daughter, but the
Brethren in Lodge assembled, declared
by vote that Eva should be reared,
educated and protected by the Lodge,
and that as Providence had placed hen
in Brother Turner's house that should
be her home.
And SO years went by, and Eva be
came healthy, joyous child, fitting
here and there, and everywhere meet
ing the warmest of welcomes The
Masonic Hall was but few rods from
Mr.. Turner's residence, and Eva otter
went with him as far as the door, and
then returned alone always bidding the
and send him home early