Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-14
NO. 1881
A LITTLE TOOR.TER.

In 1869, the clandestine courtship of
Miss Elder, of some place in Pennsylva-
mia, terminated in the elopement of the
disobedient daughter with a suitor whom
her parents had wisely discountenanced.
Leaving the homestead steathily by night,
the runaways repaired to the parsonage
OF an accommodating clergyman for the
solemnization OF marriage, and then
took flight by cars to Cleveland, Ohio,
where the bridegroom lived. The hus-
band thus accepted despite parental adj
monitlon, was an adventurous character
named Turner, specious enough in man
ner to impose upon sentimental girlish
creduity, but obviously an equivocal
member of society to any mature judg-
men;. The young wife soon discovered
that he was not the ideal hero her fancy
had represented, and after q year Of pre-
carlous union with him in the West she
suddenly found herself deserted and peni-
less, with a new born babe to share her
Loneliness and want. fastening as far
as Detroit in frenzied, useless pursuit Of
the decamping villain, Mrs. Turner wan
dered miserably about the streets ofsthat
city, penniless and despairing; and in a
last wild hope of securing Tor her. child
the pity and harboring denied herself, left
the infant at the door Of u comfortable
looking house on Howard street. Soon
after this pitiable act, she was found lying
| lnsensible upon the pavement by the po-
lice and conveyed to station.
Recovering consciousness under proper
ministrations, she gave the address of her
old home in Pennsylvania. and begged to
be sent thither, but told not word Of her
child left on the door step. The authori-
ties kindly secured her passage to the
East; and in scarcely more than year
from the date of the elopement she re-
entered her fathers hOuse-sick, senitent,
and almost insane-to confess to her ag'
onized parents what she had done with
the fruit Of her unhappy marriage, and to
die with their forgiveness and blessing
upon her. The poor sufferer had no soon-
Ell been laid to rest than her father wrote
to the police authorities of Detroit for the
recovery of his little grand-child; but
their answer was that the family which
had occupied the house on Howard street,
at the time of the infants deposition at
the door. was no longer resident there
nor did the subsequent tenants know any
thing OF the waits finding. In short, by
an unfortunate combination of cilcumstan-
ces all traces of the missing mite had been
lost, and Mr. Elder resigned the quest in
despair. The Detroit Free Press explains
the mystery, and gives the sequel. The
little one was found at the door by the
family living there, shortly before
removing 10 another neighborhood;
but instead of being adopted by them. Or
handed to the police, was consigned to
the childless wife of friend named Nell
son. The Nelson's removed to lndianapo-
lis a few months ago, taking their youth
ful prize with them; and it might still re-
main in their possession but Tor woman's
tongue and the newspapers. Visiting
some friends in Pennsylvania lately Mrs.
Nelson could not refrain from telling them
the doorstep story of her adopted daugh-
ter, and thus the item found its way into
a local journal. Thus, too, clue to his
grand-child's place of keeping fell into
Mr.. Elder hands at last, and he was III
the West last week to reclaim the offspring
of his poor dead daughter. The Nelson's
found it bitterly hard to part with the lit
tie creature they had learned to love as
their own, vet surrendered ut last to the
well attested stronger claim of the grand
father; and now the old gentleman re-
turns homeward with his charge, and ba-
by fingers may place flowers upon the
grave OF the young mother. -.sf.' amn
-Ne1 York World.