Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-02-01

myself
"You might think it strange that such rich
people as MIR. Eversham and his wife should
have sent the child to poor place, like mine,
to be taken care Of; but I had great repu-
tation in those days as nurse, and had ev-
erything neat and comfortable about me, and
when they asked me if I wouldn't 60 and
stay at Oaklands with the baby, and begged
them to let me take him home with me in
stead, because I didn't like to shut up every
thing and go away, with nobody to mind the
house, they consented to let me do so. If
wanted anything, at any time, 1 was to apply
to Mr.. Conway, who would attend to it for
me.
"One day, soon after the nurse had left, l
was sitting at work in my room, with the baby
asleep in his cradle, when Mr.. Gray, who was
minister of the parish in those days, came in
to see me.
"Well, Mrs. Neale," he says, $50 you've got
your little charge all safe, l see. How's he
coming on"
''I told him the baby was delicate, but I
thought, with care, I could bring him round.
"I'm sure if good nursing can do it, you
WILL" he answered. "Have you heard about
the baby that's been left at Mrs. Parker's
house?"
"a baby, sir-a foundling?" asked.
eyes. Itwas discovered in basket inside
her garden gate carefully wrapped up, with
no trace of any kind about its clothing to
help her to identify it. The old lady is most
distracted aboutit," says he, "and came to me
for advice. She says she can't keep it, and
doesn't want to send it to the poor house.
Now, Mrs. Neale, I thought may be you could
help me out in the matter. Don't you know
of anybody who'd be willing to take the un-
fortunate little infant, for consideration or
may be you'd take it, yourself"
"Me take it, Mr.. Gray?" I answered him.
"I've got my hands pretty full as it is."
II thought" said he, "you had nurse for
this child"
"She's gone off, the hussy," says 1. "she
didn't suit me, so I just sent her away, and
now I'm minding the baby, myself"
'Then I suppose you are kept busy all the
time," says he. "Well, I'm sorry; I was in
hopes you'd be able to assist me. Don't you
know of any one else who might do it?"
"Well, thought, and thought, and at last
asked him how old the child was. He said
it was very young, he supposed not more than
two or three months old. didn't see what |
was to do with two babies the same age, and
so I told him. Presently he said that if l
could just take the child for day or two, to
relieve the old lady's mind, he would exert
himself to provide for it in some way;
but he really thought if she had to keep it
night longer she would 60 crazy"
"Well, told him could do that, at any
rate, if it would really be helping him out Of
the trouble. And that very evening the little
foundling was brought and given into my
care"
"Sarah," said Brooke, with shudder, can.
swer me one question. Was-I-"
His lips refused to frame the rest of the
sentence. The old woman understood him.
"Yes, DEAR" she said compassionately, "you
were that child. Don't take on about it,
Master Brooke, DON'T" for Brooke's face had
sunk in his hands.
"Go on" he said presently in hollow tone.
"Let me hear the rest at once"
oh! child, the story Of my wickedness is
to come
GAS I told you, Mr.. Gray promised me to
try and provide in some other way for you,
and I was only to have you for little while.
You were such a sweet beautiful child that
when I once got you I hardly liked to think
about giving you up again. When I first
took you in my arms you smiled right up into
my face, so different from little Brooke, who
was fretful baby, poor little soul, and nearly
always crying. I didn't see how anybody
could have had the heart to desert you.
II had kept you two days, and was expect
ing to hear again from Mr.. Gray, when the
other baby was taken suddenly with fit, and
before I could get help for it, or send for the
doctor-in fact had no one to send-it died.
You can think what fix was in, and how
dreadful I felt about it.
"Well, Master Brooke, all of sudden the
idea came into my head--why not make out
as it was you who had died, and then put you
in the dead baby's place. Nobody would
know you were about the same size, and
didn't look unlike, for you both had blue eyes
and fair skins, and as for the rest, no one who
had not compared you would ever notice the
difference. 1t was an awful bold idea, and
do believe Satan must have given me cour-
age to carry it out. dressed you up in some
of the other baby's pretty clothes, and carried
you with me to the Grange, and told Mr..
Conway I was in trouble, for that the little
founding Mr.. Gray had persuaded me to take
had died suddenly, and wanted him to be
kind enough to help me in the matter, as l
was all alone.
$50 he made the arrangements tor me, and
poor little Brooke was buried in the village
churchyard, and nobody knew word about
the little deceit I had played except myself"
The old woman paused, partly to rest, partly
to notice the effect her communication had on
Brooke The latter sat with his face still hid
den in his hand, dumb and motionless. He
could not comprehend the reality Of what he
had heard it seemed to him like hideous
dream. Could it be possible that Sarah was
speaking the truth-had all that she was re-
lating really happened? or was the whole
thing fabrication, the creation of fancy