The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-06-12

my eyes met a sight equally surprising.
had left my boy Shadrao in charge, a
usual. Generally had found him at som,
diabolical mischief on my return. To day
as l cast my glance toward the desk,
missed his shock head but looking abou
me, spied it lower down, and saw that he
was sitting on the floor in a corner will
something in his arms, and very uncom
Portable expression on his face. In mo-
ment more i saw that what he held was q
baby.
''Hallo - cried I. "What's chat ?''
Young 'un," said Shadrac
"Whose? Where did it come from p,
I cried.
''Most the minute you went out, wo-
man come along" said Shadrac and saws
she, "You Mr.. Paddock's boyP'' says l,
''Yaas." Says she, "Catch hold, and
hold the child till come back" And she
| amt never come back.
dunno what she meant by it. She had
| cheek anyway, whoever she is.
"What kind of woman was sheP' 1
asked.
''She had on a shawl said Shadrac
''She was furriner. What right have
got to take care of her young 'un, eh ?"
| sat down upon chair, and put my hand
to my forehead. l know now why that
poor wOman's face haunted me so long.
She had tracked me to my Office. Perhaps
l had looked kindly at her Who knew?
felt pity. might have exhibited it; and
before destroying herself she had cast the
infant upon my charity.
1t was romantic, but at the same timo it
was inconvenient
L looked at the child. Itwas very pretty
and very clean. I felt attracted toward it.
| hogan to wonder whether it would be
right for me to Adopt child, with my
family; whether Mrs. Paddock would be
willing that l should do SO. l felt doubt
full of that. Her own babe was care
the floor nearly all the night striving in
vain to lull it to repose. AS for the baby's
maid, Nora, it was not likely that she
would be willing to DO additionally bur-
thened. The charitable impulse faded al
most before it was fully formed.
What should do? A thought struck
me. 1 would send for my friend, Profess
building. He knew my wife well. He
was sage who read the human character
and could be looked to for an
opinion on any subject.
Shadrac was holding the baby. He
could not take the message. l caught |
small boy on the stairs, and gave him a
ten cent stamp. The result was the hasty !
arrival OF the professor with lancet, un-
del the impression that had been taken !
with fit of some kind. He was greatly |
relieved to see that nothing was the matter
at least he said he was but he is particu- |
arly fond of amateur surgical experiments, |
and I'm not sure the professor listened to
my account of affairs.
THE old story, my dear fellow" he
'aid ''the old story. Shadrac, my son,
never take an infant from the arms of an
woman again. This thing is
lone every day, every day. As for your
dream of adopting the child it
s-excuse me-absurd. Your wife would
lot hear of it. Oh, no, no, no, no Ha
low 90 YOU know what this deserted child
will grow up to be? L saw your noble in
ant at your happy home yesterday. The
Intellect of it's father aud the sweetness of
IS mother are already stamped upon its
,row. / can see''-here the abandoned
nfant began to shriek-s'I can see the
ices of its parents already written on the
& MarI- how low !
is forehead is How large its under
aw! Look at the rage in its eyes Lis
en- to the cruel ring in its cry Beware
# this child Give it to the proper chari-
les at once. I'll go with you. Shad-
ac bring the baby. l must save you
rom the overwhelming yearnings of your ;
wn to5 charitable heart, my benevolent
riend. Come with me-" ,
| went with him. We attracted some
ttention as we walked down the street
ogether The professor, who is of gigan- s
ic stature whose white hair floats abroad
n the breeze, and whose big collar was ,
nee alluded to by Bowery boy as a cape, |
lutching me by the arm as though my {
impulse to adoptthat strange t
"a by were 2 mdJelldl pO"0l !
ear me away bodily, if not resisted; and
hadrac, in his Office coat, with pen be-
ind his ear, bearing the infant, who still
lriexed wildly, in our wake.
l was glad to reach the count OF justice C
earest us-glad to find that the affair was
a every day one there. L
Shadrac told his tale. 1 corroborated a
The child was registered in book as S
umber seven thousand eight hundred and n
,rtv-four. My statement and address il
ere recorded, and as an invoice of desert h
infants was just being taken away in a a
,rt of wagon by an old woman, seven S
,ousand eight hundred aud forty-four s
ent with them. Il
$50 much for human hearts p said L.
The babe was cast upon my charity.
and it over to the city" n
.Ah -