Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-12-18

eyes anu SOmB ubtp lluCs hbOuJ buS |
mouth told their story Of past trouble |
Her husband, hale, burly man, from
the class perhaps of working farmers,
looked as if no cloud had ever rested on
his handsome face; both were plainly
but we'll dressed
"Well" the man was saying, "Pve
come back to America asight richer than
| left it, that's certain. That last haul did
my business, and glad enough shall be
to be safe at home again." then, as his
wife did not Immediately reply, he added,
kindly: "Come, cheer up, Jane. / know
what you're thinking of but you needn't
be so down-hearted. We're sure to find
him"
"Ah, / don't know" the woman said,
sadly; =" he may be dead and gone by this
time, poor darling. If he is alive, he must
could leave him"
"Well, my girl | don't wonder at It,"
replied the man in his hearty voice.
YOU'D have stuck to him, know, as
long as you had bit of bread to put into
his mouth; and when you hadn't, don't
know but what you did the best you could
| for him"
The woman looked up gratefully to
| her husband, but tears filled her eyes.
She took the great brown hand and
| stroked it, saying softly: "You are sure
you forgive everything that went before
before left New York;"
"Why, what are you talking about,
JennyS Didn'tI tell you the day we mar
ried that bygones should be bygones,
eh, little woman and haven't you been
the best of wives to me for three years
since thenY It's just the sight of Ameri-
ca makes you foolish and nervous-like.
| hn oil ffrht nf
there"
There was little pause, and then the
wife said, timidly:
Harry, I've never told you exactly
how came to leave my baby, and to
to take the box. l should like to tell you
now"
"Well my dear" he answered, without
a shadow crossing his face, "tell me
now, if it will be any comfort to you /;
but don't feel obliged to-"
mo-" she replied, drumming softly
with her fingers upon the side of the ves-
sci. Z" should like to do it. After
after he deserted me, you know, we really
were starving, my baby and |. That
morning we had been wandering about
all night in the cold, and he cried for
bread, and had none to give him. Ah
mel l can hear that little cry now At
|
see the warm fire through the waiting
room window; thought my baby would
die soon if he wasn't fed, and all the
courage went out of me. put him down
by the entrance, thinking perhaps some
passenger might take pity on him. And
then | watched, under cover of the dark
ness, and saw them take him to the sta
tion-house Oh, what "a miserable, miser-
able place for little child"
My poor grill" said her husband,
compassionately, as she stopped, choked
by her tears.
" The next day l was prowling about
near the station-house-l couldn't 90 far
from it, it always seemed to pull me
back-when l came to jewelers. shop,
where a lady was going in with snuff
box to be mended. could see her un-
folding the parcel, and then the jewels
sparkling upon it, longed for the food
that it would have bought, and thought
how cruel it was that she should have
that splendid thing while my baby, my
only treasure, must be taken from me. y
She waited moment, and then went
on, her eyes fixed upon the dim outline
OF the distant shore:
The salesman left the shop, and the
|, lady walked toward the door holding the
/ box. l don't know what possessed me
then. rushed in snatched 1t out of hel
hand, and ran away. There was hue
and cry for police, and the next moment
t | could hear them behind me. | tried tC
} go faster, but on turning a corner / raI
up hard against a man. 1t stopped me
and then the horror came upon me o.
feeling myself a thief had never stoler
crumb before. could not give mysel
/ up, and bed ragged to prison, but slippet
; the box into the mans pocket, anC
ran on. l thought he would feel it droI
l and give it directly to the policeman"
: And are you sure that was the same
, man who took little johnny" asked the
husband; "it hardly seems likely"
+ am sure; his name was Fanshaw
, too" she answered; lit was given in the
: paper, with the account of his having
claimed the reward. | saw it after
ward"
What made you think of going tC
South African"
, "Well, when / knew that my boy haG
been taken out of the statiOn.bouse, de
termined not to die, as thought should
but to try and live for his sake. / OBJ
tanned II position as stewardess on ship
bound tor South Africa, and | thought il
the only way to earn money somehow tC
support him. I've never heard of him
since. aoonder why they have never an
swered my letters"
"You wrote to the wrong place, most
likely" suggested the husband; "how.
ever, it was lucky you remembered the
jewelers. address all right, for il he
hadn't acknowledged the receipt of the
hundred dollars we refunded, and prom
ised not to prosecute, we couldn't be
here; but as to Johnny you'll see, Jane
Wen lind him out, and Wen have him
home, and bring him up to be honest and
true, and we'll find means to reward
those that have been kind to him, never
you fear" and he stopped down and
kissed her.
Thus it was that the mother of the de.
serted child returned to America-the
happy, respected wife of an upright and
successful man, yet yearning for her lost
darling with longing that never faded
or grew dim. Daily, during the home
ward voyage, she had pictured the meet.
ing between herself and her boy, until
she could almost feel the clasp of his lit.
tie arms round her neck, but as the Fly
ing Scud neared America miserable
restlessness took possession of her-a
sick fear lest she should not find heI
child. Her husband was very kind, very
tender with her, but he had no power to
! still the terror that filled the mothers
soul. 1t was on rainy morning early in
Christmas week that Henry Bouton, the
fortunate diamond-seeker, and his pale
wife, landed at New York, and as soor
; as they had attended to their baggage
they started together to look for the
Fanshaws.
They went first to the old lodgings tC
which little Johnny had been traced by
his mother. The door was opened by
man of whom they inquired the where
abouts of the Fanshaws.
Walk in," said he, civilly, when ht
had heard theirquery, land I'll inquire
He did so, and pleasant, chatty woman
came out, with baby in her arms. :" II
you please, maam," she said, "the Fan
shaws left here three years ago and more
When Mr.. Fanshaw got into trouble my
husband was put in his place with the
railroad company, and as he couldn't af
lord 10 Keen lhese lndgings we took 'em