Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-04-15

the cruel people who could hurt such a
baby will never find him again.
She would rock him in her own moth.
. erly arms, would spend sleepless nights
watching beside him, petting and fond.
ling him till he seemed even in his de.
lirium to know her love, and would mes.
tie up to her for protection against the
; phantoms of his own fevered imagina.
tons.
The second week Of his stay with us
was closing, and Freddy had regsined
his reason and was on the road to re-
covery, when one morning a carriage
dashed up TO my door, and two ladies
alighted.
They wore rustling silks of the latest
fashion, and were evidently mother and
daughter. The youngest lady.was very
. beautiful, perfect blonde, and dressed
. in exquisite taste.
!. Doctor Morrill,? inquired the elder
: lady.
! bowed.
We called in answer to an advertise.
ment regarding child, my grandson
You will probably think it strange We
have not been here before, but We were
obliged to leave the city the day before
he was lost, and have just returned
The nurse who had him in charge ran
away, and. while we supposed him safe
at home, he has been lying in a hospi-
tai, perhaps dying.
We were nearly distracted on our re-
turn said the young lady, when we
missed or darling; but an inquiry at
the station-bou sent us here. The
officer also showed us your advertise
ment. Where is our darling child?
He is here, 1 answered, under my
mothers care, and / am happy to say,
doing well.
An uumistakable look of disappoint-
mcnt crossed the faces of my visitors,
but the elder one said:
Can We see him, doctor?
l asked permission to announce their
coming 10 my mother, and left the L.
dies alone When l returned, after
some FIVE minutes abseKce, l was struck
by the change in their faces. The
younger one was pale as ashes, and the
older one had a set, hard look, of de.
termination, as if nerved by some sud-
den resolution.
led the way to my mothers bed
room where Freddie was in profound
s.umtcr. The younger lady shrank
back in the shadow Of the bed-curtains
but the mother advanced and bent over
the child.
There was a moment of profound 81.
{ lencc then in hard voice the old lady
/ said:
am very sorry to have put YOU to SC
much trouble, Doctor Morrill,. This i:
not the child we lost.
[ 4 heavy fall startled me, and turn
ed to see the young stranger senseles'
; on the floor. Her mother spoke quiet
, ~.
J The disappointment is too much fol
/ her. We SO hoped to find our grand
= son.
/ did not reply. The delirious raw.
, ings Of the child We're still ringing. II
my ears as lie pleaded with the harsl
grandmother and aunt. ] did not be.
lieve the CID lad vs. statement, but hav
/ ing 10 proof to the contrary, was. forceC
10 accept it.
Long after nv visitors had departed,
the beautiful blonde still trembling and
| white, mother and talked of thrir
strange conduct.
1t is evident they wish to deny the
| child. said.
1 am glad of it, mother replied. We
will keep him. John. He shall have a
, grandmother TO love, and not one to
fear.
| So the Summer and early Autumn
!, wore away, and Freddie was dear to IRE
as If he had claim Of kinship. His rare
/ beauty. his precocious intellect, and his
| loving heart lad completed the fascina-
S ton commenced Ly our pity for his
suffering, weakness and lone liness.-
' He called us Grandma and uncle John,
D and chung 20 us with afectionate cares.
SEES.
: We tried in vain, from his childish
] prattle. 10 gain some clue to this paren.
. tage or relatives. He told US his papa
5 had gone, far, far, off, and mamma had
l gone to papa; so we concluded he wa:
an orphan, and ! often heard mother
r telling him of the beautiful HEAVIER
: where his parents waited for their Gttl.
: bov.
A OF his grandmother and aunt Luc,
y he spoke with shrieking fear, and seem
: ed 10 have an equal dread OF Susan
whom we Judged to be the nurse. Su
/. san was talking to tall man. he tolC
), us, who boxed his ears and told him t.
/, go home, when, trying to escape, b
run under the horses hoofs and Wa
5 hurt.
4 Being blest with health, mother an,
b l had quite decided to formally adop
J. pretty Freddie when he had been lit
n tie longer unclaimed in our home. TIL
(, convalescence Of the child requirini
Is fresh air without too much exercise,
i made a habit Of taking him with me i
d my daily drive to visit my patients.
Jerome, nay coachman, was very fon
le of Freddie. and very careful, 50 I wa
e, not afraid to leave my little charge wit
p him while / was indoors, and he wa
" very happy chatting with the good IA
pr tured freshman and waiting my com
Is ing.
Y, It was early in November, and moth
oe er had dressed Freddie for the first tim
Z in a jaunt suit of velvet. with daint
velvet cap over his brown curls, whe
n. one morning sent him out with j
W rome until was ready to start. Look
or ing. out, / saw him standing on the paws
,ment, giving Nat, nv horse. long CT