The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-09-28
Select Story.
LOST AND FOUND.

with practice, when sat half doing in my |
surgery, one sitting August afternoon, and
was reused by hustle in the street and
cry, 'Heres doctor ring the belp
By the time the ring was answered was
wide awake and had my professional express
sion on. Two men came in, and one held in |
his arms limp,senseless fgure-a boy about |
three years old, covered with the blood flow |
ing from cash in his head. took the lit |
tie fellow in my own arms and carried him |
to the sofa, while the men brought me water
and seemed deeply interested in all my move
ments.
A broken arm and the deep cut on the
head kept me busy some time, but at last
my little patient was made as comfortable as
possible and was moaning with recovering
consciousness
"Have you far to carry him p asked of
one of the men.
"We don't own him." was the answer.
"He was a running across the street and
horse kicked him over. Jim, here" indi-
eating his companion, che picked him up,
and l come along to help find doctor,
cause Jim can't read"
"Needn't a showed that in l''
growled Jim, turning red. "Poor little chap
how he groansr'
81 will give him something to quiet him,
presently" l said, "and will send word to
the station house if his name is not on his
Clothes"
The men departed, and fled my charge
once more, and went up stairs to my mothers
room, over the surgery.
1t did not take many minutes to enlist her
sympathies, and we undressed the child and
pat him in her wide bed, hoping to find
some mark upon his clothing. There was
none, and when l saw this / spoke frank
ly:
Mother, there is just one chance for the
little fellows life, and that is perfect quiet.
He will have fever, probably be delirious,
and to carry him to a hospital, or even to
his own home, may be fatal. l will send
word to the station house, and then"
"You know will nurse him, John," my
mother said. "If his mother comes she must
do as she thinks best; but, until she does
come, leave him to me-"
wrote description of the child's long,
brown curls and brown eyes, of the delicate
suit Of clothes in which he was dressed, and
sent it to the station house. No call being
made in three days, advertised him for q
week, and still he was not claimed. 1t was
very strange, for the child's pure, delicate
skin and dainty clothing seemed to mark
him as the child of wealth.
But while he lay unknown, my little pa
tient was struggling hard for life against
fever and injuries. He was delirious fol
many days, calling pitifully for "Mamma
pretty mammal" begging her not to &C
away, and making our hearts ache by often
crying, 'Oh, Aunt Lucy, don't beat Freddie
Freddie will be good p or Grandma, grand
ma, don't don't" in cries of extreme terror
Mother would get so excited, with indigna.
ton over those cries that l saw that child
had won fond place in her warm heart.
| "He has been ill-treated, John, the pretty
darling p she would say. 81 hope the crue
people who could hurt such baby will nev
l
er find him again"
She would rock him in her own motherly
. arms, would spend sleepless nights watch
ing beside him, petting and fordling hin
till he seemed even in his delirium to know
her love, and would nestle up to her for pro
a lection against the phantoms of his owl
fevered imagination.
The second week of his stay with us wa
i, closing, and Freddie had regained his reasol
J; and was on the road to recovery, when on
morning a Garage dashed up to my door AN,
9 two ladies alighted.
C They wore rustling silks of the lates
c fashion, and were evidently mother an,
C g daughter. The younger lady was very beau
g titul perfect blonde, and dressed in ex
C quisite taste.
c "Dr'Morrill :" inquired the elder lady.
&C "We called in answer to an advertisement
&c regarding child, my grandson. You vii
'c probably think it strange we have not bee
e here before, but we were obliged to leav
&c town the day before he was lost, and hav
,c just returned. The nurse who had him il
,e charge ran away, and while we suppose
&c him safe at home, he has been lying in
99cc hospital, perhaps dying"
.c "Wewere nearly distracted on our return,
oc said the young lady, "when we missed ou
Oee darling but an inquiry at the station houa
&c sent us here. The officer also showed U
Or your advertisement. Where is our des
child2
"He is here" / answered, "under m
- mothers care, and, am happy to say, d.
ing well"
An unmistakabe look of disappointmel
crossed the faces of my visitors, but the ell
er one said, "Can we see him, Doctor"
l asked permission to announce the
coming to my mother, and left the ladi,
alone. When l returned, after some fl,
minutes absence,I was struck by the chang
in their faces The younger one was pa
as ashes, and the elder one had set, hal
look of determination, as if nerved by son
sudden resolution.
led the way to my mothers bed rool
where Freddie was in profound slumbe
The younger lady shrank back in the sha
ow of the bed curtains, but the mother q
yanced and bent over the child.
There was movement OF profound silen,
then in hard voice, the old lady said
am very sorry to have put you to so mu
trouble, DIR. Morrill,. This is not the chi
70, we lost"
A heavy fall startled us, aud / turned
see the young stranger senseless on the flo
Her mother spoke quickly, "rhe disappoil
rhent is too much for her. We 80 hoped
find my grandson"
l did not reply. The delirious rawlings
the child were still ringing in my ears as
pleaded with the harsh grandmother a
aunt. did not believe the old lady's sta