The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-01
LOST AND FOUND.

WAS 4 Young doctor. not overbur-
dened with practice. when | sat half
doing in my surgery. one sitting Au-
gust afternoon. and was reused by a
hustle in the street. and Il cry: . Here's
Il doctor: ring the bell.'
Bv the time the bell was answered
was wide awake. and had my profess
>ional expression on. Two men came
in. and one held in his arms Il limp.
senselesS figure. Il boy about three
years old, covered with the blood flow
ING from cash in his head l took
the little fellow in my own arms and
carried him to the sofa. while the men
brought me water. and seemed deeply
interested i'll all my movements.
\ broken arm and the deep cut on
the head kept me busy some time. but
at last my little patient was made as
comfortable rs possible. and was moan
ing with recovering consciousness.
" Have YOU far to carry him?' asked
of one of the men.
I'VE don't own him. was the an
>wer. He was running across the
street. and horse kicked him over.
jim. here indicating his companion.
- he picked him up, and | come along
to help find Il doctor. cause Jim cant
read.
Needn't showed that in"' growled
Jim. turning red. Poor little chap;
how he groans.''
II will give him something to quiet
him. presently said. and will send
word to the station-house if his name is
is not on his clothes.'
The men departed, and I lifted my
charge once more, and went upstairs
to my mothers room. over the surgery.
1t did not take many minutes to en-
list her >ympathie>. and we undrcssed
the child and put him in her wide bed.
hoping to find some mark upon his
clothing. There was none, and when |
saw this l spoke frankly. Mother,
there is Just one chance for the little
fellow : life. and that is perfect quiet.
He will have fever, probably be delir-
ious, and to carry him to a hospital. or
even to his own home, may be fatal. |
will send word to the station-house, and
then
You know will nurse him. john"
my mother said III his mother
comes. she must do as she thinks best:
but. until that time 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 Il 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 layl,nknewn, my little
patient was struggling hard for life
against fever and injuries. He was de-
lirious for many days. calling pitifully
for = Mamma-pretty mamma - beg
ging her not to go away, and making
our hearts ache by often crying. oh,
Aunt Lucy, don't beat Freddie Fred.
die will be good.' or. Grandma,
grandma. don't. don't - in cries of ex-
treme terror. Mother would get SO ex-
cited with Indignation over those cries
place in her warm heart.
:. He has been ill-treated, John, the
pretty darling!' she would say. II
hope the cruel people who could hurt
such baby will never find him again"
She would rock him in her own
motherly arms. would spend slecpless
nights watching beside him, petting
and fondling him till he seemed even
in his delirium to know her love, and
would nestle up to her for protection
against the phantoms of his own fe-
.ered imagination.
The second week of his stay with us
was closing, and Freddie had regained
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
daughter. The younger lady was very
beautiful, a perfect blonde, and dressed
in exquisite taste.
Il DR.. Morrill, - inquired the elder
lady.
nodded. .
1--WE called Fin answer to an adver-
tisement regarding child, my grand
son. You will probably think it strange
we have not been here before, but we
were obliged to leave town the day be-
fore 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
hospital, perhaps DYING
1--WE were nearly distracted on our
return" said the young lady, "when
we missed our darling; but an inquiry
at the station-house sent us here. The
officer also showed us your advertise
ment. Where is our dear child?'
He is here" | answered, "under
my mothers care, and, am happy to
say. doing well.'' 81.
An unmistakable look of disappoint-
ment crossed the faces Of my visitors,
but the elder one said, "Can we see
him, doctor?''
l asked permission to announce their
coming to my mother, and left the
ladies' alone. When l returned, after
some five minutes absence. / was
truck by the change in their faces.
The younger one was pale as ashes. and
the elder one had a set, hard look Of de-
termination, as if ncrved by some sud-
den resolution.
led the way to my mothers bed.
room where Freddie was in q profound
slumber. The younger lady shrank
back in the shadow of the bed, curtains,
but the mother advanced and bent over
the child.
There was moment of profound ST.
lence; then in hard voice, the old lady
said: :" am very sorry to haye. put you
to SO much trouble, Dr.. Morrill,. This
is not the child we LOST ~ Z
A heavy fall startled us, and I turned
70 see tho young stranger senseless on
she dcor' Her mother spoke quiskly,