The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-12
HER CHILD'S CRY.

HEN CHILU > CK1.
The story I have to tell is 80 very
sslight. the incidents are so very homely
sand the people whom it concerns are 30
<ordinary, that more than once have
taken up pen to begin it and put
sdown the pen again beside the virgin
page. II attempt a mere narration Of
fact, without adding color or emotion,
the interest of reader is likely soon to
fIag. and he may probably resent find.
ing In a publication where he expects
soubjective fiction in narratives, simple
and literal account Of things, people
and events such as he Is accustomed to
meet In the columns Of q newspaper.
As I have determined to go on. hope
4 over estimate the danger. And now
TOR what have to tell:
Tive In the Southwest district!of Lon
don, and when / take the train for town
Loughborough Junction is the most
convenient station. One dull. heavy
day In the October Of last year l booked
ut Loughborough for Ludgate Hill, and
took my seat in a third class carriage Of
. Southwestern train. It was neither
Tor economy nor for "the pride that
apes humility that / travelled third
class; but my business obliges me to
spend most OF my time alone, and when
4 have an opportunity Of getting among
people, it is good for my business that I
should see and hear as many OF my
lellow-creature as possible. Hence I
prefer the frequently changing crowd
eOf third class carriage to the thinly-
masked solitude OF higher class.
On this occasion the carriage in
which l found myself had only shout
sder-high compartment partitions, so
that one could see from end to end.
There were In all seven or eight persons
present, and was In the last compart-
ment but one, with my back to the en-
CINE, and in the right-hand. corner as
II sat.
For few minutes engaged myself
I In observing the five or six people scat
tered up and down the major portion In
front OF me. Then looking over my
shoulder I found that the compartment
nearest to the engine contained only q
woman with a young baby In her arms.
She was sitting with her back to mine.
Owing to the violence OF the wrench I
had to give my neck in order to see her,
smy glance was brief; but while 1t lasted
4 caught sight Of an expression such as
had never before seen on a human
face. an expression which 80 affected my
curiosity and wonder that after allow
ing little time to elapse, and Just as
swe reached Walworth road. shifted
myself to the other end OF the seat on
which I sat, and, throwing my arm
~carelessly over the shoulder high parti-
ton, looked long at the pair. In the
sense that surprising revelation may
.1Ascinate any one, I was fascinated.
There was no need to fear my long
stare might disturb the woman. knew
sby the way the woman held the baby
that it was esleep. I could not see the
Eace OF the child. The mother held 1t
close to her bosom and bent her own
head low over 1t. Although could
hear no word OF hers, even when the
train stopped, her lips moved slowly.
paused awhile, and then went over again
the very same phrases. At length l
learned the unspoken words Of the pas
ssion-weary lips:
"My darling! My baby son! My own
My ownl'
Mothers ordinary words, but to what
an unutterable accompaniment Of pose
. and iookl
Without being deformed or hideous,
she was without exception the ugliest
woman ever saw. There was nothing
loathsome, repulsive, or malignant in
her face, but it was completely ugly.
The skin was dark and coarse In tex
Sure. The forehead was ragged at the
temples, the hair at the right hand side
OF the parting grew an inch lower down
than at the other, and the upper por-
ton OF the forehead projected at the
line OF the hair. The nose was thin at
the point. upturned, splay where it met
the face. sharply sunken where it joined
for the other features. The cheeks
from the rest OF the face only by having
With prominent thick lips that never
closed neatly, and that always remained
heavily apart and leaning outward
- feoble, 4 did not ~ m eyee tlS7,