Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-10-28

The woman looked up gratefully to he
!. husband, but tears filled her eyes. She tool
the great, brown hand and stroked it, saying
softly "You are sure you forgive everything
that went before-before I left New York :?
"Why, what are you talking about, Jenny
Didn't I tell you the day we were married
that bygones should be bygones, eh, littl
woman and haven't you been the best o
wives to me for three years since then IT.
just the sight of America that makes yo.
foolish and nervous-like. You'll be all righ
as soon as you get there"
There was little pause, and then the wifi
said, timidly:
Harry, I've never told you exactly how
1 came to leave my baby, and TOTO take
the box. I should like to tell you, now"
swell, my DEAR" he answered, without 8
shadow crossing his face, "tell me now, if i
will be any comfort to you; but don't fee
obliged to"
"No," she replied, drumming softly with
her fingers upon the side of the vessel. 81
should like to do it. After-after he desert
ed me, you know, we really were starving, my
baby and l. That morning-we had been
wandering about all night in the cold, and
he cried for bread and I had none to give
him. All, me! can hear that little cry
now! At last we came near the depot, and
l could see the warm fire through the wait
ing 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 en-
trance, thinking perhaps some passenger
might take pity on him. And then watch
ed, under cover of the darkness, and saw
them take him to- the station-house. Oh
what miserable, miserable place for little
childw
"My poor girlw said her husband, COM
passonately, as she stopped, choked by her
tears.
"The next day was prowling about rfear
the station-house-I couldn't 60 far from it,
it always seemed to pull me back-when
came to jewelers. shop, where lady was
going in with a snuff box to be mended. l
could see her unfolding the parcel, and. then
the jewels sparkling upon it. ! longed tor
the food that it would have bought, and
thought how cruel it was that she could have
that splendid thing while my baby, my only
treasure, must be taken from me-"
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 it out Of her hand, and
ran away There was hue and cry for
police, and the next moment / could hear
them behind me. I tried to 60 faster, but on
turning corner ran up hard against man.
1t stopped me, and then the horror came
upon me of feeling myself thief. l had
never stolen a crumb before. | could not
give myself up, and be dragged to prison,
but slipped the box into the mans pocket.
and ran on. 1 thought he would feel it
drop and give it directly to the policeman"
"And are you sure that was the same
man who took little Johnny?" asked the
husband "t hardly seems likely"
II am sure; his name was Fanshaw, too, :"
she answered "it was given in the paper,
with the account of his having claimed the
reward. l saw it afterward."
"What made you think Of going to South
Africa ?"
"Well, when I knew that my boy had been
taken out of the station-house, / determined
not to die, as I thought I should, but to try
to live for bis sake. obtained a position as
stewardess on a ship bound for South Africa,
and I thought it the only way to earn money
somehow to support him. I've never heard
of him since. l wonder why they have nev-
er answered my letters"
"You wrote to the wrong place, most like.
ly," suggested the husband; "however, it
was lucky you remembered the jewelers. ad.
dress all right, for if he hadn't acknowledged
the receipt of the hundred dollars we refunded,
and promised not to prosecute, we couldn't
be here; but as to Johnny, you'll see, Jane.
Well find him out, and we'll 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 twas that the mother Of the deserted
child returned to America-the happy re-
spected wife of an uprigh and successful man,
yet yearning for her lost darling with long
ing that never faded or grew dim. Daily,
during the homeward voyage, she had pic
tured the meeting between herself and her
boy, until she could almost feel the clasp Of
his little arms around her neck but as the
Flying Scud neared America a miserable
restlessness took possession of her-a sick fear
lest she should not find her child. Her hus.
band was very kind, very tender, with her,
but he had no power to still the terror that
filled the mothers soul. It was rainy morn
ing early in Christmas week that Henry Bou.
ton, the fortunate diamond. seeker, and his
pale wife. landed at New York, and as soon
as they had attended to their baggage they
started together to look for the Fanshaws.
They went first to the old lodgings to which
little Johnny had been traced by his mother.
The door was opened by man Of whom they
inquired the whereabouts of the Fanshaws.
"Walk in," said he, civilly, when he had
heard their query, "and I'll inquire" He
did so, and a pleasant, chatty woman came
out, with baby in her arms. eff you please,
ma am" she said, "the Fanshaws left here
three years ago and more. When Mr.. Fan
shaw got into trouble, my husband was put in
his place,with the railroad company, and as
he couldn't afford to keep these lodgings, we
took 'em off his hands"
Henry Bouton turned to smile cheerily at
his wife, before he asked, "What trouble
was t?"
"Why, sir, don't know that can rightly
tell you. 1t was something about gold
snuff box that Mr.. Fanshaw was supposed to
have stolen, and he was dismissed from the
companys service. His character was cleared
afterwards by some letters from South Africa,
and my husband said the company would
have given him another situation, but they
never could trace him. But lor', ma'am, "