Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-19
One Of Seven FOundlinus.

But by far the most remarkable child Of this
lot was boy on whom the authorities had be-
slowed name suggestive Of sweetness and fra
grance-AllspiVe. Not, however, because of any
cherub-like attributes developed by the young
gentleman in question during the earlier DAYS of
his bereavement On the contrary, little Allspice.
whose Christian name was Tobias or Toby, had,
from his first admission to the establishment
which was at period of his existence when his
age was guessed by competent JUICES at ten days
or Whereabouts earned for himself an unenyiable
reputation. The nurse in charge tersely epito-
mized his general behavior as being that Of q
Tartar. The infant Toby deriVw his aromatic
cOgnOmen from the circumstance of his being
found wrapped in brown paper that was odorous
of spices. His discarding had been as ignomini-
Gus as it we'll could be. Naked as when he had
come into the world, he was discovered packed
at full length in sheet of stout brown paper
that enveloped him. head and all, SO that he
would inevitably have been suffocated but for a
hole in the paper in the region of his mouth and
his mite of nose. which aperture had SEEM
ingly been made-perhaps after brief consul
tatlon of the conspiratOrs as to whether he
should live or die-by pinching bit out with
the finger and thumb. The parcel was tied
about with piece of strong cord, and either by
accident or by way Of heartless joke an old
printed label, This side up" was affixed to the
parcel at the breast part. So well provided for.
the naked, nameless little creature was hung by
loop in the string to the area ratings in front
found, after midnight in frosty January, BY a
policeman, and carried first to the station-ho1se
and then to the workhouse.
No clew had ever been obtained as to who had
80 exposed the child, and it had now been in re-
ceipt of parochial relief for upward Of two years
, and a half: who was his father, who was his
mother? Had he sister, had he a brother2"
are questions that are shrouded in mystery; but
this much was apparent at glance: that, as q
bud OF unfair promise. master Allspice probably
had not his match in that workhOuse or any
other Young as he was he seemed to be aware
of the mean and dastardly advantage that had
been taken Of his helpless babyhOod and to
nOurish deep-seated hatred against his fellow
built little fellow enough, and had thriven
| apace. He was, as I was informed, possessed
of a bushv head OF hair at an age when most
babies are bald, and before he had attained
Of teeth, which, though possibly a great
advantage to infant Toby, was a sore af1ictioE
TO his orphan companions, owing to q ma
licious propensity he had ofbiting them in their
plumpest parts whenever they gave him ohense,
beheld him he was sitting apart from the Others
| who were at play. on his little stool. with his
! elbows on his knees, and his chin in his hands.
scOwling at the fire with as evil an expression
on his face as though he were medtating incen-
diarism. He never played with the other chill
dren, the nurse informed me, but compensated
himself for his distaste for that sort of amuse
ment by destroying or mutilating every toy he
could lay his hands on. He had large out
| standing ears, heavy under jaw, and small
dark eyes, deep-set in their sockets His infant
lips were thick. and his mouth wide, and he
was possessed of an appetite so voracious, com
bined with an unpleasant habit of boiling his
food, that seldom day passed without his
shoulders bearing the imprint of the nurses
| hand, it being necessary to apply that sort of
served as he sat brooding by the fender that his
complexion was not Indicative of perfect health.
but 1t was explained to me that it's sallowness
was probably due to his having that morning
OF necklace of wax beads belonging to one Of
the little orphan girls. sit may be wicked to
say 30, Sir, remarked the nurse to me In a
whisper, as we stood at the far end Of the room.
but l don't believe that such an impish child