The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-10-23

world" sand one of the bOatmen.-
There Is but little chance when child
has lain ali night in the sea" "
All night in the seal" said the pitt
ful woman; "and my children Law so
warm and comfortable in their soft lit
Tie beds. All night in the seal Poor
little mOtheTless thing,n
She seemed to take it quite for grant
ed that the child must be mOtherless:
IN her loving. mOtheTly heart she could
not think Of such a crime as a mother
destroying her own child. / saw that
all the men who stood round the body
were struck with this.
asked.
1t viii go to the deadhouse at the
WOrkhOuse.' - said the superintendent,
and the parish viii bury 1t. $"
Then l stood forward
Mo- / cried. If the authorities
will permit ] will take upon myself the
expense of bUrying that little child-it
snail not have paupers funeral: it
shall be buried IN the beautiful green
cemetery in the Lewes Road. and if
shall have white marble cross at the
head Of its grave
You are very good. sir. - said the su-
perlntendent, and the pitiful woman
cried out:
Heaven bless you. sir, would do
tne. same thing myself if l could afford
There must be an INQUEST 50 said
someone in the crowd; we ought to
know whether the child was dead be-
lore IT was thrown into the water''
Il hope To Heaven it was" cried the
woman.
And l said TO myself that. if that
were the case, 1t would not be murder
not murder. but some mad miserable
1rf Of q II IL
iculty.
Surely, on the beautiful despairinp
face l had not seen the hand of murlleTi
II the little one had been dead. that
would lessen the degree of wickedness
so greatly.
The woman who had dried and kissed
the Jlny WaNcn face. bent over it now
i am sure, she said. that child was
alive when 1t touched the water"
How do You know asked the su-
perinJendent, curiOusly.
Look at the face, sir. and you Will
I see nothing" he replied
4 do she said. Il see lust what
you would see on the face of a baby
suddenly plunged into cold water. I
see the signs OF faint, baby surprise.
Look at the baby 5 brows and the little
hand spread wide open. 1t was living
when II touched the water. l am sure of
that"
a doctor viii soon settle that uues-
ton, said the superintendent
Then the little one was carried bv
rough but not ungentle hands to the
deadhOuse on the hill. | went with il.
l overheard the superintendent tell the
master of the wOrkhOuse that | was
rich man-an invaiid-and that 1 passed
great deal of my time at Brighton. In
a lowered voice he added that | was
very eccentric, and that, happening to
be on the Chain Pier that morning. l
had insisted upon paying the expenses
OF the little funeral.
"A kind. Christian gentleman" the
master said. I am glad to hear it. -
| shall never forget the pitiful sight
OF that tiny white form laid on the Ia
ble alJue-quite alOne-I could not for
get it. The matrOn had found a little
white dress to wrap il in. and with
kindly Thought had laid some white
chrysanthemums on the little, innocent
5Ie2st. Whenever ] see a chrysanthe-
mum now it brings back the whole
scene-the bare, white walls. the CIean.
wooden floor. the black trestles, and the
table whereon the fair, tender little
body lay-all alone.