The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-09-02
New York Times.

No one ever knew where the child came
from, or even its name.
One day sloop freighted with brick was
unloading up town, and a hand on deck was
tossing bricks, two by two, TO another man
ON tine dock All of a sudden wee little
Chap, not more than two years old, came
toddling along, got right in the way and
was Knocked over by the flying bricks.
Bill Forster, who was handling the load,
was rough man. 1t had not been exactly
his fault that the child had been knocked
down. still he felt very sorry for it, The lit
tie fellows head was badly cut and he was
stunned. He was carried into the cabin of
the slOop and there lay quite motioness.
The Captain OF the sloop sent to the police
station, and the surgeon came. The child
was carefully examined. The surgeon said
the case might be a serious one, and that the
little boy had better he taken to the hos
pital Forster had a sister who worked in a
laundry and II once he sent for her. Molly
Forster hurried down to the wharf, took the
child in her lap and listened breathlcs>ly to
what the surgeon said.
The cabin of the brick sloop was not
handsome place 10 look at. 1t was dirty and
sloyenly. hot and close Molly Forster set
about making il tidy. She opened the
little windows OF the cabin and kept off the
crowd who were swarming in the narrow
quarters. She famed the child, laid it on a
coarse pillow, having first spread her clean
apron over it, and bathed the poor babys
head, trying TO staunch the flow of blood
from the wound. If" said the surgeon,
YOU could keep the child perfectly quiet for
a while II would be all for the better. | am
afraid to Jolt him in the ambulance Maybe
he will come TO before long. 1t i rather
cooler here on the river than in the hot
wards of the hospital. Can you take charge
of him until ] come back? | will see you
this evening" Molly had already torn up
her handkerchief and bandaged the child's
head. Now she followed the surgeons direc-
tiOns. The doctor was humane man, for
when he left he put half dollar into Molly's
hand and told her 10 buy some ice to cool
the water she was using on the bandages
Molly Forster famed and famed that lit
tie sufferer. and bathed its head and was ten
der with the child. About sunset the sur
geOn came again, and just then the child
opened his eyes.
'Well, that's a good sign" said the Doc
tor. Now hadn't you better advertise him
since no one has come for him. Somebody
will claim him, l suppose. l can arrange for
You to keep him il you want to-.
N
brief lines in all the newspapers, and not
withstanding the efforts of the police to find
the parents of the child, no one ever came
for 1t. All that night Molly Forster nursed
the child. Occasionally Bill would push his
hard-lined and weather-beaten face into the
cabin window and look wistfully at the little
child. He never went to sleep that night
but kept walking wistfully up and down the
deck AT daybreak he said to Molly in a
hOarSe whisper: Molly, take that kid to
your room. It's got 10 be done"
Bill Forster. who was a of forty, /
have said, was rough do not know how
II happens but handling bricks seems to
make people coarse and rather brutal. Bill
would take not only one glass of whisky, but
as many as he could drink. Mixing with a
crowd OF men worse than lac was who
frequented rumshops, he was much given to
lighting, and his face was as often as not dis
figured with a black eve or a cut lin. Bill
earned about S1.25 a day. and when the
week was up ne never had penny left.
Perhaps if Bill had not been a little drowsy
and stupid that morning from too much
f. liquor the day before when the little chap
got in the way he Bill would have reen
more careful how he threw his bricks
The week after Molly had taken charSe. of
the child Bill resisted the temptation to go
on spree and gave his sister sl.j0. That
was the first time for years that he had ever
saved cent. The week after that Bill did
even better There was Molly working as
hard as she could at the washboard or iron
1ng-board, earning seventy cents day and
feeding the child. That sllamed Bill 1t
happened that the little boys short frock
had been stained with blood Molly had
carefully washed il, but still Bill thought he
saw stains ON il and that worried him sick
Next week, when he saw his sister, who
was waiting on the wharf for him with the
little fellow in her arms. he said: See here,
Molly. it's kind of hard on YOU having to
feed this little fellow. Bread and milk and
potatoes costs money, and nursing him takes
away lots a your time Anyways, a dress
ing of that kid would be just ruination TO
YOU Here's SI.j0 for his keep, and here S
81 besides, and buy calico or something and
make frock for that child and mind you
burn the one he's got on, and next time
sees him let him be looking prime. Won't
your
Its mighty good of you, Bill-and Just
you wait I'll rig him out. He isn't bit
OF trouble. When I'm at work take him
TO the laundry, and he's a real pet there. I
used to be afraid rs was kind OF dazed-but
don't you bother, Bill. he's all right. for he
takes TO playing now. He's only quiet on
account OF his natural sweetness-aIl real
good children's that way-and | love him
Just as il he was my own baby
On the next trip to the North River Bill