The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-12-24

law affectlonately, l turned TO tue ,
woman. "Do you wish to see the !
doctor I" / inquired.
Sister Garry interposed. 81
brought her with me, MilIy. Can
she 90 into the kitchen whilst tell
you about itg'
;. / ushered them in, respectively to
sitting room and kitchen. Sister
Garry at once launched into the
tale of her pr0te9ee.
II missed the regular passenger
tram, Milly. Tommy Brown had
split nail that l was cutting tor him,
SO | was a few moments late. l
WAS very much annoyed, for l
thought Thomas would come to
meet me; now, | feel that 1t was
proyideutial. l took the next train,
an accommodation freight. There
we're ralf dozen men in the coach,
but ouly one woman. l saw, di-
rectly that she was in trouble. She
was crying bitterly, and | went to
her and inquired what WAS the mat
ter. She told me that she had TAX
en- the train in Charlotte, forty miles
back, that morning, intending to
go to a factory town in search OF
work. That at the depot, whilst
waiting tor the train, a young wo'
man with a baby came up to her.
They got into conversation, and
the young woman told her that she
was going to the same factory town.
She was glad to have company.
They got on the train when 1t came
up, and the young woman asked
her to hold the baby for a minute,
until she could get off and speak to
somebody. The train started be-
fore the woman came back, aud the
baby was lett on her hands. l felt
so sorry for the poor creature that
brought her here with me, TO get
YOU aud Thomas to help ME provide
for her. She has no money, no
friends or home, and, of course, she
cannot work in the factory aud
take care of a baby only a few
weeks old"
Tie baby in the kitchen was
screaming a piti'ul accompaniment
to this recitative, so we sailed to
its relief. Sister Garry warmed
some milk and fed it; | looked up
some old clothes and made it q
clean garment OF two. The woman
was as stolid and awkward as If
she had never seen "A baby before.
I questioned her closely, and be.
cane convinced that her tears were
iusiacere, and that she had been
paid to get rid of an undesired ba-
by. | was not a philanthropist,
and this dirty woman aud filthy
baby, as mnbidden guests III my
neat economy OF housekeeping,
made me quite aghast.
/ waited patiently for Thomas.
Sister Garry, meanwhile, bathed
the baby with great tenderness, and
put on the clean garments l had
hastily stitched up. When Thom
as came, he gave the woman half
dollar and directed her where she
could get lodging for the night. l
gave her bottle of milk, and Sis
ter Carry gave charges about the
care of the baby, and directions for
her to return in the morning.
Thomas went to Commissioners OF
Poor for help.
"Of course, doctor, we cannot
take the charge of a pauper from
another county," said the Commls
sioner. "But there was woman
here Yesterday who told me that
she wanted baby to adopt. They
are poor people, but big hearted.
They already have three orphan
children to raise. Her husband
does not own foot of land, but he
is as warm hearted as she is, and
this is their idea ofactive beneyo
lence.
Thomas came back with this re-
port, aud dispatched man six
miles Into the country to inform
the woman that be had baby for
her.
After breakfast the next morning
| cast many longing looks up the
street, for felt alarmed lest, IN de.
fault of Mrs. Jones coming Tor the
baby, Sister Garry would herself
adopt it. My heart sank whenever
/ looked at the wretched specimen
of humanity, for l felt, more and
more, that no sane man aud woman
would voluntarily assume such a
charge. In spite Of Sister Carry's
bathing, and the cleau clothes l
had manufactured. it looked starv-
ed, sore-eyed, repulsive. Although
Thomas told me that "the amlcable
pair of lunatics who adopt children
ad libitWm, have sent a positive
declaration that they will come in
the forenoon for the infant" l was
apprehensive that they might think
better OF It.
Eleven O'Clock struck. ne long
er believed the Joneses would
come. Sister Garry grew alarm
ingly more philanthropic. My
friend and neighbor, Mrs. CrOwder,
was as fond Of Sister Garry as We
were, aud would help me TO save
her IRON this baby. Her husband
was an editor; she knew every.
body's wants; perhaps, it occurred
to me in my desperation, she might
know some enc who wanted q baby.
/ put on mY bat in frantic haste,
fairly ran to Mrs, Crowder, and
told the tale d . stray baby on our