Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-06-07
SOLD EOR 4 SHILLING.
Hoo DR.. Barmardo Purchased a Poor
Aaby From. Its Drunken Mother.

SOLD FOR 4 SHILLING.
Ho,c DR.. Bayna,ao Purchased Poo,
Isabv From Its DyM,alse,. Mother.
It is almost impossible to realize that
there is to-day system of cllild-slavery
carried on in London, says the Youths
Communion, recognized traffic,
which goes on in spite of the
efforts of the wise and charitable.
Any one who knows where to
inquire may for trife hire a child
for begging purposes, and the term of
hire may be so extended as to amount
practically to purchase. Boys are
cheaper than girls, as the latter gener-
ally look more frail, and so excite a
larger measure of sympathy. Thus one
must pay sixpence day for q girl,
while boy brings but fourpence.
OF course charitable people are all ON
the lookout for these little waits, but
Dr.. Bernardo, who is a director for GER
tain homes for orphan and destitute
children, says that although 5000 are
now sheltered beneath those friendly
roofs, thousands more are still outside.
AS an example of the wretchedness to
be thus relieved, he tells the story of
his shilling baby not as an excep-
tional case, but as type of many.
A misunderstanding baby, evidently
the property of no one in particular, had
for some time been noticed by chsrita-
BILE visitors to a vile lodging-house,
crawling about the steps and in general
taking care of itself. 1t was ascer;ained
that the mother had died or gone away,
and that woman of very low character
held authority over the child.
DIR. Bernardo sent word to the woman
that if she would bring him the child it
should be admitted to children's
home, and she duly appeared, half
tipsy and wholly disgusting to- the eye.
The little creature which she at once
sat down on the table was about years
old, weakened, pale, dirty, and with a
look of age and suffering about the eyes
and mouth. The chiId's manner seemed
impressed with gloomy self-posses-
sion.
you may leave her with me-" said
DIR. Barnardo to the woman.
The doctor replied that she would
not be paid, but that she ought to be
very grateful at being relieved from
the care of the child.
well, then, I ANTI she rejoined,
with emphasis. II don't mind lettin'
you have her, but in course I wants her
value"
She set her price at half sovereign,
but this the doctor was compelled to
refuse her. If he gave so large sum
he would be speedily overrun with
more children than he could ever feed.
The woman rolled angrily away, only
to return in a short time more intoxi-
Gated than before. Finally the doctor
succeeded in buying the baby for q
shilling.
When the child was undressed its
clothes were found to be knotted on
with strings, Indicating that they had
not been taken off for weeks, at least.
It was literally creature of skin and
bone, living skeleton.
Some months afterward, when DIR.
Barnardo visited one of his "homes, -
he found there blue-eyed, chubby
child, whose winning ways were the
daily joy of all the inmates.
/ really forget which baby this is, {"
he whispered to the matron, and she
proudly whispered back: why, don't
you remember? She is the Shilling
baby!"