The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-02
DIDN'T KNOW HIS OWN BABY.
he Thought 1t Was an Old Trick and
Gave 1t TO the Police.
From. the Boston Globe.

from the boston GtOOe.
The city is a strange place. Wealth and
want stand side by side. l know | shall
make a large sum Of money by a business
arrangement to-day, and l intend to take
Clara to the opera this evening.
A woman hurries past with child in her
arms. What woeful expression on her
facet
feel thrill of anguish as look at her. l
was led into this tram of reflection by my
mornings walk to my place of business.
The woman's face seemed TO hover before
me in the air,
Even then | was not myself
AS pushed the door open / half expected
to see it in my office in actual bodily pres
ence. had left my boy Shadrac in charge as
usual. AS l cast my glance toward the
desk, missed his shocky head; but looking
about me | spied it lower down and saw
that he was sitting on the floor in a corner
with something in his arms and very IN
comfortable expression on his face.
In moment more l saw that what he
held was a baby.
Halo" cried l. whats thatW
''Young 'un," said Shadrac.
Whose? Where did it come fromY'
cried.
"a woman came along" said Shadrac,
land says she: You Mr.. Paddock's boys?
Saws |, Yes Says she, Catch hold, and
hold the child till come back and she
amt never come back. / dunno what she
meant by it,"
"What kind of woman was sheY l
asked
''She had on a shawl, i" said the boy. "She
was furriner."
looked at the child. 1t was very pretty
and very clean. / felt attracted toward it.
60 xBha thA- l.
right for mo to adopt a child, with my
family; whether Mrs. Paddock would be
willing that should do so. / felt doubtful
of that. Her own babe was care enough
for her.
What should dos l would send for my
friend, Prof. Grill, who had an office in the
same building. He knew my wife well.
The result was tne hasty, arrival of the
professor with a lancet, u der the impress
sion that had been taken with fit of
some kind.
The old story, my dear fellow, " he said;
"the old story. Beware of this child; give
it to tine proper authorities at once. I'll go
with you. l must save you from the over
whelming yearnings of your own too charit-
able heart. my benevolent friend"
! went with him.
was glad to reach the police station.
Shadrac told his tale. l corroborated it.
The child was registered in a book. My
statement and address were recorded, and
the deserted infant was taken away by an
old woman.
We had reached the office as he spoke.
"Ah, there they comem screamed a voice.
"Oh, they haven't got himl" cried an
other.
81 gave him to the boy therep cried the
first. You little villain, where's the
babyF
Horace, speak-my childW sobbed the
other, clinging to my arm.
1t was my wife who chung to me; the
baby's maid, Nora, who shook Shadrack.
"Babyr said /, gasping; what baby2-
el-wheni-whichp
60" said my wife, "Nora and 1 were
going TO B, and sent Nora first to wait
in your office for me. had some shopping
to do, and the baby shrieks SO, and she-oh,
I'll give her warning-she left the baby
with the boy while she went out. Where is
the angela-oh, what have you done with
himW
L sat down on the stairs then. Prof. Grill
glared and said nothing. Shadrac told the
awful tale.
He revealed to my wife that had given
my own babe to the police under the i'm
preston that it was stranger; and as my
wife was of the belief that this was thing
that, once done could not be undone, we
had a fine time Of it.
1 don't like to reour to those moments
when | made explanations to the police,
and excited their suspicious thereby. Ii is
in vain 10 point out to her that babies are
all exactly alike. and that did not notice
what the child wore; she will not listen to
reason.