Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-01
LEFT on THE DOORSTEP.
Mr.. and Mrs. Atkins Presented with
Baby Not Their Own.

The Eleventh Ward Store is 10
Gated at the corner Of First South
anu Seventh East Streets. Mr.
Fred Atkins, who manages the
store, resides in the rear part Of the
building. Shortly after returning
from the opera hast night, and Just
as Mr. emu Mrs. Atkins were retir-
Ing, a knock was heard at the door
Mr.. Atkins inquired who was there.
but no response came, and as the
house Is on the street, the inmates
thought the knocking may have
been done by some cne for a Joke.
so they paid no further atteu-
ton. About a quarter Of an hour
later another rap came. Mr.. Atkins
arose and looked out, but no on,.
could be seen. A short time again
ELAPSED, when there was more
knocking, and a mans voice was
heard, saying "Hey, there, Hey.
there.'' Mr.. Atkins again got IN,
and as the store has twice before
been ourglariZed, he thought pos
sloly there was a similar game on
hand, so he procured a revolver.
Mrs. Atkins had also arisen, aud
going TO the window she obtained a
square look at a man about medium
height, well built, and with heavy
black mustache. 1t was bright
moonlight, and the face Of the visi-
tor impressed her by Its strong re-
semblance to a man whom she has
frequently seen in the city, but
whose name she does not know.
As the man moved of, baby's
vail was heard. and Mrs. Atkins
exclaimed that il sou nded as though
the child was on the doorstep. Her
husband replied that il must be in
the next house, but he opened the
door, and there, sure enough, placed
inside Of the wire screen, was an
infant Ii lay Ii a basket, covered
with an Infants cap over it. The
basket was carried iEto the room,
and Mr.. Atkins hurried forth to
overtake the person who had left IL.
he could not be seen in either d.
rectiOn on the street, and a search
around the buildings in the yard
proved fruitless, He had managed !
TO get beyond reach.
The infant in the basket was a |
male child, two or three days old. |
IL was quite cold from being out in |
the night air, but was soon cared |
for by tender hands. With it was
found a nursing bottle, and a COM
plete change of child's clothing, in |
addition to what it wore. One of |
the wrappi1gs was a handkerchief l
with the letter II worked in white 1
silk In one corner. Written on a
piece Of note paper, carefully folded,
was the following:
trust this little stranger will find
a welcome in your home and heart,
and that it will receive the love and
attention from you that il own par
ents should give it.
The mother is a beautiful. amiable
and accomplished girl Of only fifteen
years, and has wealthy parents of in
telligence and refinement; the father
Is tall, dark complexioned man Of
IS; besides betraying the trust of an
ihLloCtut Elrls ne mas gone ana leit ner
TO her sad fate. She is willing TO make
this sacrifice TO shield her parents
from disgrace-whOse hope and pride
she has always been.
May God reward you for befriend-
ng this innocent, helpless babe.
TIE parties interested are entirely
ignorant Of its whereabouts, so you
an rest assured that your claim will
never be interfered with.
The note is written by a person Of
good attainments in the literary
line. There was an effort to dis
,uise the hand.
Mr.. and Mrs. Atkins have no
children, and there is no doubt that
he little stranger will receive from
hem the best Of attention. This
he parties who left it We're obvious !
y aware Of. The child has good
features, and appears TO be
lealthV.