The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-05-08

nv ears as he pleaded with the harsh
grandmother and aunt. / did not be-
lieve the old lady's statement, but.
having no proof to the contrary, was
forced to accept it.
Long after my visitors had departed,
the beautiful blonde still trembling
and white, mother and talked of their
strange conduct.
1T is evident they want to deny the
child" said.
Il am glad of it," mother replied.
I'VE will keep him, John. He shall
have Il grandma to love, not one to
fear"
So the Summer and early Autumn
wore away and Freddie was dear to US
as if he had claim of kinship. His rare
beauty. his precocious intellect, and his
loving heart had completed the fasci,
nation commenced by our pity for his
| suffering. weakness and loneliness.
| He called us Grandma" and Uncle
John" and clung to use with the most
affectionate caresseS.
Being blessed with ample means,
mother and | had quite decided to
formally adopt pretty Freddie when he
.,ad been little longer unclaimed in
our house.
Dennis. my coachman, was very fond
of Freddie. and careful; so | was not
afraid to leave my little charge with
him while | was indoors, and he was
very happy chatting with the good
natured Irishman and waiting my COM
ing.
1t was early in November, and
mother had dressed Freddie for the
first time in a jaunty suit of velvet,
with a dainty velvet cap over his brown
curls, when one morning / sent him out
with Dennis until was ready to start
l was making my final preparation
for departure when | heard piercing
scream under my window and Dennis
saying, by jabers, she's tainted, the
cratherr'
While Freddie cried, Mamma
pretty mammal
tableau. Dennis was supporting in his
strong arms slender figure in mourn
ing, half leaning on the shafts, while
Freddie clung to her skirts, sobbing,
Mamma-mamma."
Bring her in, Dennis" I said.
''I'll do that same, sur" was the
| reply. as Dennis lifted the little figure
| like feather weight, and crossing the
| pavement came into the surgery. l
shut out the curious people who fol-
lowed, and Freddie clung fast to the
| black dress, never ceasing his loud
cries of ''Oh, mamma! 1t is my
mamma; come home to Freddie!
| Mamma-pretty mammal"
The sound rang through the house,
| reaching my mothers ears as she sat in
her room. She came hurrying down
the stairs and entered the surgery just
as Dennis deposited his burden in an
arm chair. Comprehending the situa-
| ton at a glance, mother tenderly re-
| moved the heavy Grape veil and bonnet,
| loosening a shower of brown curls
| round a marble-white face, still in
sensible.
At that moment the stranger opened
| pair of large brown eyes, as brown
and as soft as Freddie's own, and mur-
mured in faint voice: Freddie! Did
| see my boy?"
Then her eyes fell upon the child
and in a moment she was on her knees
| before him clasping him to her heart,
kissing him, sobbing over him till
| mother broke out crying too, and l was
| obliged to assume my professional eX-
| preston by sheer force of will.
Come, come" l said gently. Fred
die has been very ILL., and can not bear
so much excitement"
This quieted the mother in an in
| stant, and she rose, still holding the
| child's hand in her own
sit is my boy!" she said looking into
my face.
Freddie" l asked, lis this man.
MAJ"
Yes" said the little fellow, decided
ly; ''of course it is. My own pretty
| mamma come from heavenm
| Come from heavenm she repeated
with ashy lips and gasping breath.
| ''They told me he was dead, my boy.
my Freddie-that he was run over and
killed! The nurse saw him fall under
the horses feet
But you see he was not killed."
mother said in gentle tone; .'but is
well and strong again"
| And then motioning me to keep
silent, mother told the widow OF the
chid's injuries and recovery, of lis
winning ways, and our love for him.
Il must tell you first who l am" our
visitor said. Il am the widow of Car
roll West who died ofcholera in Liver
pool only two weeks ago.
| .'When | heard he was i'll | went to
him at once, leaving my boy with my
| husbands mother and sister. | knew
they were not very fond of him, but |
had no choice. | found my husband
very i'll, but he was recovering, when
| ho hnI ici
| | heard only twice of Freddie-once
that he was well. once that he had
been killed in the street.
Il came home onl Y two days ago,
and they would tell me nothing of
where my boy was buried-nothing but
the bare fact of his death. I-I-oh,
do not blame mel was on my way
to the river to end it all, when / met
Freddie
1t would be tedious to tell in detail
all the long conversation that followed.
but, authorized by Mrs. West, called
| upon her husbands lawyer and there
heard her story.
Il think" said the lawyer, contiden-
tally, that the Vests are the proudest
people | ever knew-proud of their
family, their money and their beauty.
| Carroll West was the only son. Lucy
the only daughter when the old man
died. He left considerable fortune.
but Carroll has increased his share of
it to immense wealth. His mother
was very desirous of having him make
great match, and proportionately
furious when he married a little dark
eyed seamstress, of no family in par
ticular, and working for living.
Carroll, continued the lawyer, ''had
sufficient good sense to keep up his own
establishment until he went into a
heavy cotton speculation that called
him to Liverpool. Then he left rs
wife and child under his mothers care,
and before he went he made his will.
Now. DOCTOR" said the lawyer. speak
ing very slowly, and with marked en-
phasis, that will leaves half his for.
tune to his wife, half to his child, but
in case of the death of the child the