The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-19

Il =
and one woman, because there was
nothing for them to do: and with this
answer Mary was content
| Unknown to her young mistress Wilkins
now took home shirts from a great shop to
make. Mary, noticing that she sewe1 in
/ dustriously and was seldom without her
work in her hand. one day remarked that
John must be having a great many pew
| shirts. wilkins VS. greatly embarrassed,
/ and after this never brought her sewing
into tue room, but worked at night or when
| Mary slept.
! Old John had usually carried the work to
! and from the shop; but Ia had slipped ana
hurt his leg and could not walk, and poor
| wilkins was quite beside herself to know
! how to get the parcel sent back; she dare
not leave Mary SO long or she would 90 her
sslf
Mary sat propped in her chair, reading
| book IN the rack before her, when a slight
noise and a stir Of the portiere made her
| look uD. A young girl alb lut her own age
| entered the room, seemingly in search of
some one, and when her eyes fell upon the
strange shape strap oed to the chair, she
| turned pale as a ghost, uttered terrific
scream, and stood roo ed to the spot, like a
bird fasci lated by serpent aud paralyzed
with fright.
Wiki IS was in the room in an instant,
and, selling the girl roughly by the shoulder,
she came there. 'If you please, l am the
| girl come for the shirts. Nobody answered
| my ring, and tie door was aiar, so | came
| in to find some one, for didn't dare leave
this bundle of work l brought without see
ing somebody. When 1 seen her | was
| frightened and couldn't move, and
| screamed Wilkins jerked her out of the
room, but it was too late. Mary had heard
| all, and she understood.
| When Wilkins returned TO her room she
wore sheepish look. Mary fixed her great
dark eyes reproachfully upon her. twill
kins," said she, why did you not tell me
that we were very poor"
La, child, what notionin she answered
| evasively.
You might have trusted me-" Mary said,
gazing steadily at the old woman's face.
wilkins, do not people who have large
houses and no money sometimes rent out
part of the roomsp
Eyes, Miss, sometimes, but we couldn't
have you annoyed by strangers running
about" she could not tell her that timid
| people would not take their rooms because
they would be frightened at the sight Of
| her.
Don't. please don't think no more about
| it, Miss Mary, we have enough / am strong
and with my old John and the woman in
the kitchen we can live on little-and
there's no need to worry your head at all,
| Miss
Mary said no more-buC at night when
her old nurse put her to bed, she kissed the
homely, wrinkled face over and again.
All that night the poor, deformed girl
tossed upon her bed She saw it all now
not the pure, beautiful soul that all those
who knew her saw and loved-but the
awful monstroslty-the mfsshappen body,
| the very sight of which had startled the
strange girl into speechless fright.
| Bitter tears wet her njllOw ttDb mann
mammal she sobbed; 81 told you [ would
be patient, but it is so hard-harder than
you know" Toward morning her grief
| had spent itself, and numbering a prayer,
| she fell asleep.
| Wilkins came softly into the room the
| next morning and stopped over the bed. A
| sweet, peaceful smile was on Mary's lips,
but the tearstained face and pillow told the
story. 'Poor lamb!" whispered Wilkins.
and stole quietly cut.
When she awoke, Mary asked For daily
paper Wilkins hesitated-her father had
ssldom allowed Mary to read the newspa-
pers. II know it all now, nurse dear, she
said gently; you need not be afraid of
hurting me any more;" and Wilkins
brought her the paper.
1t was at this time that | first knew her.
l was business manager for Stones museum
of freaks and anatomical wonders. How
or why / came to be in this position is no
matter--men fad themselves in strange
| places sometimes-and this is not my story
| | am telling you, but hers.
One day Mr.. Stone put a note in my hand,
telling me to investigate it Immediately.
read it; it was short, business-like note,
written clumsily, as though grown person
had guided the pen in the hand of child.
1t stated simply that the manager might
find something that would be of use to him
at certain street and number, giving
directions to inquire for Miss Newton
"There may be nothing in it, but if it's
anything out of the run engage it at once.
We've got to have something to play
against That ossified man of jerks aud
Jones'. He is taking wonderfully and
we've got to get something to pit against
him"
These were the parting words of my
employer as started out to look up Miss
Newton.
As | walked | pondered. Would the
'freak" be a human being or some lower
animal-was it a transpareut-headed baby
or e living skeleton, or dog with five feet!
Probably it would amount to nothing after
all; some foolish girl wanted to get into the
Beauty Show perhaps.
When | reached the place and was shown
into house furnished with taste and ele-
gance, | must own that was surprised
but when | saw Mary Newton and learned
her purpose, | was completely dazed.
| | have spoken of her form befored, bat |
think have not attempted to describe ner
face. 1t was refined, intellectual aud even
lovely in feature and expression, with soft
brown eyes, straight, black brows and a
sweet, tender mouth.
would rather not dwell upon that inter
view. Suffice it to say that in spite of my
counsel and almost pleading this young girl
"a girl, the purest, the most sensitive and
refined of any have ever known-engaged
TO exhibit herself as a "freak' in the
museum with which was connected.
She had told me her story; she was fully
determined upon this step; she needed
money and she could not live upon Wilkins
earnings longer; this was the only thing she
could do.
think that there were tears in my eyes
aud lump in my throat when l left the
house. How | cursed my luck-no mother
no sister-no female relative through
whom could help her in any way.
She was great attr ction. Mmlle. Car
tilagini, the Boneless Wonder, drew crowds
and jerks and Jones' receipts fell off accord.
ingly.
Day after day she sat there in her chair,
between the bearded woman and the two
headed woman, answering patiently and
, pleasa lily all the personal questions that is
, supposed to be the privilege of the public to
J put to freaks"
1t seemed sometimes to me that / coulc