The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-06-26
FREDDIE'S FORTUNE.
The Romance That Grew Out of
a Nearly Fatal Accident

dened with practice, when ! sat half
DOING in my surgery one sitting August
afternoon and was reused by a hustle in
the street and cry: Here's a doctor!
Ring the bellr'
By the time the ring was answered l
was wide awake and had my profess
rsional expression" on. Two men came
in, and one held in his arms limp
senseless figure, boy, about three years
old, covered with the blood flowing from
cash in his head. / took the little
fellow in my own arms and carried him
to the sofa, while the men brought me
water and seemed deeply interested in
all my movements.
:. A broken arm and the deep cut on the
mead kept me busy some time, but at
last my little patient was made as COM
Portable as possible and was moaning
with recovering consciousness.
Have you far TO carry hfm?' | asked
one OF tho men.
..We don't own him." was the answer.
s.Ife was a-running across the street and
horse kicked him over. Jim, here, -
indicating his companion, '.he picked
him up and | come along to help find a
doctor, cause Jimrcan't read
Needn't a-shoyed that I'M" growled
jim, turning red Poor little chap,
: how he groans!n
Il will give him something to quiet
him presently" said, ''and will send
word to the station house, II his name
is not on his clothes
The men departed and I lifted my
charge once more and went upstairs To
my mothers room over the surgery.
1t did not take many minutes to en-
list her sympathfes, and Ne undresscd
the child and put him in her wide bed,
hoping to find some mark upon his
clothing. There was none, and when
saw this ] spoke frankly: Mother,
there is just one chance for the little
fellows life. and that is perfect quiet.
lie will have fever, probably be deliri-
Gus, and To carry him 10 a hospital, OF
even to his own home. may be fatal.
will send to the station house and
then
,'You know will nurse him, john"
my mother said. III his mother comes,
she must do as she thinks best, but UNI
til she does come leave him to the. y
| wrote description of the child's
long brown curls and brown eyes, OF the
delicate suit of clothes in which he was
dressed, and sent it to the station house
No call being made in three days, Tad
vertised him for week, and still he
was not claimed. twas very strange
for the child's pure, delicate skin and
Int. 81 TO ,s
the child of wealth.
But while he lay unknown, my little
patient was struggling hard for life
against fever and injuries. He was dc
lirious for many days, calling -pitifullA
for ''Mamma-pretty mammal" begging
her not 10 go away, and making oul
hearts ache by often crying: ''Oh, Aun
Lucy, don't beat Frcddiel Freddie will
will be goodm or. "Grandma, grandma
don't! don't,' in cries OF extreme terror
Mother would get so excited with in
=4dignation over those cries that / saw
the child had won fond place in hei
warm heart
"He has been ill-treated, John. tn,
pretty darlingt she would say. hops
the cruel people who weuld hurt such
baby will never find him again.
The second week OF his stay with u,
was closing and Freddie had regainet
his reason and was on the road to recov
cry. When one. morning carriagi
dashed UP to my door and two ladie!
ahghted.
They wore rustling silks OF the lates
fashion and were evidently mother ant
daughter. The younger lady was YER,
beautiful, a perfect blonde and dressed
in exquisite taste.
"Dr. Morrill?" inquired the elder lady
bowed.
We called in answer to an advertise
ment regarding child, my grandson
You will probably think it strange W;
have not been hero before, but we wer,
obliged to leave town the day before hi
was lost and have just returned. Tht
nurse who had him in charge ran away
and while we supposed him safe at HON,
he has been lying in hospital, perhap,
dying"
I'VE were nearly distracted on our re
turn" said the young lady, when W,
missed our darling; but an inquiry a
the station house sent US here. The
officer also showed us your advertise
ment Where is our dear child?"
He is here" answered, under my
mothers care. and, ! am happy to say
doing we'll"
An unmistakable look of disappoint
ment crossed the faces OF my visitors
but the elder one said: Can we see
him, doctor?"
| asked permission to announce theil
coming to my mother, and left the
ladies alone-sz4.When- returned, after
some five minutes absence j was struck
by the change in their faces The
younger one was pale as. ashes, and the
elder one, had o set, hard look. OF de.
termination, as if nerycd by some sud.
den resolution. -
! led the way to my mothers bed
room. where Freddie was IN 4 profound
slumber. The younger lady shrank back
in the shadow'of the bed curtains, but
the mother advanced and bent over the
child.
There was moment of profound ST.
lence; then, in hard voice, the old lady
said: Il am sorry to put you to SO much
trouble, DR.. Morrill,. This is not the
child we lost" ~
A heavy fall startled us, and l turned
to see the young stranger senselcss on
the floor Her mother spoke quickly:
.sThe disappointment is too mich for
her. We had 50 hoped to find my grand
SON.
did net reply The dclirious raw