New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-13

In Stillport'
Fifteen years ago or thereabouts.' ~. y,
d" In Stillport! Fifteen years ago! But did
you never losk for her -. tool,
Not TIL it was too late. The gyTsles took
her and could never follow them a4c G iPPccIy Then
her heart fell again, and again She Tepfoac"e"
herself for It's trouble. ,-
" How do YOU know tie gypees took her 10.
she was a pretty child She had good clothes
on And they went away with a chud they uIu
not bring with them They was camping al o'ili-
port, or the sands, when got huT' f;rai1 don't
When you got hurt? 1 am AFRAID Jun
understand" into
took her out with me had Just moved In'o
a new house for the season, and hadi' so'
we went together it wasn't far. only TO Tue
bakers But it was new part oil o''.iP,IL' no
near the sand-hillS, and | wasn't known TO W.
neiQhbors vet or | might have found boIlenoul
to do my errands 1t wasn't far; bat g9' run l
over Nobody Whereabouts knew me- an" ,Hc!
took me TO the hospital ] was long time lyliis
i'll there, and when came round, NOBODY Go tho
tell me where the child was First they SAID thc
neighbors had it, to keep me quiet IKE Dat tIe
mp ever g'I since LETT It. Nobody knew but what
| had gone away to stay with friends, ana tie
child with me. The key was in my pocket, ana ana
yet owing to being not quite straight.
Did you make no inquiries :? ..ios
when | got well enough for that the gyr% ,n1
were gone told the police they had taken my
little girl. but they were never found Hs,
How do you know they took her , -
The baker, the only one as reineulDcreda amS
thing about her-for | went TO him aiterInaa S.en
her 60 off with one of them man But ne I,a'i IL
thought anything of it, not knowing VINO she Ut
Maud said no more: her heart was beating
quickly: she clasped her hands together TO con
troll herself memory came 10 iier oi u'' va
in the crowd who had offered 70 ,nKe any n.y. oct
nanny" OF her going away with him ana Wl
ting frightened: of screaming, ana Trying 70
run away: and then of his suddenly letting her
go. Probably he had seen some one coming all all
had been afraid 10 keep her against her Will
Whoever her deliverer might have been. she had
never seen or known Of him, but had run away
and lost herself and passed The night among 'he
sapdhals. u, rh;a
And now the mystery was unraveiled. ms M:
then. was her mother. The life from when sne
had been lifted was that Of GrdS S co az and 10
wait 10 serve all who could pay her Ter serving
them Her rightful home was home hllcd ON
room by room TO those VINO c.reo 40 9th
y" Her heart fell lower and lower. How could
she acknowledge this tie and take II into her
life? She felt herself great way on her l4 Over
now. infinitely removed from him. Even Mrs
Ringer belonged TO a different world. ms poor
creature on the bed who had earned a living ny
mental occupations who was now indebted to
charity for the care about her. who was thankfuI
TO end her days In an almshonse inns was ie one
who was nearest end dearest. bound - hPr by
the closest tie holding on her the strongest clal-
her mother . ,-no,r ,h,s and 20 feel no
OH it was cruel 20 know ms. ana 10 I'ei d II"
sire 10 escape Was il necessary 70 speak ? should
She pursue this secret further? Would any one
be the worse if She Kept silence W"I sr not
the well-to-do young lady. rs well as-per,ApN
bettcr-than when playing the part Of the allen
ated and reluctant daughter Slr pan COIN
passion in abundance, bat could Sic bid love come
ut her commend? -
DO You often talk of this?" she asked trcmu-
lousv.
NO never speak Of it now. IT worries me
ing ways You mind me Of her little She'd
Have Won anythinq that belonged 20 her."
Yes. few hits that I've kent together. Look.
you'll find them in that little bag. There
nobody cared TO look at them before for years
The poor woman spoke with cagcrncSs. as If de
lighted at the interest the kind young lady
showed. IN
slowly There were one or two little nruclcs 81
clothing all Of fine material. all dccatclv en-
broidered, and marked with the Initials NJ I.
She shut the bag again
These are very handsome thing" she said
slowly. Did you make them yoursclfP' L.,
"Oh, no. got them from the lady who hod
been living with me She was beautiful worker
She made them all.
Maud was not Interested in the lady who hal
lived with her She inquired no further. II WINS
strange that any ore, however beautiful worker.
should make such delicate garments for lodging
house keepers Child. But since II had been done,
the element Of possible romance was wiper
She felt Inundated. unhappy. disappointed.
This tie that was thrust upon her came win no
aDpeal of romantic sentiment the situation had
not even enough OF tragedy in II to MT II ont I'D
sordid elements. Could She be daughter indeed
20 this pitiful. excellent. but commonplace per
son 70 this woman who grateful even for
a little condcsceusion? II was impossible James
Kerslakc was her lover. She m{ht even yet hc
James Kerslakcs wife How could she take for
her mother n workingwOman in an almshouacP
Then a great wave of sympathy swept over her,
carving her away from her selfish absorption.
Has il been a very miserable life since your lit
tie girl went - she asked suddenly.
An my dear | couldn't tell You. She secmcl
given 10 me to make things brighter thought
she'd have helped ne as ! got old, and nurSed
me when | got sic, BIT worst Of all i thct
/ don't know what they did 10 her. They may
have brought her up 70 bad ways They may have
beaten her / uscd to lie awake wondering If thei
gave her enough 20 cat. She may be in rags for
what | know She may be telling fortunes OF
picking pockets I'd give up frcttinc on my OWN
account II could he that she ives among thosc
that did well by her. But it's hard not 10 know,
hard not 70 know!
Maud went 20 the bedside and fell on her knees
close 70 it, She took the sick woman's hand and
looked into her face
Don't fret any more" she said !; kind people
found me- and took Of me. For ] was losi
among the sandhills at Stllport, and think that
| must be your little girl'