Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-04-14
CHAPTER XVI.

fate and ask ner.
CHAPTER XVI
LONDON.
Harry Evesham almost gave the
whole thing up in despair before he had
been a month in London.
1t was wild-goose chase, for all the
clews he had whercwith to trace the
Identification of an infant wait, tossed
on the waves of humanity nearly TWEEN
ty years ago, were:
1. The case containing the effects of
Ambrose Arlington, as found in his
room after his demise.
2. A parchment label attached to a
silk cord.
3. A case containing the clothes worn
by Wanda Arlington on the voyage. and
those afterwards discovered IL her
trunk.
4. Two phOtographs-One of Wanda
Arlington as child, the other recently
taken.
5. y pale coral necklace.
6. \ gentleman's gold watch.
Z. The deposition of Sarah Wilkins.
8. Copies of all dispositions taken at
the coroner's inquest.
| of events attending her guardianship
| of Wanda.
And these We're al.
| He intervicw wed scores of Arlingt ons
| without success, consulted old files of
newspapers. and advertised for the. Dap
| tismal registration of any such infant.
| No good.
| Then it suddenly occurred to him that
| he ought to see the sister-in-law, Mrs.
| wilkins. in her evidence had stated to
| have been in her company at the time
| she had received the child.
| Referring to Mrs. Evesham's notes he
! found that she lived 1T Repton and Der
! byshirc. nor when he got there had he
/ much trouble in discovering her. for she
was housekeeper to Rev. Silas Swart-
house, perpetual curate of the parish.
| 1t was some time before he could in
duce her to talk about anything but her
| brother and her brothers wife, who
were doing so nicely in Wisconsin, and
who had invited her to join them. For
| Il time Harry pleaded in vain that Wis
| consin was 4 long way from New York.
and that it was quite possible that, no
matter how good Il carpenter Mr.. Will
| l1ins was. his fame had never reached
| him.
But his wife says he keeps carriage
of his own and pair of horses, just
| like the squire do: that he bought her
real silk dress last Christraas-just sit
still one minute, young sir, and I'll get
! her letter and read you all about that
dress; why
| But Harry was desperate.
| .'One moment, Mrs. Wilkins. Never
mind the dress just now; for haven't
| time to hear about it. / don't want to
| take up your afternoon with gossip. and
should be very glad to rcAauncratc you
for your services if you will give me
| your whole attention for Il little while. "
| An American woman OF her station
would have scorned the suggestion Of
pay for such & slight service, but Miss
| Wilkins had been reared on 4 diet of
| tips, SO she instantly subsidized into re-
| spectful attention.
'You accompanied your sister-in-law
| to Liverpool when she sailed for
| Amcrica?''
(Which did. sir
''And you were present when lady
committed to her charge a baby girl?'
(Which I most certainly were. sir. an
| if it hadn't been for me she'd never have
| taken that child
| did you ever see the lady before that
day you met her on the Liverpool land
| ing stage?"
Never"
'.Have you ever seen her since?"
eyes. twice"
| s'Ah,'
"Cnce, sir, on the eve of the day my
sister-in-law sailed: once in London,
| five years afterwards"
please, Miss Wilkins, give me the
| particulars of these meetings. Try and
! recollect every incident connected with
| them, for | would not miss the most
| trifling circumstance"
We'll, sir, I'm not likely to forget
anything, for was much put out both
| times"
How was that?"
''Well, you see. / was going to the
station to take the train home after see
ing Susan off in the ship, when wht
should meet coming straight towards:
me but the lady as gave us the child
She was fine, handsome young madam
as ever / see, an she was stepping out