Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-10-16
MARY GREATREX.

cheese cake maker. Her name was Mary Grcatrex, and no one in that land of cakes could fashion q cheese cake like her. Where fore she was famous for that delicious com fit, anu people from far and near came to her for a supply whenever they were about to have ''company."
 Many were the carriages that stopped at Mary's door 10 leave orders and to carry away dainty little baskets of her cheese cakes. It was universally confessed that no one in that ghborhoud could touch her in this particular line, even though they proceeded according to her method. Some went so far as to affirm that there was something in the shape of Mary's hand that accounted for her mastery, and they would attempt to explain in support of their theory what n beautiful hand she had how long and taper the fingers, how fine the skin, and so forth. It might likewise have been added that | us her hand so was the build of her body generally. In short, Mary GreatreN was decidedly comedy wOman-tall as women go, straight and slim, with a regular oval face, blue eyes and n kindly, well shaped mouth. At the time of our story her hair was almost white, although she was barely 40 years of age But trouble makes more gray hairs than age.
 Mary's trouble had been tho death of all her relatives one after another, leaving her at last without a single blood relation, so far as she knew, in the wide world. One of her friends. an old maid like herself, used to say she must have relatives some where, if she could but find them. But they did not make their appearance, and so Mary GrcatrcX ceased to hope for them, but prayed instead that she might l be given some object to love and to be a | comfort to her in her old age. "I should prefer it to be girl" she ex. | plaincd to an old friend because then i could teach her to make cheese cakes, and | that would he something for her 1 used to | think James Rae wanted me chiefly because | l was q good hIISl at cheese cakes" What became of himI' qucried the | other.
 | somewhere"
 When she was once more alone, busy with her knitting, Mary recalled the time when James Rae pleaded for her hand, and she had replied that she could not marry a | druukard.
 | Her friends talk about Rae had stirred | up her rcCullcCtiuus, and in her sleep he ap- | pcarCd again before her She thought she | was married to him and that he was harsh | and cruel to her, so that when she woke l and found it was but dream she was glad even though in her dream she WAS the de | lighted mother of n beautiful baby girl. 1 On going to open her shop door Mary | heard n wailiuE outside as of little babe and found one there wrapped up i'll an old shawl.
 It was |. comcly little thing of about or | 9 months old apparently. There was not a scrap of anything to indicate whence it came or to whom it belonged, except the word Elsie on one of its garments.
 Mary thought the little creature was q T T diligrnt inquiry to discover, if possible who were its parents she was glad when no one could be found to own her.
 One day-iivc years later-a big, dark, bushy bearded man, whom Mary fancied | she had seen pass the shop on several oc- casions, went in and asked for n couple of l cheese cakes. These he ate and then ask ed for anot thcr and another until he had eaten a dozen Mary felt inclined to refuse him more fur fear ke should do himself harm.
 But while he was lingering the thirteenth , Elsie bounded into the shop, and the man 1 turned round with start and let the cheese cake fall. He stopped to pick it up, and as he did so he hcckuned to the little girl, at the same time holding out the confrction asa hribc.
 Slowly Elsie approached him. Then, turning to Mary, he asked if he might give ] her the cake.
 Yes" she replied, there Is nothing in it to hurt her
 The man watcEcd the little one eat it, bcuiiu., tn one knee the while. Then ne rose and said:
 shes a liIilr beauty, ma'am, and I've no doubt as intelligent aS she is pretty"
 About a week later Mary SaW the same man banging about just after dusk. When he Iyrcrivrd that Ee was observed, he walked away. This happened again week or two later, and she feared the man in. tended to carry off her darling Wherefore she had Elsie conveyed secretly to q friend in q village few miles away.
 Mary did Ee; see the man again and was in hourly dread lest he should find out where the child was and manage to kidnap her At length she received q letter bear ing q Hull address asking her if she would give up Elsie to her father on payment of the charges to which she had been put for her keep. The letter was signed Thomas Walker"
 Mary wrote to Walker" asking him to call and see her if he were really the father of Elsie.
 A few days later she received a visit from the man who had eaten the dozen cheese cakes Seated together in her little sitting room, Mary questioned the man as to his reasons for leaving Elsie as he did.
 II was in great trouble" he said. "l had just lost my wife, the little ones mother and had been a long time out of work l was at my wits end to know what to do with her. As there was not q soul could trust her to, penniless as was"
 Had you no relatives who would take charge Of herr" asked Mary, in whose mind there could be no greater crime than the lescrtion of n child.
 T am the only member Of my own fam ly living" he replied.
 After q pause he continued
 "I had the misfortune to marry a woman pf whom I knew nothing and who turned put to be drunkard. Perhaps I did not deserve anything better, for I was then a great drinker myself. But when l saw how the little one was neglected and ill treated it brought me to my senses, and became changed man. Then my wife lied We were in n low lodging house at the time, and I was penniless. The only way out of my difficulty was to do as l did or to let the child go into the workhouse, and could not do that"
 But what made you leave the child on my doorstep>" Mary asked.
 ''I had heard people speak well of you. VI
 Ut comes to this, then, that you did not mind where you left the child so long as you got rid of her, and now, after have had all the trouble of rearing her and have learned to love her as though she were my own daughter, you want to take her away You wish to be doubly cruel-to me tS SWei as to her"
 "Oh, Maryr' cried the man, deeply agi tated.
 Mary was now moved in her turn.
 "Whatl Can it beY Are you-are you mol James Raey'
 "Yes, Mary, 1 am," he replied. And Il was because in my trouble knew of no onS who would be so good to my child as you that determined to trust her 70 youi care"