The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-02
TO MR.. KNIPE, BABY.
The Present April Fool Jokers
Gave . Church Member
FOUND DRYING ON DOORSTEP.
tt Riteoas Voice oummoas Hin From
His 1iSeside-Iaksn - the Orphans'
Home-Tho Only Clue.

April Fools day found . victim in the
person of Robert Knipe, the well-known
real estate dealer, and one Of the most
prominent church men in the city. Al
$50 O'Clock last evening he found tiny
baby, perhaps three days old, on his door
mat.
Of oil the residences on Third street, In
North Seattle, that Of Robert Knipe 10 the
most imposing. It IL rendered moro %
by beautiful grounds terraced. and the
granite steps that lead to the door have
on either side large marble vases finely
carved.
It was about Sis O'Clock when . mes.
senger boy came with . telegram addressed
to Mr.. Farwell. Mr.. Knipe went to the
door and after directing the boy to the
right address shut the door and lay down
on the sofa BY the fire. Mra Knips was
reading and Carrie. their young daughter,
sat on the sofa by her father.
Suddenly 1rs. Knips stopped reading
and listened. ''What ID that noise, my
dear" she said, turning to her husband.
Mr.. Knipe started up and replied /;
why. - I live. think hear child
crying"
Mr.. Knipe reached the front door with
. rush and threw it wide open, and there
on the rug 1t his feet lay little bundle
from which came the unmistakabls cries
Of an infant He picked Il up. and a. he
came into the room whore his wife WA
said: Eyes, IL il . real live child"
With these words he passed the bundle
Of humanity to his wife, who cried ont -
he ran back 70 the front steps 70 look
around:
what am going 70 do with itf'
This recalled Mr.. Knipe, and he replied
without . momsnt's thought: ''Clean it
and keep it."
"But. my dear. said Mrs. Knips, 'look
ct It. It il IN awful dirty little thing, and
We do not know anything about whore it
came FROM"
And indeed IL was pitiable object that
Mrs. Knipe had before her, wrapped IN an
old black shawl with . gray border. The
material was WOODEN. but long use had
made it look - II it was anything else.
The nakedness Of the crying infant was
hidden By little red calico slip that
hardly came to its uncovered feet.
Mr.. Knipe called Mr.. and Mrs. T. e.
Jones. their nearest neighbors. and when
they arrived they all took good look ct
the child's features, which were sharp and
looked pinchcd. Once in . while il would
open its little dark eyes and look around
in wonder.
Mr.. Knips was in sore distress what to
do with the infant. Mrs. Knipe thought
It was too dirty and cared for in so slovenly
. manner that It could not b Of good par.
entage. She would have advised keeping
It If she knew more Of Il. Mrs. Jones Oh.
Jected on the same grounds and Mr.. Jones
thought person who would desert child
might be allied to the criminal class and
that would not b pleasant thing to learn
In the future.
Finally Mr.. Knips went over to sx.
Mayor Robert Moran's and telephoned ia
the matron Of the Orphans' home and
asked her II she would take child. After
much talking over an impsrfectly working
wire the circumstances were made known
and the matron agreed to find . place foz
it. although the rules say mot under
years old"
Then MI. Knipe returned home, wrapped
the little brown-haired founding in it,
old black shawl, put the nipple Of nurs'
ing bottle. which came with the infant, In
its mouth and started for the home
On the way the little being was - quiet
- . mouse, and when delivered over ia
the matron never whimpered.
''If had known something Of it raren.
tage." said Mr.. Knipe - he returned
homo, "the little one should have had q
home with me-"
The only clue to the mother, who I'M
doubleday deserted her offspring. lies in
the fact that Mrs. Knipe saw . thick-set
woman pass the house on the opposite side
Of tho street in the forenoon. The woman
had on . shawl resembling the ona
wrapped around the child.