Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-01

Mrs. Renner, IT do not Jake many babies
from outsiders-I have so much on hand
with those that are born in the house. !
take care of the babies' myself, and as Z
give them the best of care / have a great
deal to do. My house is so full now, /
would have to charge you pretty high"
The money does not matter so much,r
salu Louise. Just say what II will be-"
Not less than IS a week." said Mrs.
Renner.
And. If should conclude to part with
the child-I may. have to-" said Louise.
could you take 1t off my hands?'
YES, 1 could" answered Mrs Renner
but, as l said, / have so much on my
hands with those born in the house, II ID
hard for me to manage with any more,
What would be your terms?" asked
| Louise.
THAT can't say. because you know it
all depends on how much the people charge
for adopting 1t. Some want more and some
not SO much. 1 will show you a letter."
Then Mrs. Renner got and proceeded to
read to Louise letter ostensibly from
some person out of town, who wrote that
she would take a baby from Mrs. Renner
IL she could have her expenses to town
and return and the expense of keeping the
child guaranteed for three years.
You see." said Mrs. Renner, people do
not adopt children for nothing"
We'll" said Louise; but cannot you fix
some average price at which you could af-
| ford TO take my baby?'
Mrs. Renner thought a moment, and
while she was thinking DR.. Cara appeared
at the door. He spoke hurriedly in Ger
man, with which Louise is familiar, say
ing: rs 1t one who has been here before?'
to which Mrs. Renner answered, in German.
NO, she has just come in"
Then the doctor passed on and Mrs. Rem.
ner said to Louise: We'll, / tell you; you
give me contract for the child, and all
Its wardrobe and 500. and give you my
will mot Ia
Having established then the figure of the
small consideration for which Mrs Rem
ner overcomes the conscientious scruples
and legal difficulties commonly attending
the abandonment of a child by it's mother,
1t occurred to me that possibly another
small consideration" might enable Mrs
Renner to overcome other scruples and
other difficulties attending the conveyance
of child thus abandoned into unknown
hands.
Accordingly paid my second visit to
Mrs. Renner prepared to argue with dol
lars and cents. She anticipated me on this
point, however, and herself suggested the
terms on which we might come to an
agreement.
told her that my friend adhered to her
original statement, that she would not con-
sent TO take the baby unless she might pre-
serve her identity a secret. you see" 7
said, by the contract you hold from the
parents, Mrs. Renner, you remain the legal
guardian of the child, and could at any
rights and property in it,"
She paid little attention to what said,
and, DR.. Cara, who had been uneasily
wandering about in the hall, entering the
two conversed in German not to the utter
exclusion of myself, however, for by the
tones and gestures of the doctor all elo-
Quently expressive of magnanimity and
confidence in me, 1 was made aware that
my influence was at work upon them.
The Poor Unfortunate.
Finally Mrs. Renner turned to me with
her familiar, We'll, tell you," and said:
my husband and have talked the mat
ter over, and though ii is not right and
we never have done so before, we have
made up our minds to let you take the
baby without telling us more than you
want to- 1 think you look as If you would
be good to the baby. But must tell you
there are some expenses about the baby
you understand? Let me see. twenty-six-
no, thirty-six dollars, and besides-welI We
thought that if you would pay us $50 for
our trouble and all, you know, you could
take the baby and we would not ask any
questions"
This arrangement was Immediately
agreed upon, and Mrs. Renner went to
fetch the bay. She again locked me in,
as she left the room, and besides having
the key turned on me, / was under guard
Of DIR. Cara, who sat in the rear room
surveying me through the foot-wide OPEN
After what seemed an age and was prob
ably five or six minutes, Mrs. Renner re-
turned with the poor little parcel of pur-
chasable humanity IN her arms. 1t was q
week old at 430 last Thursday, she said.
See IT has nice head. Yes, ii is thin, but
1T has good blood, is from nice people,"
She showed me its body, pitiful as a
starved birds Its legs were raw in
places. The while 1T was being exhibited, IL
was wailing with all its frail might, and
it's restless bits of hands stretched into the
emptiness of life about il. Poor, poor little
baby. Born into the world through no
fault, no wish of its own, so tiny, so help
less, so human. and in all this great world
of hearts and homes, no heart, no home for
1t.
1t twined its cold, claw-like fingers
to ask many questions as / should. Mrs.
Renner smiled to see me crying, and
dare say 1T was ludicrous to shed tears
over one among so many unfortunates.
II give you these clothes 1t has on" she
said. land one other suit"
The clothes comprised cotton slip and
flannel skirt. So. though she had care
fully bargained with Louise for ward
robe with her child, this one was poor in
clothes as In everything else
1t was definitely agreed that 1 should
send $50 to Mrs. Renner during the after
noon. and at night call for the baby
l wish might have done so.
Within Legal Requirements.
past six weeks Mrs. Renner has registered
eight births. These are all children born
alive. She registers no deaths. DR.. Cara
told me they dispose of eight or nine a
year by adoption.
How are the rest disposed Of?
can figure out so much of an answer.
II $50 is the selling price of baby from
a baby farm, and il a baby week old had
run up an expense account of $50, which
left to the profit of the dealer only Sl4 Of
the selling price, 1t will readily be seen
that baby living beyond certain limit
and remaining unsold would have TO be
CLOSED OUT at any price to save the dealer
from bankruptcy.
Still, the problem remains, how can this
be done? and the law leaves every thing
on this point to the discretion of Mrs Rem
ner Who doubts that she is discreet?
The birth certificate blanks furnished at
the health department make no provision
for registering the residence OF the
parents. 1t is, therefore, impossible to
learn anything from them.
To Louise Mrs. Renner said: You give
me a contract and 500 and give you my
word the child will trouble you no more.
Right there all trace of anybodys re-
sponsibility for the child fs lost, and the
law IS powerless 10 reclaim It, There is no
record by which the parents may be reach
ed When Coroner Woodward asked who