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

tic of prosperous Germans 1t was fur
nished with silk-covered cherry furniture a
grand piano and odd bits of adornment, in
Guiding table covered with a chenille
cloth, which L regarded with uneasy
eye. The large bay window was filled with
flowers. Through partially opened double
doors, leading into the rear room, got a
glimpse Of a coZy library.
You wish to see me?'
Most decidedly / did. This was Mrs
Renner-a surprisingly young-looking,
small, plump person, who would have peen
pleasant In appearance but for the air of
insolence she assumed. Before inquiring
my errand she closed all the doors leading
from the room. Then, when l told her
had come in response to her letter to see
about the baby for adoption, her manner
changed SO that she seemed a good little
frau.
II can promise you that the parents can
never claim the child" she said. 'They
are glad enough to be rid of it. Besides.
we make the mother of every baby We
take sign a paper giving up the child en-
tirely. But ] cannot let the baby go with
out knowing who the person is that takes
1T. Do you wish 1t yourself? Not? Has
your friend other children? will not even
let baby go where there are other chill
dren, for fear 1t may not get good care.
Why, If you do not tell me anything about
who wants 1t how do l know but you will
take it and throw 1T in the street? No.
no; II is hard enough for the poor baby to
be deserted by it's parents. l assume the
responsibilities of its parents, and / must
know that 1T gets a good home. l give you
no trouble about 1t when / see it is in good
hands. You need not be afraid Of that.
have too many condolences in my business
not to have learned how to treat them.
Anything you tell me will be perfectly
confidential between us, but | must know
where the baby goes. Otherwise it is not
right, and the law says so.'
Mrs Renner made this judgment appear
SO final, that respecting her principles 1
to lanxr rnt1 ha lodi yiCh iaQr hl
child would not consent TO reveal her iden-
tity, l was sure.
but don't you want to see the baby?"
asked Mrs. RenEer. You know, she con-
tinued, anybody getting a baby here gets
a much better kind than from the found
ling asylums. / have only first-class peo-
pie, and the babies are all nice blood, not
common ones picked up anywhere, such
as most always you would find for adop-
ton"
Only n Selfish Interest.
But not even the superiority of the stock
she offered interested me If she would
not consider the terms on which had sug-
gested taking one.
Just wait a minute then" she said, and
left me, after carefully not only closing
me in, but locking me in. She returned in
moment with a man whose sanctmoni-
Gus air, gold-rimmed spectacles, good
clothes, and well-fed appearance, all went
10 make LIT. cara lOOh ike a herman
preacher. The pair talked back and forth
In German, ignoring my existence, until
they got ready to recollect II. Then Dr.
Cara seated himself opposite me and took
up my case whore AIRS. Renner left off,
He repeated what she had said, but in
stead of letting facts speak for themselves
Went into the logic of their regard for
humanity and the law.
You see,'' said the doctor, II have to
protect my reputation. Suppose am salts
fled with your appearance that you would
take good care of the child and let you
have II without knowing your name and
residence; how can l tell but you may be
from-what you call it?-the childrens
board detective perhaps, or maybe the
lady reporter, who will go away and write
up so much'-measuring about a yard
I'm the paper that / throw babies out in
the street? No, cannot do that. / must
protect myself. You must give me a name,
Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Jones, what street and
number you say. Then If the authorities
come here. 1 can say to them what you
told me. Now. you may say you live in
that house"-pointing across the square
Il see you take the baby there Very
WELL You move away next week, or to-
morrow. 1 know nothing about that-you
understand? / must be able to say some
thing to the authorities If they ask ques-
lions. You do not have to give me any
writing, and 1 give you none, and you need
not be afraid / ever use the secret / have
over you.
why. my dear lady, IL you knew how
much more important secrets / hold, you
would understand that such a little one is
nothing to me. Now, 1t is like this A wo-
man came to me not so long ago, who was
miserable because she had no children She
made arrangements with me, so that /
brought her a newly-born infant from my
house, and nobody of her family ever
knows that child was not born of her
know 1t; but 5000 could not make me tell
anybody that woman's name. / tell you
SO much that you may understand that you
are perfectly safe to trust me.
AS for the parents of the child, you
need have no fear of them. have been
in this business too long not to know how
to protect myself on every point was in
1T twenty years-many years in Chicago.
in an institution where we adopted out
thirty or forty babies a year. One time a
mother came back and made trouble and
ever since then l get contract from the
mother. Wait; I will show YOU what II is
like"
The supply of Babies.
He then left me alone in the parlor, Mrs.
Renner having gone out when the doctor
got fairly under way with me. The doctor
did not close the hall doors on me. as had
Mrs. Renner, but he stopped in the hall to
click something before going upstairs,
whether to turn on a burglar alarm or
merely turn down the latch of the front
door, 1 give you my word, / didn't bulge to
find out. The curiosity of Eve would be-
cOIie eHllnently TeSpeCtIul OF the COnVe-
niences of this house and the resources of
Dr. Cara.
The doctor brought back with him three
contracts in which as many women con-
veyed all their rights and property In GER
tain specified children to Mrs. Marie Rem
ner. Two Of the women particularized
themselves as unmarried. The other one
was married The papers were signed both
by the mother and the father of the child
in question, and each witnessed by S. A.
Cara and Marie Renner.
Nov, DOCTOR" / said after examining
the papers, "let me understand you. If 1
give you a name and address, are you
obliged to verify what 1 say?"
Probably not" said the doctor, with
smile and shrug of the shoulders. Then he
asked (which would you like, a light one
or dark one?'
This rather staggered me. I have been
thinking Of one baby In stock. Evidently
there was bear market
Have you more than one?" asked.
"Oh, yes" he answered with the utmost
unconcern. There are three just at pres
ent. Two boys-one light and one dark
and a girl. One boy is about a week old.
The others are two or three weeks older.
They are all fine, healthy children. We
have none but the best, and have supplied
some of the first families here and out of
the city with children. There is an officer
in the pension bureau, thereon, / could
mention a great many. We average about
eight or nine year that are adopted Now.