The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-20
PRINCES PRIDE AND
PEACOCK FEATHERS
BY Margaret Pulling.

am a working woman and accustomed
to being out at all hours. am accustomed
also to all people and all things, and Moth
ing frightens or astonishes me.
When. therefore. / sat one night in the
Pennsylvania Railroad depot, Jersey City
side, / was aroused to no interest at all
by the appearance of a tall, slender eld-
erly woman of elegant bearing with A
young baby. The woman came in. sat
down side of me, then got up, hesitated,
placed the baby in the seat and came
back
Taking particular notice of her for the
first time, saw that she was of graceful,
even dgnihed carriage. with refinement
of face and figure-a lady from boots to
bonnet She seemed in such uncertainty
that spoke to her.
''Can be of assistance to you?'' asked
eyes and no." said she, hesitatingly
II have lost my railroad ticket Could
you-would you-let me leave my baggage
here one minute by the side of your"
Certainly" l said
At this she deposited her satchel. UNI
breila, shawl and baby in the seat by my
side and walked over to the ticket office.
The baby, a little thing not over a year
old, leaned against me comfortably, and
/ chatted TO It as a woman will. When
turned to look at the ticket office the We
man was not there, and leaning forward
in the seat / glanced down through the
door to the ferry entrance beyond without
seeing her.
A minute later the gong of my ferry
boat was changing, but 1 could not leave,
for the woman had not yet returned to
take her baby. To make my story short,
1 sat there until the ferryboat had gone
many times and until many new sets of
passengers had come and gone from the
ferry house, but my woman returned not
Then, taking the baby, 1 stepped over
to the ticket office. did a woman with
a baby--I mean without a baby-buy a
ticket here? A tall, gray-haired woman?p
The clerk looked at me superciliously
II do not recognize any one from that de-
scription," he said.
This baby was left with me an hour
ago. I said, and l am looking for the
woman"
you better go over to the New York
side" said he. your woman probably
crossed an hour ago. Take this boat and
probably you will overtake her.
So with the baby, the hand satchel, the
shawl and the umbrella, crossed the Jer-
sey ferry and landed at Cortlapdt street,
New York. But here could not get any
satisfaction, for no one had seen my wo-
man and no one would take the baby At
the suggestion of policeman l took a
cab and drove to Bellevue Hospital, only TO
be told that Blackwells Island was the
place for a waif
"But Blackwelrs Island Is across the
river" / said, land / am here"
'"Then take IL to the police station" sug-
gested the Bellevue official.
took the baby, which all this time had
slumbered comfortably in my arms, to the
police station. but the official could do
nothing for me-
1.-THE baby was not found in our pre-
cinct," said he, "and I must refer you
elsewhere. 1 think" he added, that as
1t was found on the Jersey City side you
will have to find a place for II in the pub
lie institutions of New Jersey Better take
it home tonight and start out again In the
morning.
As it was now midnight I took his ad-
vice. / carried the baby home and there
with the help of my old caretaker, we
fixed a little bed for It on the sofa and
made 1t comfortable. My caretaker, dear
old woman. after she had recovered from
her surprise. warmed a little food for the
child and soothed 1t to sleep as best she |
could.
The next morning bright and early |
started out on my quest for home for
the baby, but not until had amused my |
self with IL for an hour, admiring it's pref |
ty ways and wondering how any one could |
have the heart to forsake Il and partieu- |
larry how such a refined woman could do |
so cruel deed
As / said, / am a busy worker. 7 am
a newspaper woman and before going on |
my private mission called upon my chief |
and told him of my find.
THAT would make an excellent news
paper story" said he.
yes" said ], land you can publish It. |
Put the child's picture in the paper, but |
leave out my name Maybe we can trace
the woman quietly"
But we could not trace the woman, |
neither could / find a place for child |
abandoned IN a ferry house. II was as
though she had been born In mldocean--
a child without town or a habtaton.
SO in a few weeks, partly by fate and |
partly because / had become attached to
the child, l found myself-a newspaper
woman-in possession of a baby about a
year old The little girl was pretty and
liked her, She was beginning to talk and
10 walk, and before l had had her week
we began TO be afraid that some one would
claim her. But no one ever did.
My chief knew OF the acquisition to my
but said nothing. He Is a
wise man and allows his subordlnates
10 do as they will, provided their loyalty
TO his newspaper is answering.
One day, the 1st OF June the chief sent
for me and said: 81 want you to go TO
Newport for the season. Lady Blackburn
and her daughter are to be there. They |
have just come over from Europe and are
10 be the lions OF Newport society. Her
ladyship Is an American. you know, but
the daughter was born abroad She Is TO
be introduced into society this simmer
and 1t Is expected that she will make a
brilliant match before the season Is out"
"Who Is Lady Blackburn
II do not know exactly" he said, Il ca