The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-08-17

we deem 1t best that the name of a
person who adopts n child should he
Kept from possible i'll wishers. We
receive patients here without demand.
Ing their real names, Durpcsely. that
the children may not be too cosI,v
traced This is our idea of the trnost
charlty- SO also we make no registry
OF those who take children away. The
adoption may be rs secret as the new
parents may desire, all this for the
Shilds sake"
But how do YOU know that these
children may not be ill trcated?"
"oh, we do not lose sight Of them
but their Whereabouts is known to but
TWO persons, our matron and one other
lady, Il patron, one of our board of di-
rectors. We have two persons i'm the
secret, fearing that were there but one
her death would break our connection
with our charges"
"Oh! Then / am to understand tbot
your matron may know where this
child is?'
"Yes. Pcrhaps&hc will see YOU.
Will explain your desire to her"
Five minutes later woman entered.
one or those whose faces teach us that
even the very old may be beautiful.
Perhaps long years of kindlincss to
others had In some way created I'm her
face moral beauty whose purity was
rejected In her eountenance.
Here is mother to all the mother.
less" thought Mr.. Mitchell.
You wish to speak to me, gentle.
menT" said she in a voice as gentle as
the flow of ripping brook.
we wish very much to trace a child
who has been adopted from this insti-
tution," said Mr.. Mitchell. "This gen.
tleman is her father"
yes. The doctor has told me Of
whom you seek information. do not
mean to be unkind, but this is n pro.
found secret which you wish me to
ulVulge. L cannot without good rea-
sons disclose it even to the father who
comes after his child so late. l must
first consider the interests of the girl"
Mr.. Mitchell found himself in a
quandary. 1t would be impossible to
disclose his purpose to this old lady.
She would very properly hesitate to
accept his story without investigation,
and that would entail a delay which
would entirely upset his plans. lie
deemed 1T best, therefore, to resort to
circumlocution.
But suppose that 1 tell you that
this gentleman is rich; that he can
give his child very luxurious homey'
The matron smiled as she answered:
"She has every luxury now that
money can buy. She has more than
nf n
ships her. Her adopted father is dead,
and lie has bcqucathcd $5,OOO,OOO to
her."
Both men started in amaZement.
What fortune for an outcast! What
n difference between her fate and her
sisters! But Mr.. Mitchell was much
and replied:
You seem to keep n fairly accurate
Years. ft Is It not?' 'H"tS.--Ns e,en "''et
'The girl is quite as old as that, but |
we have n regular system. The par
ents are required to report to us reg
ularly and occasionally to send us a
In this way we have
some corroboration Of what they write
us. If tia children are mo-. well cared
ioi' We oileh uctcCl IL ny IL COMPARISON
of their pictures, taken from year to
year."
"Then you have this girls photo
graph also"
eyes, indeed, many Of them"
Mr.. Mitchell now endeavored to gain
his point by strategy. Taking photo
graph from his pocket, he suddenly
held it before the old lady and asked:
'Do you recognize that?"
"Why, it is
The matron was taken by surprise,
yet SO careful was she of her. secret
that she stopped before mentioning the
name which had risen to her lips. But
Mr.. Mitchell was satisfied and complet-
ed the sentence for her:
at Is Perdltaw said he.