Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-03-22
Il Sad Storu.

in the Los Angeles Record:
Gyhe dark foggy dawn, fourteen
years ago, hoy baby was found in a
basket on the porch Of a residence at
Hill aud Third streets. The infant
was richly dressed, and pinned to his
y clothes was a nute consgning him to
y the Rev and Mrs. A. j. Wells Of the
first Congregational church, who were
besought to find Christian home for
the foEndling.
Last night 4 boy, il whose face
there is spelled no other word than
oncglcct was detained in the police
station Today he was placed in the
boys industrial home at ArLesia,
through the effort Of Humane Officer
Craig.
Between these simple statement 5
there lies little tale.
The baby was not long without a
aomr Joe Petrie, painter, heard a
feeble wall as he passed the house.
Joe was a hearty young fellow with a
baby Of his own not far away, at All
South Hill street, and indeed he was
3hen on his way to the old drug store
az Third and Fourth streets. So he
went into the house and aroused the
syener, Mr. Payne.
. ''IIo, ho, Mr. Payne, here j. a fine
baby for YOU" laughed Joe, who
Thought huge Joke had been uncov-
eyed But Mr.. Payne's wife was an
5nya d. and although they were we'll
.9o-do, they could no: care for the little
> oaf
well, there is my sistcr-in-aw,
? Mrs. l.oobs, said Joe Pctrie. "She
has just lost her baby will take
this to her And he carried the bas
bet home, for then the note to the
9ninister had not been noticed.
week later the minister and his
: 9,ife signed oyer the child to the Loobs
who named the boy Crne William.
The husband, Gus Loobs, was an hon
est and faithful employee Of the W. G.
Furrcy Hardware company, now the
IIelman company. lie is with the
j;ym vet but his home was wrecked
long ago. lie left his wife, who now
lives in East los Angeles III repulsiye
,q9alor The boy has run wild over
he East Side. The husband will have
rYalhing to do with him. and the de-
serted wife, ppnniless, shftleSs and
abnc. mas no control over him. lie
waSarrestcd Il few weeks ago in com
opany With some East Side hoodlums,
2 but his promising appearauccinlluenc-
. ed the Judge to turn him loose pend
:. ing good behavior.
The lad has been sleeping in warm
'Hcsts around the Los Angeles brew
cry lie has learned to drink beer
andfs little outcast and vagrant
Bat hc Is not vicious Ollccr Craig
says, and he has shown an aptncss in
adTanpt Of his age I'll foreman Of
Che brewery. which II near his foster
mnther', miserable home, offered him
u cent forrvery mouse he might catch
The boy, IN one way aud another cap
tHrcd 90 mice the first day.
The place Mrs Loobs calls home is
+. - udcscrjbably dcsoate that rs one
enters tile ruined gatc and passes
Town through 4 dozan feet II ragged
ytrd Is ihc door IT, enters upon a
scene happily rare in civilized lands.
80 lit}rsr but haze a better stable.
There was no answer To knock,
and ghc reporter walked into one Of
the three rooms of the cottage. There
wa,,a cot with mattress and cover
Ill., hjdcousN solrd. On an old trunk
ehcrc we're piles Of papers
9Ihc Kitchen contained a little cook
stove, from the lirc-boN uf which pro-
inctcA long pieces Of wood. On n
mb,g were dirty dishes and old crusts
''uud rcmants Of food Empty eans,
bottles. dirty clothes, dishes and all
othr iunumrrable debris al ,qualor
were scattered over the shelves AMI
Moor Of the dolcful place, and upon
aIl there was dust that looked 4
generation old The third room was
meant for parlor. There was a
orarDe top table, a chair and sew
iug machine. Papers and pictures
ecrc Str,0yn upon the bare floor. \
broken clock lay in corner No
>ouad broke the chill silence, and the
ouly sign If life was a little fish that
swan ia a dish of water set on the
0lloor
But III closet hang 4 hoy ! suite q
bit with an appearance Of rough
intending. \ cap hung on the same
nail.
There was sound, and an old wo-
man was found talking to herself in
Che back yard. She wore no hat, and
ana her upkempt hair wandering
glance and toothless gums gave her a
look that the insane wear. She was
ehrlycled and bent,and her gray wool
dress hung almost in tattcrS. Her bare
gtct had not seen shoes for weeks.
o"G suppose you have come to try
and yet my boy. sh" said in aqueru-
bus swedish accent "a man came
yesterday hut he didn't get him and
lie ,mll never have him.
She shook her fist a. il challenging
to hatJlr NJ thrssHTces MAINTAINING
.iscSse. sin. that can Cypress and
crush the unfortunate But tears came
into TIE dulled eyes. and the lips
o. trcmbled and she said "Su down
ana will telpyou.
With thoughts OF those days Of the
little stranger in the basket, came !
change in the old woman. men Sn'
tod how Joe brought the baby She
laughed and cried At orce, flor YOU
see," She said. the baby was Just IN
time. for mine was born dead. low
ed him a. my own.
Here she showed the baske' kept
through the years that have followed
that foggy dawn. 'rhen opening the
battered trunk, s6c brought forth tn,
little garments that the baby wore
There were delicately embroidered
flannels and dainty !accs, now yellow
ct with age The foster mother fin
gered them over caressingly, hei
homely Swedish thoughts dying of t
thousand "details related in Strean
Of almost unintelligible talk.
"Now will let YOU see the letter,
81 b,,..