The suburban citizen., 1901-04-27

goes to prove that money does not al
ways make up for other losses; nor
give supreme content. Married and
widowed very early, she had formed
no new ties.
The years had come and gone;
passed at her town house and country
house in turns, according to the sea-,
son, and varied by an occasional So
journ at Nice, Spa, or Ems,
But when she had reached the age
of fifty-fye and realized that old age
was, so to say, within speaking dis
tance, the loneliness of her existence
seemed oppressive, and she resolved
80 make an end OF it.
How could that best be done? Mrs.
Ellison possessed an excellent maid,
and very capable servants; but even
the very best domestics are not quail
fed for the constant society of a gen
tlewoman.
She had tried a "useful companion" 4"
and a "companlonable lady" whose
advertisements in a London daily pa
per had been unusually striking. But
both experiments resulted in dire fail
ure.
One day n happy thought suggested
itself; at least, she hoped it would
prove a happy thought. AS q girl
she had been fond Of children, and
envied those Of her friends who pos
sessed brothers and sisters. AS a
young widow, she had often thought
how happy she might have been as a
mother
So now, in her advancing age, Mrs
Ellison resolved that she would adopt
a child. As 4 matter Of course it
must be a nice child, and well born.
She would prefer a boy, but she would
not refuse a girl if a pretty, sweet
natured girl should be offered. And
it must be small. Not more than three
or four years of age, when it would be
easy for the little creature to forget its
first home and habituate itself to new
surroundings
Mrs. Ellison spoke of her purpose
to only two OF her most intimate
friends. Not because she wished for
their advice for she was the sort Of
woman who acts upon her own judg-
ment and unaided), but because she
chose to acQuaint them with her nten-
tion of cheering her home and her life.
MY dearw said one-an old maid
she was-"don't think Of it! A child
in the house means an end Of peace
and comfort"
"Do you think so?' answered the
widow, with a peculiar smile. "Well,
l fancy I have had too much peace
and comfort. I want a change"
The other friend was the mother of
dozen grown and growing up boys
and girls. She looked doubtful and
suggested that there might be some
difficulty in getting possession Of just
the wight sort Of child.
Il shall advertise" said Mrs. Eli
son.
And few days later the advertise
ment made it's appearance in several
papers, reading as follows;
"A lady Of wealth wishes to adopt
child OF gentle birth not above the
age Of four years. Unexceptionable
references will be given and required"
d
In the small, cheaply furnished sit
ting room Of a house situated in a
fourth-rate London suburb, a young
woman sat scanning the advertise
ment columns Of that days Telegraph
The cheerlessness Of her surroundings
was aggravated by the fact that
though the month was January, the
CRATE was fireless.
The explanation Of this circumstance
was the comparative mildness Of the
| temperature. The young woman, by
name Mrs. Latimer, would have found
a fire cheering that evening; but she
could do without 1t. And hers was one
Of those sad fates which call for do
ing without" all that is not an impera-
tive necessity.
The room was on the first floor
front" as the landlady would describe
1t, and opened into a smell bedroom
which had a view from it's windows
over the back yards and out-buildings
Of neighborng houses.
While Estelle Latimer studied the
Daily Telegraph, her boy slept peace
fully in the back room. His three
years Of llfe's experiences had left
him chubby and cheerful. Even alseep
when the charm Of the brown eyes,
so Ike his dead fathers, was not visi-
ble-he was a handsome little fellow,
who bade fair to develop into a still
more handsome youth and manhood
Estelle had married a poer curate.
They meant to fight the battle Of life
bTavely, side by side. But unfortun-
ately, Mr.. Latimer succumbed to an
attack Of influenza during the second
winter Of thoir welded life, and the
young wife was left with no money,
no future prospects, and little Maur
ice to provide and care for.
Her parents had died, leaving no
worldly goods behind them, and of
near relatives young Mrs Latimer
possessed none. II she had any cous.
in3, more or less distant, they gave no