Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-07
MOTHER LOVE
TRIUMPHS AT
Las 7
kFTER SIX YEARS OF DESER-
TON PARENTS CLAIM THE
LITTLE ONE THEY HAD LEFT
BEHIND.


baby for SIX years with Mrs Georgia
Mashburn. OF 90 Greensferry avenue. and
then returned with her husband to reclaim
the child and take Il with her TO her
Northern home.
Behind the facts as they are known IN
Atlanta there may be suffering and woe.
or there may be an irate father. now
dead. who prevented the parents from
rearing their own child. Both theories
have found credence In Atlanta
Mrs. Nashburn has lost the little chest
nut-haired. brown-eyed girl she called
Ruth and IN her place she has 500 IN
cash and note for $50. which becomes
due this fail. Mrs Mashburn would rather
have had the little girl than the money.
and g. sad. The couple from Philadelphia
have been MADE happy over regaining
their baby girl and have returned with
her 20 Philadelphia. although the child
wanted TO remain IN Atlanta
Little Ruth Norwood Is -brown-eyed
little girl OF about years. with the fresh
dfmples OF childhood in her cheeks. with
wavy chestnut hair flowing in curls over
her forehead and with the laughter of"in-
nocence about her mouth. Six years ago
she was brought as a baby TO the home
OF Mrs. Georgia Mashburn, wife OF James
j. Mashburn. a carpenter. OF % Green's
ferry avenue. by a young woman who was
closely yelled She gave her name as
AIRS. Nelson at that time and stated that
she was from Philadelphia
ARRANGEMENTS were made with Mrs.
Nashburn 70 keep the child until she was
called for. which. Mrs. Mashburn was led
10 believe. would be IN a few months.
s.Cau her Ruth until I come again for
her" said the woman who had brought
the child: II am her mother"
Mrs. Nelson as the Philadelphia woman
then called herself, agreed 10 pay Mrs.
Mashburn S a month for keeping the
child. and stated that remittances would
be made every month This was agreed
upon. and after announcing that there
were reasons for concealing the child, she
left
1t the time some to whom Mrs. Mash
burn told the story OF how she became In
possession OF the child believed that the
wounan supposed 70 be Mrs. Nelson had
reasons for concealing the child which
she did not care to tell 10 any one. and
which Il was better that the world should
not know. while with others the opinion
OBTAINED that the alleged Mrs. Nelson
had married her husband against the
wishes OF his parents. and that the child
vas being concealed TO prevent the grand
father OF the baby from knowing that q
marriage had taken place. All this for
the sske % allowing the father TO inherit
the property Of his father.
At any rate. that was six years ago.
Money Came for TWO Months.
FOR two months the remittances came.
and IN all SIS was received BY Mrs.
Nashburn for keeping the child during
the arst SIX years
Then no more money was sent, but Mrs.
Mnshburn was unwilling TO give up the
child and refrained from sending her 70
one OF the charitable institutions OF the
city. The little girl grew into the heart
OF her guardian. and In time was loved
as one OF the family and treated as such.
shc was sent to the West End school
and was one OF the leaders OF her class.
Al Sunday school she was the favorite
of her teachers, and IN the neighbor-
hood OF Mrs. Mashburn's house the little
gfri was the pet OF all who knew her.
So for SIX years Ruth Mashburn. as she
was called. grew into the hearts OF her
foster parents, was nursed BY them and
reared by them and loved by them. And
she loved them I'm return for what they
did for her. for the kind treatment she
received Perhaps there was q tenderer
tone IN the voice OF Mrs. Mashburn and
a kinder touch in her hands. because
she knew the Ead history OF. the little
girl who was each day growing larger and
each day becoming more loving and
loved
The brfzht DAYS OF childhood were bios
FoulinE into girlhOod when the mother
came again That was six weeks ago
AGAIN she came IN a carriage. and again
there was mystery about her coming
This time she called herself Mrs Nor
wood. and again asserted that she was
from Philadelphia She announced that
she was on her way TO visit relatives
IN Savannah and would soon return for
her child. bringing with her the money
that was due Mrs Mashburn for keeping
the child, and a handsome bonus in addi-
ton
The Mother Was Loving.
This she said after clasping the child to
her bosom and almost smothering the
little girl with kisses.
Have you called her RUTH" she asked
OF Mrs. Mashburn. and was pleased that
her instructions had been compiled with.
A month later the woman returned. this
tine bringing with her the man who said
he-was the father OF the child.
This Il the first time have ever seen
little Ruth. my baby" said he. covering
as n apologizing for the ardor Of his
Did Not Like Parents.
Little Ruth was not so glad 70 see her
parents. Child-like. she chung to the par
ents she had known for six years, and
wept bitter tears Of anguish when she
was told that she would have to 60 with
the strangers
Il don't want to go with that new
mamma" she said. running to Mrs. Mash
burn Please don't let them take me-
But Ruth was, taken by her parents to
the Marion hotel where they were stop
ping, and was kept there for several days.
Then came the matter Of the money. At
s. per month for six years the amount
due Mrs. Mashburn was s576. In addition
there was the bonus which had been
promised Mrs. Norwood declared that she
could not pay the amount at the present
and a note for $3.50. which viii be due this
fan. Mrs. Norwood promised that when
the note was paid she would give the
bonus for the excellent care that was
taken Of the child
she also promised to write. but that has
now been more than two weeks ago. and
she has not yet been heard from. Her de-
parture with her husband from the Ma
rfor was unexpected by these who knew
her In Atlanta. and they are IN: avn re
where she has gone. although IL Is the
belief that she has returned to Philadel-
phia-
Meanwhile there Is mourning at the
Mashburn home on Greensferry avenue
for the bright-faced. brown-eyed girl
called Ruth. who was loved as a daughter
and who loved as a child only can love.
The neighbors have asked for her. but
they have not been told where she went.
and few know the story OF her strange
parentage-