Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-25
COME HOME, FATHER, COME HOMER,
Plaintive Cry of q Chicago Orphan
Where IL the ParentF

Plaintive Cry of q Chicago Orphan
Where IL the PARENT
The Chicago Tribune of the 23d inst.
prints q quarter page reproduction Of q
photograph Of a little girl asleep on a
lounge. Nearby a dog watches the sleep
ing child. The picture IL entitled ION
Guard and was awarded first prize in COM
petition with seventy-hve others in ILL.,
nois. Attractive and appealing as the pio-
ture is. the story attached to it is more
80, and should awaken interest In every
home The child is an orphan. Her
mother died soon after the child's birth,
and the whereabouts Of her father is un-
known. The picture was printed In the
hope that 1t might lead to his discovery, and
the story vouched for by the Tribune, is
reproduced below, for the purpose Of pro-
noting the search for the wandering par
emit.
Father and children are nameless for the
purpose of this story. Perhaps only he
knows why he went away from his mother.
less little ones. No one is sure that he Is
living. But kindred and former friends are
hoping, and there is belief among them that
he may be somewhere In Chicago, buried In
it's cosmopolitan Businesses of humanity,
and they hope that the instincts Of father
hood may be awakened in him by this like
ness Of another child, grown so like his
shadowy remembrance OF that one dead
under the SHOWS of a northern winter.
To an enfeebled grandfather fell the care
Of these wo babes when the father turned
from them nearly three years ago. Love
for the son and love for the orphaned
grandchildren made wratchedness and mis-
cry for the old man.
Where has papa gone?" was the insis-
tent cry of the elder babe. until the heart
OF the old man was sore.
Then, when the question had been I'M
answered for weeks, q new fear awoke in
her heart.
when will papa Gomez" was the wall.
'"When will papa conner
"Oh, some time, dear" was the prayer of
the grandfather; "some time-some time
soon."
But the father had not come when, weary
Of waiting and watching. the child crossed
over into those green pastures which lie,
sunlit. by the still waters.
Has she found him there? Or is the
father. in the flesh, to come to this other
little pne in the flesh and, with the memor
Of the dead in his heart, give to her the
L AON0 W III AalhCA n - hONO4 AhOWhs
That love Of a father which sent his nrst-
born into the unknown with che word,
papa on her lips?
st adopted this baby Of the picture"
writes the foster mother Of the child. Her
father was my first husbands brother. I
took this child after the older one had died
OF grief. and today the poor grandfather Is
wearing his life away longing to see his
SON This little one bears such a wonder
full resemblance to the older child as she
was when the father left them that by that
resemblance and by the likeness OF the dog.
that was the dead child's playmate, I be-
lieve I can find the father.
He is somewhere in Chicago, 1 believe
lin the city or its vicinity. He knows I
adopted his child, but no one up here knows
but the little one is my owl and for that
reason 1 want to find him without making
public the fact that the little one is only
my adopted daughter. He will recognize
this picture at once II he sees It. After
advertising for i'm everywhere I az last
thought Of this picture and II you assist in
winning him back TO his father and hud
God alone will be able 70 repay you"
In q motherly way abe goes on to speah
OF the charms OF Dorothy" as the child
now almost 4 years old, is known:
"Her father has not seen her since she
grew into an age where she was particu-
larry interesting or beautiful. I have 9
little one OF my own now. but this strangely
beautiful child is fully as dear to me as my
own and unless something unusual hap
pens I never want her to know hat I al
not her mother. II in any way I can wiz
the father back through the little one
shall teach her to love and respect him
II Is that / want to do. as we'll as to have
him be again the comfort to his feeble OLE
father-which he once was.
my own little one is not beautiful. bu
this child Is noticed even in large gather
ings for her beauty OF face and figure. shi
: is 3 years and IL months old. unusuall!
. bright at learning and months ago wa
able to say her multiplication table o
tWos. II has always seemed as II he
Heavenly Father had endowed her will
more than the usual allowance OF graces u
I atone for her sad loss and When I SEQ tn
D little ono loved and admired BY both higl
and low It pleases me more than l cal
: tell.
5 81 do not want the little ons's life MARIE
9 in any way by the publicity which her III
d story would give her. She has relatives Of
q both sides in Chicago aud for AL Of thet
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