The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-28
NEGRO BLOOD IN HER
Wealthy Foster Parents Surprised to
Find What They Had
Done.
They Sent Her Away, but Loved Her
and Took Her Home
Again.

New York, Sept. 2S.-Residing in the
home of a prominent and exclusive Brook
lyn family is an S-year-old mulatto girl,
who up to few days ago believed she
was of white blood.
| In the home where she was reared as
loved adopted child it was not known
| that she was of negro descent until she
| grew old enough to take on the unnlis-
taxable physical traits Of the African
race. It was a startling discovery to the
| childless couple that had taken her as
| their own daughter, to bear their name.
! From a home of refinement, where all
had been happiness and ease, she was sent
back to the cold, forbidding Charities
building on Livingston street, where near
| ly eight years before she had been a waif.
| For seven days, in which the girl cried
herself thin and wan, she waited in the
care, of the Charities department for some
enc to take her and give her another
home. .& - 81 EE E
Then her foster parents called to claim
her and take her back into their home
Despite the bar they loved her and had
missed her so much that they could not
endure her loss. They took her with them
and told her that everything would be as
before.
The whole story was told yesterday by
Commissioner of Charities Charles E.
Teale, in Brooklyn. He related everything
except the names of the family and of
the girl
Adopted Babe Apparently White.
1t was eight years ago when a peaked,
pale-faced baby Waif was picked up by
the Brooklyn Charities department. A few
weeks before that time childless couple.
well known in Brooklyn, had recorded
their application at the Charities depart
ment for a baby to be adopted by them.
They We're summoned to look at the new
founding.
" how he hole e+o Il
baby, the wife snatched it up in her arms
and said she would take it with her right
away. Her husband signed the necessary
papers and the child was legally adopted.
nurse was secured and the child soon
became a fine healthy baby under proper
care and with good food.
The baby was as white as any child
There was no sign of negro blood. Its
thin hair was as straight and light as that
of the fairest white baby in all the land
But after few months the nurse was sur
prised to note certain peculiar traits,
which she knew did not belong to one of
pure white blood. She kept her own coun-
sci, and the foster parents knew nothing
Of her suspicious.
Negro Traits Observed.
1t was two years later before the child
grew so black and its hair took on such
an unmistakable kink that the foster pa
rents were compelled to believe she was
that she had known it for many months
At one period in its life the child's skin
was dark enough for almost any one to
detect its negro parentage, but as she
grew older the negro characteristics were
less pronounced.
The foster parents wanted to get rid of
the child, but they felt under moral OBJ
legations to keep it, and, besides, they
We're very fond of it: They kept the girl
up to three weeks ago. She was given
every advantage that would have been
given to their own daughter. But finally
the secret became burdensome, and the
foster parents determined to give her up
They sent the girl to Commissioner
Teale, telling him they would have to re-
woke their adoption obligations on the
ground that the girl was a negro They
said that the girl must change her name
as they would not have it borne by one
Of her blood.
Now they have reconsidered and have
taken the girl back She will continue to
bear their name.
1t was said last night that the child
would be the only heir to her foster pa
rents and would not only inherit their
name, but would have their entire for
tune bequeathed to her