River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-12-21
SOUGHT HER LOST CHILD,
Crazed Mother Did Not Know the Symna-
thetic Woman Who Wept Over Her
Was Her Own Little Girl.

About ten years ago woman stood at her
door; q woman with wan, hungry, marked face
and worn feet. II won't do any HARM said
the intruder pleadingly, Il am only looking
for my little girl. I can't tell you how 1 lost
her and I want to ask you if you have seen
anything of a lost child; thought, maybe, she
might be here"
just at that moment u suppressed groan
came from behind the door. The servant
rushed to the place, forgetting for moment
that anyone was in the open door. She found
Mrs. Mitchell with tears streaming down her
face, presenting a picture of dispair "Bring
her in she said. "Don't stand there looking
at me like that; bring her in The old woman
heard her and came forward. "Have you seen
my little girl? asked the stranger. The wom-
an pointed to a chair and sank down, her face
trembling. The stranger looked over the room
with childish pleasure, glancing at the face of
her hostess and fingered, while gradually there
grew in her eyes piteous, doubtful express
sion .'You said you had seen my little girl,
didn't you ma am?'' Eyes have,'' answered
the woman sobbing, land she has grown the
dearest thing on earth to me-" .Tell me about
her, exclaimed the Stranger-Suddenly stand
ing erect and grasping the arms of the chair
for support pray sit down madam and will
tell you all that know. 1t happened in this
way: Six years ago was returning from the
opera one stormy night in my carriage. Aswe
passed an alley saw in the gaslight girl of
perhaps IL or IA years lying PROSTATE on the
pavement. Ordering the coachman to stop
and pointing to the figure told him to bring
her into the carriage and we took her home
Arriving at the house I at once telephoned for
the doctor then as soon as possible she was put
to bed in a warm room and everything that
could be done was done to restore conscious
ness but nothing could be done until the doc
tor arrived. He soon brought her back to
consciousness but her mind was still cloudy al
though she was able to tell US that she had left
home while in a state of temporary insanity
which was very common to her. She was
completely broken down from exposure to the
cold, from her mental arrangement and from
being without food for so long. We put her
under the personal care of specialist and in a
short time under his skiIful treatment she was
thoroughly and permanently cured and in a
few months she was healthy rosy cheeked
girl as handsome and cheerful as butterfly;
such change from the condition in which we
found her. She has won her way into my
heart and the thought of parting with her
caused me a terrible shock as 1 recognized
your features as looking like those of the girl
She is now completely cured of her Affections
and is as healthy and handsome as rose in
| full bloom =
SUNK BACK INTO HER CHAIR.
The old lady during the story had sunk back
into the chair in a state of partial insensibility
from time to time murmuring, "She was so
young and pretty Such bright little one
She was soon however. fast asleep from utter
WEAKNESS and exhaustion. She finally woke up
but was very weak and could remember scare
ely anything that had happened.
The lady called Margaret into the room and
told her all that had happened; that this was
her mother who, crazed by her loss, since her
leaving home, finally becoming street wand
erer, looking for her girl Upon hearing this
the girl broke into tears, clasped her arms
around the old Woman's neck, calling her
mother and doing all possible to restore her
Such, however, was in vain. The specialist,
Dr. Rea, who had so successfully treated Miss
Hall, was summoned, but, unfortunately, he
was out of the city and could not be had.
| Other physicians were called in and all that
kind hearts and loving hands could do was
| done for the sufferer, but the best treatment
| and attention was of no avail Her daughter
was constantly at her bedside with the hopes
| that her mother might regain consciousness
and recognize her, but she died without re-
| gaining consciousness and without knowing
that the sympathetic woman who wept over
and cared for her was her own little girl
In an interview with Mrs Mitchell she said in
part: 81 regret one thing very much, and that