The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1905-04-29
FOUNDING ASYLUM STORY
Woman in Search Of Branded Baby
Adopts Child Supposed to
BE Her Own.

What a beautiful romance Balzac
could make of this thimbleful Of fact
were he here: For month or more a
woman Of striking form, with face deep
ly veiled, haunted the orphan and
founding asylums, with view, as she
frankly admitted, to adopting a little
boy. That she was rich could be seen by
hsr habit. That she was Of the higher
walks of society could be told in her
bearing That she was cultured and re-
fined anyone could guess by her voice
and language, relates the New York
Press. She must have boy just SO old,
just so complexioned, just SO tall just
SO featured. The attendants offered
every assistance gladly, as she was most
liberal In purse.
"One may not be too particular in
adopting son or daughter" she said
one day to the matron Of large insti-
tuition, therefore. desire the privilege
Of making personal examination Of
each child that strikes my fancy. There
must not be a blemish on face or body,
not the slightest fault or imperfection. :"
Several hundred children were looked
over without discovering her IDEAL Il
never seen a woman so anxious to adopt
somebody else's kid, an old nurse whis-
pered to the housekeeper. 'If she don't
find what she wants she'll go crazy"
The days dragged on, the yelled woman
continued her quest, becoming more
sorrowing after each disappointment.
Now comes the pretty part OF the
story: 1t was late Eric y afternoon
when the old nurse brought pale little
boy from the sick ward Hes weak and
thin, ma am, she said, "and don't shov
as well as he ought. He ate too much
and got colicky. In day or two he'll
be quite himself again. kinder think
you'd like him, but he's got a queer mark
on his left shoulder blade, not birth
mark, either. There, ma'am," disrbb-
ing the child There amt another
scratch on him. He's perfect model
The yelled woman half suppressed a
scream. She felt the scar, stared at it
through the black fabric that hid her
features. and finally kissed it as she took
the boy in her arms Hes mine, she
said. 1--WE need look no further. The
scar is nothing. 1t will go away in
year. cannot take him with me until
my husband sees him. will telegraph
Immediately for him to cone. You keep
the child. Let no one come near himl
On your life, let him not suffer harm"
By and by a dignified and fiustered
man Of portly form and some 40 years
arrived in cab and looked at the baby
Have you tried the ring?" he whispered
to his wife TT is net necessary. Can't
you see for yourself? Nurse, will you
find some wraps We will take our
treasure along. lie is too precious to
trust here" When the old woman had
turned her back the veiled one took a
seal ring from Ter purse and fitted it
into the scar or the baby's shoulder. Il
am satisfied, said the husband, patting
the youngster rAffectionately. The nurse
fetched some odds and ends to keep the
child warm. When a few preliminaries
had been settled at the Office and the
adopters and adopted were about to de-
part the old woman became fearful.
What? crying over a founding?
You must like the boy" said the man.
tWith ali my heart, gushed the nurse.
"And I'd never let him leave this place
if I wasn't sure he's bein' adopted by
his own mother ana father. And may
God bless himl"
Wasn't that enough to stagger human
ityg 1t took the father and pother
about three minutes to employ the nurse
for life to look after the young man, and
at a wage that shattered forever her
faith in hospitals. sanitariums and asy-
lums. The founding is now installed in /
a silver cradle In one of the fashionable
cross streets uptown. said cradle being
In gilded room in a 35-foot house with
a window on each side Of the entrance.
And the ring that burned the brand on
It's shoulder blade is in the safest de-
Dosit vault in New York.