The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-08-15


Her Babe When Born Twenty Years
Age, and Thrice Since That Time
Has Spurned Her-Fs ther Is Devoted
to Child and viii Build Home For
Her-Some Friends Of the Family
Believe the Mother Is Jealous CT
Her Child.
New York. Aug. L. - For twenty
years Mrs Egbert Y. Strong. rated as
the weRlthlest woman OF Babylon. y.
Y. bias disowned her only child Three
days after the birth OF the child the
mother sent it away. Thrice since that
time the daughter met her parent. and
thrice she has been spurned.
Mr.. Strong loves his daughter dearly
and wants her to live at home he
has left his wife for the girl. but each
time he has returned And during the
two decades of years he has permitted
the child to grow TO beautiful woman
hood under the care OF a kindly family
in no way related to the Strongs.
This strange mother. Mrs. Strong. Is
worth between $500. 600 and S400. 900.
She owns a beautiful home. a stately
white mansion in an aristocratic sec
ton. She is famed locally for her
gowns. her diamonds and her exclu-
sivsness.
Marion GoNdale Strong. the daugh-
ter. now twenty years old. lives in a
family devoted to her. She is now at
the Cornell hotel in Trumansburg. on
the shores OF Cayuga lake. She is
strikingiy pretty. with large brown
eyes. dehcately chiseled features and
a petite. well-rounded figure. She is
good and brave and highly intelligent
To Marion Strong ana all the world
besides the mothers hatred is a rnys-
terry. No one can tell from what f.
springs. But there are friends OF the
family who believe the mother is zeal.
Gus OF her child. and determined that
no atom Of her husbands love shall be
lost to herself.
4 cannot talk about ny little daugh-
ter" said Mr.. Strong. greatly agitated.
1t would be useless for me TO deny
the facts. but to make any statement
would only add TO my troubles"
OF the mothers motives in repudiai-
ing her only child ME. Strong would
say little.
God alone knows why she does it,"
he said. sadly. Il. OF all men. ought 20
know. but do not I only know"-with
an emphatic shake OF his lowered
head-"that she is not insane No. she
knows exactly what she is doing.
ITS all selfshness, / guess II can
be nothing else. have looked for the
motive for twenty years and this is al
have found"
Marion Strong has lived for fourteen
years in the family Of r. J. Hunt OF
n. Y.
The Hunts have one child. a daugh-
ter. named Lucille. OF just the age of
Marion Strong. Together the two girls
have grown up as sisters. sharing
every advantage.
Yes. il is true that my mother will
not see ne. but I try 10 be happy just
he same" said Marion with a smile
And yet love my mother with ali
ny heart she added in lowered
tones.
Father loves me and he loves her
TOO Twice he has left her and come
10 me. only TO go back
Il don't blame mother so much. she
continued. softly. You see. they maize
A mistake in not taking me back 20
leT when ! was a little baby / have
heard that my grandmother turned !
rom my mother when 80 was born. /
ust as mother did from me But they
brought the baby back right away. and |
took II right into her
rms.
With me" continued Marion. with |
sigh, they were not so wise. They |
kept me away from mother until was !
six. Then her &eart had hardened. |
suppose She turned away from me-"
Mrs. Strong was not very i'll at the /
birth OF her daughter. The only feature I
II the case that bothered the doctors
vas their patients seeming hatred Of |
he babe. AS strength returned this
hatred grew. and the mother raved al
The sight OF the child.
On the third day Mr.. Strong placed
bis little daughter In the care Of a dis I
tant relative in Brooklyn. Mrs. Os-
borne. with whom she lived six years.
In 1894 the child was placed In the
Hunt family.