Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-01
RAA@ + r f. I. + f. + + I. f. f. f. 4. r. r f. +
A DARK DEED

Bv ETA w. PIERCE

| nlnSell Is sore pTeulCdllSIll. "A HOS|
of difficulties confronted him. Gould
he go to his father burdened with g
dead or dying infant? Surely not
What, then, was to be done with the
little helpless body that lay so still
and voiceless in the shawl? Here was
dilemma. Dying or dead, the child
must be provided with some temporary
shelter. Suddenly he felt a movement
in his arms. Verify, she still lived!
She struggled-she gave utterance to
feeble cry.
BY this time he had reached a street
corner, where a small drug shop Stood
and the cheerful light, the colored jars
and bottles in the window, made a
patch of brightness on the dubious
night. Next to the office of a physi-
clan this place above all others prom
ised help to the perplexed young faith
er. He opened the door and entered.
A dapper little man in threadbare
as yellow ivory, stood behind the coun-
ter Luckily no other person was pres
ent Greylock, reckless now of appear
ances, walked up to the compounder of
pills and potions and opened the
shawl.
Can you do anything for this in
fant?" he asked, with bitter sense of
guilt, for he had taken the child from
ono sor+ of ,,,iSar,y op1xy to ,,lunoa n In :
to another even worse. The little man
put on his spectacles, and, leaning over
the counter, with a surprised, not to
say suspicious air, looked at Greylock's s
burden and shook his bald head.
II should say not, sir; it is a case for
regular practitioner. You had better
get it home at once and send for medi-
cal help"
"She has no home" cried Greylock,
desperately. Great God! what am to
do? Do you know Of any shelter to
which I can carry her for a few hours
I am obliged to leave the city at once,
and I will pay anything in reason for
a roof to cover her for the night"
The old druggist eyed askance the
handsome and apparently well-bred
young gentleman, who was meanderins
the streets this chill and dreary even
ing in the character of nurse.
rs the child yours?" he asked.
Yes" answered Greylock.
Where is the mother"
THAT is my affair.""
"Oh, yes-of course. l beg your par
don. Well, sir there are certain insti-
tutions"-
'I am not seeking an institution
only a shelter for few hours, as l said
before"
The little man took off his specta-
cles.
Really, sir" he began, 81 do not
know of such a place.
Then the door of the shop opened,
and a woman entered.
She was young, and fresh and come
ly to look upon. She wore a print
gown, a black shawl and a straw bon
net. She stepped up to the counter and
dropped a bit of silver upon it.
"A little catnip. if you please, sir, "
she said to the druggist, "and some
aniseseed."
Greylock moved back a step. With
some interest she stole a glance at him
and at the child in his arms, then pick
ed up her packages from the counter
and went quickly out. Greylock was
about to follow, when the little man, as
if struck by a sudden thought, called
after him:
BLESS mel that young woman might
be of service to you, sir-she keeps
baby farming establishment in a
neighboring court.
Baby farming. Greylock shuddered.
What sort of p place is it?" he ask
ed, reluctantly.
u really do not know" replied the
cautious druggist. 1T is run by two
women-this young one and her moth
er-in-law. They buy their drugs here,
and seem quite as respectable as the
majority of people. l can only tell you
that children are taken by them to
board-more than this you must find
out for yourself"
Where is the house?"
mo ., in the court just round the
corner; you cannot miss it,
"A thousand thanks" muttered Grey
lock, and he darted out of the shop.
By the time he reached the street the
young woman had vanished. However
he found the court without difficulty
and the door of No. 2. There was a
bell and he pulled it smartly, and in
answer to his summons the very per-
son that he had seen at the drug shop
appeared. with her black bonnet and
shawl still on. She recognized her Wis
itor instantly.
Come in, sir" she said, and moved
back to make way for him.
Greylock followed her into room
scantily furnished but warm and tidy
where a good fire was burning, and
where, at an ironing board, another
woman, past middle age, stood smooth
ing out CnlluIell > lllllc SCil HitllNo' -
row of clean nursing bottles glistened
upon shelf against the wall, and
through a half-Open door GreylocR
caught a glimpse of another room and
of it's cots filled with tiny sleepers. lie
turned to the person who had admit
ted him, and held out to her his bur-
den.
The druggist ct the corner directed
me here" he burst out For GodS
sake. take this child and do something
for her. She is sick, and | have 9
journey To make tonight, and must
leave her behind me"
She took the bundle from his arms
Not a word escaped her. but she lei
her bonnet and shawl slip down To the
floor, and. dropping into tn" neares,
chair, began To cNamirr tn" infant with
the air of a physician. GreylOck no.
| ticed that her face looked even more
kind and cnmely Low than il had in the
| shadow of the bonnet, and that hel