Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-30
Looker-On In Iona

Iowa Falls, JAM 30.-A story comes
to the writer, true story, the scene
being laid in an Iowa college town
there are several college towns in Iowa,
which has all Of needed features of q
novel, or if put on the stage in
the for moi a drama, would be consid-
cred improbable and not likely to &C.
cur in actual life.
Not so long ago in this referred to
college town a doctor living near the
college campus, after going to bed, was
sure he heard baby crying some
where near his house. Finally he could
stand il no longer. He got up and fol-
/: lowed the sound of the cries, found on
the Steps OF one of the college build
ings Il very small and a very young
girl baby. He carried the child to his
house and his wife helped him to save
the baby's life. He kept the child FOR
several days, and onl, for the reason
his family was large enough. he would
have adopted it, OF course all this
was known in the immediate neighbor
hood, and a childless couple asked for
the baby and got it. Then comes the
next act a few months after this
man and wife that had adopted this
child they had a caller one evening.
The caller was a we'll dressed, ladylike
appearing young woman. She stated
that the child was her own. That it
was born before she was married. To
cover her disgrace. she came from an
other town one night. left the baby on
the college steps. watched it until she
saw the doctor take it home, then she
went to the depot and returned home.
Since that time she had married the
father OF the child: and she wanted her
baby. But the adopted parents re-
fused to give up the child. They had
become attached to it, and besides the
mother Of the child, if it was really
her baby, had no evidence to prove
her claim. For all they knew, this
woman was an imposter who had heard
of their adopting d child and had put
Up q cock and bull story to get it away
from them. SO the young woman left
the house without any further explana-
lions. But there is another act. as all
good dramas put three on the stage.
This time the parents of adoption has
two callers. A man about 80 came
with the young woman claiming to be
the mother of the child. She introduced
him by name and IS her husband and
father Of the child. She gave her resi-
Uellce dIl( OueIeu references DIS 10 he.
husbands standing in the community
where they lived. The child was theirs.
and supplications and entreaty not
prevailing, they threatened law pro-
ceedings. To all this. the man and wo-
man in possession of the child replied
there was no proof of any of their
statements excepting the words they
uttered. They were SO attached to the
ri, 4 ~
one Of their own children to strangers
Then the callers made this PROPOSE
ton. If the child was delivered to
them at Nextown, the father of the
child woulG deed to them a 160-acre
South Dakota farm worth $3.50 an
acre. And this offer was refused.
Money won't buy this baby" said the
mother by adoption.
Think of the possibilities of work
ing up this story for the stage. Some
unknown witness can come forward
and swear before high heaven he saw
this woman arrive on the train, fol-
lowed her and saw her leave the child
on the college building steps. Or in
years after. this bane grown to wo-
! manhood, learns the story of some Cos
| sip. looks up her real parents. finds
| they are now millionaires, wants to
marry some poor but honest young
man, and needs the money. She goes
to her real parents, tells the story, Is
received into the home that is her own
by birth, there her real parents find
out this poor but honest young man"
| is a deep dyed william who wants 10
marry her for her money. Come to
think Of it. perhaps it will be good
idea to copyright this story. Wonder
if d copyright Of a true story will pro-
! tect from infringement. And the best
Fart of this story of real life is that
! it can be published and the parties
interested are known only to bakers
dozen, while the storyteller has sworn
| to secresy, the writer.