Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-07-10

cable Of the safety Of her child. and
unless Mr.. Meyer or his associates
gave the story to the press it would not
be known,
We'll" he unused. 10y will not kill,
and shall witness it in its fullness if |
take her by surprise. But the chances
are that it will get into the papers be-
fore reach her 1t is too good for Mr..
Meyer to keep"
But the story was not given out Inn
mediately. Mr. Meyer called a confer
ence Of the underwriters concerned
in the insurance OF the Titan, at
which it WAS decided to remain 81
lent concerning the card they hoped to
play and to spend a little time and
money in hunting for other witnesses
among the Titans crew and in inter-
viewing Captain Barry to the end of
improving his memory. \ few stormy
meetings with this huge obstructionist
convinced them of the futility of fur
ther effort in his direction, and. after
finding at the end of a week that every
surviving member of the Titan's port
had been induced to sign for Cape voy-
ages or had otherwise disappeared,
they decided to give the story told by
Rowland to the press in the hope that
publicity would avail to bring to light
corroboratory evidence.
And this story. improved upon in the
repeating by Mr.. Meyer to reporters
and embelliShed still farther by the re-
porters as they wrote it up, particular
ly in the part pertaining to the polar
bear. blaZoned out in the great dailies
of England and the continent and was
cabled to New York. with the name Of
the steamer in which John Rowland
had sailed for his movements had
been traced in the search for evil
dence,. where it arrived too late for
publication the morning of the day on
which. with Myra on his shoulder, he
stepped down the gangplank at
North river dock. AS consequence
thuslastic reporters, who spoke of the
story and asked for. details He re-
fused tn talk escaped them and, gain
ing the side streets. soon found him
self in crowded Broadway. where he
entered the office Of the steamship
company in whose employ he had been
wrecked and secured from the 'ritan's
passenger list the address of Mrs
selrrldge, the only woman saved.
Then he took car up Broadway and
aliyhted abreast of a large department
store.
"We're going to see mamma soon,
Myra." he whispered in the pink ear,
land you must go dressed up. 1t don't
matter about me. but you're a Fifth
avenue baby-a little aristocrat. These
old clothes won't do now" But she
had forgotten the word mamma" and
was more interested in the exciting
noise and life of the street than in the
clothing she wore. In the store Row.
land asked for and was directed to the
children's department. where a young
woman waited on him.
"This child has been shipwrecked,"
he said. II have $lG.5O to spend on
It. Give 1t bath. dress its hair and
use up the money on dress. shoes
and stockings, underclothing and a
hat" The young woman stopped and
kissed the little girl from sheer SYM
pathy. but protested that not much
could be DONE
do your BEST" said Rowland. 1T
Is all | have. l will wait here"
An hour later penniless again, he
emerged from the store with Myra,
bravely dressed in her new finery, and
was stopped at the corner by police
man, who had seen him come out and
who marveled doubtless at such iuxta-
position of rags and ribbons
Whose kid We got?' he demanded
Il believe 1t is the daughter of Mrs
Colonel Selfridge," answered Rowland
haughtily-too haughtily by far
"Ye believe, but We don't know
Come back into the shtore, me tourist
an We'll see who ye shtole it from"
Every we'll, officer; can prove pos
session" They started back, the off
Ger with his hand on Rowland's col
lar, and were met at the door by 8
party of three or four people coming
out. One of this party, young wo
man in black. uttered a piercing shrel
and sprang toward them
"Myra!' she screamed. "Give me-
my baby! Give her to me!'
She snatched the child from Row
lands shoulder, Rugged it, kissed it
cried and screamed over it; then, OBJ
livious to the crowd that collected, in
continently tainted in the arms of al
indignant old gentleman.
You scoundrel!' he exclaimed as ht
fourished his cane over Rowland's
head with his free arm. "We'vt
caught you. Officer, take that man t
the station house. l will follow an(
make charge in the name of my
daughter"
"Then he shtole the kid. did hep
asked the policeman 49,.
"Most certainly" answered the oil
= gentleman as, with the assistance O.
the others, he supported the uncon
= scious young mother to carriage
They all entered, little Myra scream
ing for Rowland from the arms of
female member of the party. and wer
driven off. IN
"C'man WI me- uttered the officer
rapping his prisoner on the head witt
his club and jerking him off his feet.
~ Then, while an approving crowd ar
plauded, the man who had fought an
conquered hungry polar bear wa