The Press., 1915-11-03
A FOSTER
CHILD
How a Conspiracy Was Or
ganized to Rob Her
BY ESTHER vANDEvEER


Ethan Trowbridge, a miner in Colo
RADIO, who had been prospecting on his
own account, came to his cabin one
evening sick and discouraged. He had
some time before entered a claim on
which he had found evidence of gold
and had been endeayoring to show that
1t was OF sufficient value to enable him
to secure capital to develop 1t. While
working In the rain he had caught a
severe cold and had on this memora-
BILE evening come to his home never to
leave 1t again. In few days he died.
Trowbridge left a wife and a little
daughter three years of age. The
widow was absolutely pennlless. She
made every effort to support herself
and her little girl, but she, too, soon
broke down in health and followed her
husband to the grave.
The only person who ministered to
her In her last illness was a negro wo-
man commonly called Aunt Sue. At
Mrs. Trowbridge's death Aunt Sue car,
took care Of her the same as one of her
own children.
Twelve years passed. Edith Trow-
bridge, now fifteen years of age and
old enough to understand that she was
living with a different race from her
own. left her foster mother with deep
gratitude for her kindness to go forth
into the world to earn her own living.
The old woman parted with her re-
luctantly. But her own children were
at work, and she realized that it was
time Edith should be- Besides, it
was proper that the white girl should
associate with those of her own color.
Edith Trowbridge found a position
as nurse with a Mrs. Kimball, a lady
who shortly afterward removed to st.
Louis, taking the girl with her. Edith's
that she sent her to school, where, be-
Ing very bright. she learned rapidly.
At nineteen she had become a member
Of the Kimball family, though she con-
tinued to relieve Mrs. Kimball of many
household duties.
Edith Trowbrfdge was known dur
ing the time she lived with Aunt Sue
by the name Of Springer, that being
Aunt Sues name, so far as she had a
name. While with Mrs. Kimball she
became known as Edith Kimball At
twenty years of age she was enjoying
many social advantages and was a IA
vorite. Among her young men friends
was Arthur Ingersoll, who had recently
been admitted to the bar and gave
promise of a successful career. Inger-
soil fell In love with Edith. She recip-
and they became engaged.
One day n man appeared at Aunt
Sues cabin and told her that Edward
Springer, her master when she had
been a slave, had died and left her and
her children $1,000 each. All she had
to do to secure her Inheritance was to
give him list of her children. Aunt
Sue could not write, but she gave the
man the names required and, in order
to serve her foster child, included
Edith. The man took down these
names, and Aunt Sue made her mark
at the bottom of the list, a neighbor
being called in to witness the sigma
ture.
1t was about this time that a letter
came to the st. Louis postoffice adj
dressed to Edith Trowbridge at the
Kimball address. Edith opened the
letter, wondering who 1t was who knew
her by her real name. The writer
asked her If she would sell u four
acre lot, of which she was the owner.
on Clear creek. near Georgetown. Colo.
and If so what price she put upon it.
This was Greek to Edith, who had
no knowledge Of such lot and believed
the writer had made a mistake. So
she wrote him to this effect. He wrote
back that the land had been pre-empt-
ed by one Ethan Trowbridge seven
teen years before and 1t was supposed
that she was her fathers only heir.
Edith now referred the letters to her
lover, who took the matter up and
through a correspondent In Colorado
discovered that a valuable vein of ore
had been discovered on property adj
joining the claim entered by Ethan
shortly before his DEATH
The vein was supposed to extend
through the Trowbridge claim, and
many persons were trying to find the
owner of the Trowbridge property in
order to buy 1t.
On learning these facts Ingersol took
there was joyful meeting, Edith hav-
ing become an heiress. 1t was ar
ranged between them that he should
go to Colorado as her agent and look
into the matter. So after Edith had
signed a power of attorney to that eff
feet they parted, and the next day In
gersoll started westward.
That was the last meeting between
the lovers for some time. The next
word Edith received from her lover
was a letter from Colorado In which
he informed her that he had received
a severe blow, which must also fail on
her with equal force. He informed her
that he had seen convincing proofs that
she was the daughter not of Ethan
but of a negress named
Susan Springer, who had certified that
Edith was her child.
OF course all was over between them.
since he could not bring himself to
marry a girl with negro blood in her
veins. He was heartbroken.
The shock to Edith was fur greater
than to Ingersoll. She had lost her
lover, she had been disappointed in
her Inheritance, and Aunt Sue had GER
titled that she was of the negro race.
For a time the girl was so far crushed
that she was incapable of taking any
action; then, when the first anguish
had passed, she made her confession to
Mrs. Kimball. That lady gave her
heartfelt sympathy, and when Edith
her that she had a faint re-
of her white mother the
lady offered to assist her in securing
proof as to her real parentage.
A few days later, having been fur
nished with what money she needed,
Edith started for Colorado. On arriv-
ng there she went at once to the cab