The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-05-04
DESERVING A BABY
STORY OF GIRL MOTHER WHO
PLACED HER BABY ON A
DOORSTEP.

stu renamed strong IN the neaft OF
~20-year-old Inga Hanson after she
abandoned her month-old baby OF the
steps of a house at 3445 Park avenue
the night of April 3.
She didn't desert the baby, she said
until every penny and every friend
was gone. Then she had to.
But after she left the carefully
wrapped mite on the steps of the
Park avenue house it vas all she
could do to keep from going back and
snatching it up and running away
with it.
All night she lowered about the
neighborhood, lodging into alleys
and behind trees to avoid detection
by passersby.
The long vigil had a purpose. She
wanted to make sure that the baby
fell into good hands.
All night long, from various near
by hiding places, she watched the
house, waiting for someone to come
out of the dwelling and take the baby
in. At last dawn anne The baby
was still on the doorstep.
Surely" thought Inga Hanson,
they'll be getting up soon and when
they come out they'll find baby and
take care of him."
Gradually it grew lighter. The
young woman waited.
And then fear and horror seized
her. The morning sun shone upon a
for rent" sign on the house. The
dwelling was vacant.
Almost in a frenzy, Inga Hanson
Sied time after time to creep from
her hiding place over to the house
and rescue her child. Always there
were persons about and fear of de-
lection held her back. AT last, half
mad, she fled from the neighborhood.
1t was not until last night that the
police, who had been p~ersistently
searching for the mother of the little
Park avenue founding, ferreted out
Inga Hanson's secret and placed her
under arrest.
In the woman's ward of the city
Jail, where she was being held, she
told her story. Long before the po-
lice arrested her she had learned
from the newspapers that the baby
had been found and taken to the city
uOSplLdlt NntIt II ndo bhllflh6s ~
for days before she was arrested, she
had been almost happy, she said-at
least happy as she eyer expected to
be again.
1t was only $50 p. m, when the
young woman cautiously crept up
the steps of the house and left her
precious baby.
Then she hurried away, but not
far.
Right away / knew how a mother
bird must feel when driven off her
nest" she said.
The young woman told her story
between sobs.
II picked out the incest house |
could see, put down the baby and
then ran away" she said. Soon /
came back again and crept into an
alley a little way from where | had
laid him down. / didn't know it was
an empty house. / know it looked
nice and bright from the outside or
else | would not have put him there.
| don't know the number nor on
what street the house is. but the
house is before my eyes always and
| could find ii blindfolded.
"As ! watched through the night
the word, You're no better than a
cat who eats up her babies beat in
my brain. But / didn't want to give
up my baby; / wanted him so badly.
Il want him so badly now" she
cried, Historically.
But what was I to do? My par
ents are in Sweden. My sister here
makes only enough to support her
self and my room rent was up that
night. Besides, l was so weak. |
thought / would drop down any min
ute. The people for whom / worked
before / went to the hospital said
they would take me in after the baby
was born. but they changed their
minds. Everybody turned me away
and kept away from me.
II cried so long until my head
grew dizzy. and then / say things as
I thought they should be; l saw my
self with the baby and its father all
happy together.
But these spells did not last long.
Every footstep / heard made me
spring from my place and run. Once
a policeman went by and then
shieked. But he only stopped a min
ute. looked about and passed on.