New-York tribune., 1921-10-04
Baby Adopted
By DR.. Grant
Is Near Death
Little Faith, Abandoned at
Rector's Door Last May,
Sick With Pneumonia:
Physicians Give Up Hope
Impure Milk Is Blamed
Thriving When Taken Away
for Holiday in Country;
Parents Never Disclosed

The Rev DR.. Percy Stickney Grants
adopted little daughter, Faith Willard
Grant, who was abandoned on the
rectol's doorstep, at r West Tenth
Street, one night last May is dying at
Presbyterian Hospital of pneumonia
1t was said at the hospital last night
that she could not recover.
Dr.. Grant, who is rector of the
Church Of the Ascension, sud that he
had been forced to abandon all hope
OF the babys recovery after hearing
the reports of hospital physicians.
Faith was unable yesterday to recog
nize either him or Mrs. John Graham.
his housekeeper Mrs Graham has been
a mother to the five months old waif
since The little girl was received into
the clergyman's household as gift
from God"
Faith became Ill several weeks ago
after she had been sent to the country,
where DR.. Grant and Mrs. Graham
thought the air would be goad for her.
At that time she was in the best of
health. Accompanied By a trained
nurse the baby seemed to thrive in the
country until poisoned by impure milk
Or by germs taken into her system from
some other source, as Dr.. Grant be
lieves. She developed intestinal dis
ease and has been steadily growing
worse since she was brought back to
the rectory week ago and later taken
to Presbyterian Hospital
Foster Mother Retains Hope
Dr.. Grant appeared broken-hearted
feel more keenly the suffering of a
child than he did the illness of the
little girl. Mrs. Graham was equally
distressed, but appeared to have hope
of the chld's recovery. While there
was life there was hope, she said
The word from Presbyterian Hospital
at a. n. was:
Little Faith Willard is desperate
ly ILL.,"
"Is there chance for her recovery ."
was asked
The child is dying was the answer
No one has been able to discover the
parents of Faith Dr.. Grant instituted
inTuiries when the waif first came
under his care but not a trace of the
persons who abandoned her on his
doorstep has ever been found. Mrs
Graham went to the door one morning
III May and found two baskets. One
of them contained the BABY and the
second was filed with clothing. The
garments were of good quality indicat-
ing that the parents might have been
persons of some means. IN the baby's
basket was note which read that the
parents had heard much of the Church
of the Ascension and its rector. They
were assured. they said, that the baby
would be safe IN his hands and COM
mended her to his keeping.
Given Right to Keep Waif
DE- Grant at once accepted the
charge. Within a day or two he an
nounced MS determination to keep the
little girl as his own and expressed
delight at having her in his home
The rector notified the police and the
Welfare Department. He was given
permission to keep the child tenn
polarily. When she was found she
weighed five pounds and was about one
week old Dr.. Grant baptized the child
on May ) and christened her Faith
Willard. The name by which she was
ohristened was an old family one Of
his own.
When Dr.. Grants engagement to
marry Mrs. Rita D'Acosta Lydig was
announced last summer there was spec
ulation as to whether he would keep
the baby III the event Of his marriage.
Mrs. Lydig said it all depended on DR..
Grants wishes and there the matter
rested.