Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1923-03-03
Dolly, the Hospital
Baby
By ELLA SAUNDERS
70. 1929. western Newspaper uuion)

Dolly, if you're not a good girl,
shall send you back to the hospital
because you're not my real little girl,
you know"
Tears sprang into DOlly's eyes. She
ran to Mrs. Whitcom5s side. Mamma,
mamma, say l am your own little
girl"
Wei, there, darling, Of course you
arer' said Mrs. Whitcomb penitently.
1t was threat foolishly used upon
occasions to control a refractory child.
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitcomb adored Dolly,
their only one.
The genesis Of it all had been six
years before, when Dolly was born
ia the hospital Mrs. WhItcomb, with
sick woman's fancy, had declared
that Dolly was not her child; that
hers was the other little girl who had
been born the same night to another
woman.
It was for a long time in vain that
the nurse, the inatrOn, and the doctor
expostulated There could be no pos
sibility of mistake, they all declared.
Something convinced Mrs. Whltcomb
that Dolly was not hers.
She asked to see the other child,
but was told that it was delicate and
had to be kept in the incubator. Even
her husband was not permitted to see
1t for several days.
When Mrs. Whitcomb was able to
walk about It was shown TO her, a
tiny thing wrapped In flannels. That
al last satisfied her That child could
by no possibility be hers. She turned
with new tenderness to Dolly.
Both Of them adored the little girl,
but nevertheless they foolishly recalled
the incident to the child when she
was naughty 1t preyed upon the little
girls mind often she would awake
screaming In the night and run into
her mothers room 10 be caressed and
treasured that she was actually her
own child
1--WE shouldn't say anything more to
Dolly about that" said Mr. WhItcOmb.
Il suppose it was foolish of me,
his wife admitted
There a scandal at the hospital
little later No one knew just how
II originated, but the governors were
at odds with the doctors, and the doe
tors with the matron, and the matr0n
with the nurses. In the end there
were wholesale designations and the
matron, Ms Peyer, found herself out
of a place after - years of service.
Feeling In the town ran high about
IT, There was great sympathy ex-
pressed with Mrs, Peyer. She herself,
burning with resentment, announced
her intention Of showing up the way
the hospital was conducted. A news
paper war followed. and there was
even talk Of public investigation.
Mr. Whitcomb met her in the street
one day she dilated upon her griey-
ances
Certain things took place there that
wouldn't be tolerated in any decent
place" She said About your little
girl. for Instance"
"What d'you meanT demanded
Whitcomb.
81 suppose you know she's not your
child at allT
81 know nothing of the kind That
was a fancy Of my wifes,"
"Oh. was It? Wen, II happened to
be n true fancy" the woman retorted.
Her child-your chiId-died an hour
after birth II WAS pitiful position.
with your wife SO anxious TO see her
baby. and SO Mrs Bannock-who
h,b oh In 4N,
already-she was told hers had died,
ana the substitution was made"
You're lying. womanl" shouted
Whitcomb
"Oh, no, I'm not Afterward we
showed your wife another baby that
had been born and pretended II was
Mrs Bannocks You 20 and ask the
head physician; he'll tell you the
truth now
She smiled triumphantly But Whit
comb was staggering away, struck des-
oIate by the news. And he knew now
that ne had always known it,
What was 10 be done? His wife
would 50 mad when she learned Yet,
could he in honesty conceal the fact
from herr
He went into the house. He heard
Dolly screaming.
Dolly sald his wffes voice. III
you're nota good girl I shall have to
send you back 10 the hospital as I'm
always telling YOU, because you're not
really my own little girl. you know"
WhIJeomb appeared How often
have asked you not 10 fll the thnd's
head with such uonseuse@" he de-
mauded she'll end By believing it,"
you're quite right" his wife an.
severed peuitently Il will not try TO
tell her such nonsense again
Dolly was screaming Am ! your
girl mamma? Am l. daddy2"
Wen. ] guess So. Whitcomb an
sVercd