Year: 1878




''There was fellow died in the workhouse
the other day." said Deputy Coroner Praedi-
low, in his most matter. of fact manner, ''and
when that mans son grows up he will in
herit big property in this town.


Here the deputy stopped and looked out
of the window, abstractedly surveying the
pleasing expanse of Clark avenue mud.


well, tell it all while you are about il"
urged reporter little impatiently.


The deputy chuckled little, made some
remark about items being scarce, and then
went on. Out on Market street there lived
a very respectable and wealthy German, who
was brewer. This was about IL or Is years
ago. His wife lad never had any children,
and as the time approached when the advent
of baby was expected the event was looked
forward to with great anxiety. The poor
little atom of humanity came into the world,
and with wall went out of it, They carried
the little corpse into an adjoining room,
and there the doctor, the midwife and the
father consulted. To add to the great shock
OF maternity the tidings of the bereavement
would, the doctor said be fatal, and vet
before an hour or two at the furthest the
yearnlngs of motherhood would demand the
child. 1t was an outlook to appall stout
hearts. The consultation was hurried. When
it was over and the trio had mutually
pledged secrecy, the brewer took his hat and
hurried out of the house.


To the south of this mansion lay little
collection of houses, the abOdes of the poor
In one lived an Irishman and his wife, the
latter worthy woman. The man was shift
less, "a drinker and worthless. Into the
squalid home that very day had come baby.
The mother lay on a miserable bed, child
baby by her, attended by one of the neigh
bors The father sat by the cold stove and
thought moodily of the extra mouth as he
reflected how poorly he had provided when
there were only two. The door was pushed
open and the brewer appeared. He beckoned
the Irishman out, and in the dark, chill
night they talked in undertones for few
moments. Then the man went in, and on a
pretext the attendant was induced to go to
her home. The brewer took the place she
vacated.


Then the poor Irishman and the rich Ger
man told between them what had happened
at the mansion.


Madame said the brewer, II want your
baby. L will take him and make him my
own son. He shall take the place of the
dead child. No one shall ever know the
change He shall have education and every
thing, and when he grows up he shall be my
heir. | will take the child, and what tran
spires this night shall be buried between u.s.
The dead baby shall be brought here and
buried as yours: You and your husband
shall be paid $4,000"


The mother strained her baby to her and
groaned in anguish The men stood and
waited. She sobbed a little and looked
around upon the desolate surroundings
Then she wrapped the little form in almost
the only piece of bed clothing, and pressing
it once more to her breast, put it in the
brewers arms, said Take it." and buried
her face in her hands.


Come" said the brewer, and he hurried
over the then unimproved commons, up
Eighteenth street and into his house. The
Irishman followed him. In the outer room
to the sick chamber the infant was hastily
transferred to dainty wraps which had been
prepared for the dead baby. The latter was
given the ragged counterpane for a winding
sheet, and as the midwife, with beaming
face. passed into the sick room bearing the
little stranger, the Irishman passed out the
other door carrying the little corpse.
The pledge made at the mothers bedside
| was kept. The Irishman and his wife re-
ceived $4,000 and preserved their silence.
The price that the blrthright brought dis
appeared finally through bad management
and the mother died. The man lived on,
alternating between low haunts and the
workhouse. The brewer befriended him
| time and again, and finally died. One night,
in workhouse cell, the man died also, and
| the coroner was the only mourner at the
| brief obsequies the next day.


The transplanted baby has grown almost
| to manhood since then, and be bears his
adopted name right worthily. If the foster
mother learned in after years loves decep.
ton, she has never shown by acts that it is
not her flesh and blood she nourished. By
and by the young heir will step into a
fortune, and take bis position among the
solid young men of St. Louis.


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