Year: 1877

At about ten minutes past three
o'clock Yesterday afternoon dark
featured, middle-aged gentleman
stepped into the office of the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company, at
Spring street and Broadway, and
began pleasant conversation with
one of the clerks. He was tall and
well-proportioned, and had the air of
a Southern gentleman of leisure.
He was neatly, perhaps stylishly,
dressed in a dark suit, with long
flowing spring overcOat, and on his
head was fashionable silk hat that
was heavily draped in Grape. His
face was full and ruddy, and he
wore elegantly trimmed side whis-
kers and an auburn moustache that
drooped over the corners of his
mouth. He said that he was from
New Orleans, and that he desired to
purchase a ticket for Mobile, with
sleeping accommodations for his
wife.


As the man stood leaning against
the rail of the clerks desk, the
street door opened and fine look
ing Irishwoman entered, bearing IN
her arms an infant not more than
ten or twelve months old. The wo-
man was poorly dressed, and over
the head of the little one was spread
a worn and faded stripped shawl.
Advancing to the rail by the side OF
the clerk the woman said that she
was looking for employment, that
she was a chOrewoman, and had
worked at scrubbing floors in the
building adjoining the railroad office.
Before the clerk could reply, the
dark, Southern gentleman smiled at
the babe, and it laughed and crowed
and stretched its arms toward him.


0That is a fine child" the man
said, "a very beautiful child; wish
it was mine. Won't you give it to
me?"


81 don't know what to tell you,
the mother replied, half laughing.


eYou wouldn't take it, would
you!"


answer, 81 will take it now if you
will let me have it. Come here, lit
tie one," the man said, reaching out
hands.


The mother, half doubtingly and
fancying that the gentleman was in
lest. gave her babe to him, and looked
at the man with pleased face as he
tossed it in his arms and kissed it
and talked coaxingly to it of his
pleasant home in the South.


"You'll come with me, won't youg
the man said and then turned toward
the door.


The mother laughed as he petted
her babe, and watched him as ne
paused for a second at the door and
directed the attention of the child
to the endless line of carriages and
neonle in the crowded street. Sud
| denly he lifted the infant to his
shoulder. and hastily opening the
door darted out into the street. He
paused as he looked up the street
for second, and then darted into
the stream of passing vehicles. He
quickly crossed the pavement to the
west side of Broadway, and was lost
in the hurrying multitudes on tn,
sidewalk.


The mother, bewildered, and hard
ly conscious that she was being rob
bed of her child, stood smiling for {
minute, and then, with wild cry
darted to the door, She ran into
the street, calling her little one by
name, and then ran up the sidewalk
; Near Prince street she encountered
) a woman with a little girl, and hur
. riedly and eagerly asked them
+ whether they had seen dark faced
r man passing with little child. Ih'
mother said that she had not, bul
r the little girl answered "Y es, anC
r added that the man with the chile
had Just passed them hurrying OF
with the babe on his arm. Th'


mother ran on faster than befOrI
and at Houston street found al


officer of the Broadway squad, VIII