HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1904-09-30, Page 7A lx.n :h, and the clean clothing made
a wonderful change in the little !el-
ides'', and when be wa,s fully dressed,
and he,hair combed and brushed, Mr.
Carrot permitted him to look in the
glass. c
An expression of astonishment
lighted Iris face as he gazed at the
reflected figure—a, pale,' spiritual -
looking boy, with delicate. refined
features, .and remarkably beautiful
Vas-
Close questioning induced the boy
td tell what t he knew of his anteced-
ents. He haei been an inmate of the
poor -house, where continued 111 -
treatment forced him to run away,
and be became the associate of street
gamins, newsboys and bootblacks,
wthu passed their nights in a low dis-
triet in the neighborhood of Wapping
Way. He was called Jim, and having
Gorr a time been in the lxabi tor sleep -
log in a crockery crated,he bore the
nickname of "Jim-o'he-Crockery-
Crate." H'ibi only warm friend was
a young man named Tom Dill, a fire-
man. After a few. days, when Jim
had recovered his strength, Mr. Car-
mol put his young charge in a private
school which was kept by a worthy
wioman in the neighborhood ; and, by
agreeing to pay an extra sum . for
tuition, the lady promised to take
especial pains with her now pupil.
Tjhen Mr, Carrot endeavored to -find
a (trage of Tom Dill. After a long
search he discovered him in an hos-
pital .for disabled firemen, a sufferer
from an accident that had occurred
nearly two years previous, causing a
crippled leg. Otherwise the mane was
In fairly good health.
Mr. Carrot announced his business,
sand Tom Dill told him all he knew
regarding Jim, the waif.
"It's a Iittl•e over six years ago,"
be said, "when the fire occurred at
the Ardmore Hotel, in Castlemaine
street. When our engine, No. 45,
dashed up, the fire was all over the
house, and 'twasn't no use to try to
save the house. The most we could
do was' to prevent the flames spread-
ing into the other houses. Everybody
was thought to be out ; but, all of a
sudden there came an orful scream
from a winder in the fifth story, and
a big groan was let loose 'whets'twas
Sound that a woman an' a baby was
still in that 'ere burnin' shell. No-
body wanted to risk goin' to 'em—
for there was little hope of iver
reaclrin' 'em, lot alone savin' 'em. I
was ttie only man in the company
th,a,t ) adn't a family, an' I said
I'd try for it. Ladders were
hoisted, an' up I went like a
squirrel -- I was ' spryer'n I
be now. iWthen I got to the woman
she was whiter nor any sheet; but
she was game, I tell yer. She reach-
ed the baby down to me afore I got
to the top.
'e'er stronger 'n I, an' surer -foot-
ed,' she said ; 'save him an' Til take
care o' myself.'
"'Se I went fust with the young
one, an she followed as close as she
could. But, Lord !"—here the mane;
lips grew tremulous and he turned
his eyes away from his companion—
"somehow, the little fellow's clothes del cats, refined features; hie glossy
got afire in passim' a winder, where brown ,Bair was fine as eiik; his
the flames burst out suddenly on us— hands and feet were small and sym-
metrically formed,
And now,. added to these self-evi-
dent pexins, to learn that he had
been richly -clad and stopping with
his nurse in a first-class hotel on
the night of the fire, were facts tbat
afforded Mr. Carrot no little sati-
falartioW.,
He wondered if the boy's parents
had also )seen Inmates of the ill-fated
hotel, and had perished in the flames,
notwithstanding the fireman's asser-
tion that it w,as supposed everybody
"I don't think it, sir, they was
scorched an' burned almost to a cin-
der afore we got to the,ground, an'
not worth tnppe,nce."
".Well, now tell me something about
the woman," commanded the young
man, with a regretful sigh.
"Weal, sir, she was sick a long time,
from that 'ere hurt on the head, an'
when she did begin to mend, it was
found that her brain didn't work
right, and she couldn't remember
anything that 'ad 'appened an' she
paid no more heed to the baby! than Qf
she'd never seen him before."
"Do you mean that the blow from
that brick left her an Idiot ?"' in-
quired Mr. Carroll in a shocked tone.
"Waal, suthin' after that sort, I'm
thtnkin'," replied Tom Dill.
"'She knew, enough to eat an' drink,
wash, iron an' scrub, but.she could-
n't tell her own na°rne, nor where
she was from, nor notion' else the
people wanted to know about,"
"Is she living now?"
"Yes, sir, an' she be as well an'
strong as yersel,."
"Where is she?"
"At the 'ospital where she has been
ever since."
"Can 'any ane 'get permission to vis-
it her ?" inquired the young man,
eagerly.
"Yes, sir, but little good it'll do
yer to sea her. Ye may ask ber ;forty
questions an' 'she`ll look at yer in
a dazed kind o' way for a minute
an' then go on with her scrubbin'.
I know, for I've tried to make her
talk no lend o' times."
"When did you go to see her last?"
Mr. Carroll inquired.
"It's six months or more, I reckon ;
my rheumatiz have made me se lame
an' stiff I couldn't git about very
well,' glom Dill explained.,
"What name is she known by fatithe
hoispital ?"
"The help about the house call 'er
`Crazy Moll,' but I've heard 'the
pusses speak gentle to her and call
her Mary. She be very good to work,
mindin' what's told her, an' makes
no talk."
"Do you think she could be the
Child's mother ? D:d he }sok like her?"
questioned Carrot.
"No, sir, lie 'didn't," the man re-
turned in a positive tone, "S,he was
no mother to him."
"What makes you think so ? How,
then, dad they happen to be toge-
ther ?" t i•
"'Twee plain encugh, sir, let alone
the nurse's cap an' apron she hereon;
an' that wear another thing that
made me think the little chap was
a blue -blood."
Mr. Carrot at 'last began to feel
that he was- gleaning some rays of
light in connection with the little
waif who had so strangely fal on into
plus hands. ,
Everything, thus far, tended . to
show that Jim had come from a' good.
family. Carrot had felt sure of this
in Isis own mind before this interview
witty the f'reman, for ho was very far
from be'ng a common -looking child.
Ile had a well -shaped head, with
though ebay put a stream on from
below afore the woman got into it—
an' the clothes were all ablaze in a
minute and he yellin' like murder.
i tried to smother It out, but the
kid's poor little lege was burned
orfuI afore we got down.."
! this explains how those un-
sightly scars came on Jim's limbs,"
Mr. Carroll here interrupted.
"Yes, sir ; are I'Il never forget
tiolw I ,felt when I saw thiem great
blisters on the 'poor little chap. 'If d
it had .green me I wouldrl t ha'.flinch- had ersca pe .
ecu, but to see that 'ere tender baby One of two things he felt sure
squirmin' an' suff'rin' was more'n I must bo the fact : either they had
could stand, an' I was just ready to fallen victims in the fearful conflag-
blubber when the woman touched ration, or they could not have been
ground an' reached out to take him. In the city. • a
,But just that minute a brick game
tumbltn' down from, the wail, hit
the ladder, boureed off, and struck
her "'lamp on tho head."
"Ah 1" ..ejaculated Tom Dill's listen-
er, with a shudder.
"She dropped like lead, where she
'stood, an' then she and the baby
were both trundled off in the ambu-
lance to tithe 'ospital."
"Oh ! did she die ?"' demanded Mr.
Carroll, with almost breathless eag-
erness.
"No, poor thing !" returned Tom
with a sorrowful shake of his head.
''i was so cut up over the baby's
ficin' burned on my' bands, I went to
tho. Hahnemann 'Ospitai ivery bless-
ed visitin" day to' see how heaves git-
along. His feet an' legs were
eternal sore for a, while, but they
healed fust ,rate; though the scars
used to make my eyes water. After
a, while he got to know me,, an' wvateld
dance an' orl,per, fit to make my heart
glad, ivery time Iphowe,d my old/ mug
inside the door,' and a smile of
pleasure 'lighted the man's face at
the remembrance. '
"Holy old was he ?" i'ir Carroll in-
quired.
"Nigh on .{to two year,I should; say,
an' be wasn't no common sort o' baby
;either," Toni Dill continued, Impres-
sively. "I could 'a,' sworn be bad blue
blood in him,'.
'",What made you think that ?" lo-
wered his companion. I
"tWall, ile looked it ivery Inch of
him, an' J.n spite of the hubbub art'
i danger, the night 0' the fire, I took
note of ttl'xe clothes lie bad on, an'
they was like some o' them fairs+
Wage ye'31. see In th'•babg- ; chaps,
an Begrent street;"'
",l wonder if they were liresereed?"
Sad stir, 04.11t0T1, InauiringlYs, , .,
Ile asked Mem Dill what he thought
abaut it.
"No, sir—they never was burned,"
he positively asserted, "for no signs
of any bodies' was found when the
rubbish was cleared away."
"Birt the woman must have been
registered—did no one think to exam-
ine the books to ascertain who elle
was ?'! Mr. Carrel inctuired.
"Yes, sir ; I went myself to the
clerk, but the books was burned, and
he told me there'd been no inquiries
for the woman or tlue baby. It's a
puzzle, sir—a puzzle that I fear me,
will never be cleared up," tbe man
concluded, w,ithi a grave shake of llis
head.
Mr. Carrot also feared that suet
Cwould be tbe casae, but he lead no in-
tention of reltnquis1iing his efforts.
unt 1 1-e should exhaust every possible
nxeatia to solve, the mystery regard-
ing Itis protege's identity.
He' thanked Tom Dill for his infor-
mation and promised to bring James
to e'ecc trim very soon ; then, slipping
a, generous guerdon into the man's
hand, he bade him good -day and
went away.
Tie proceeded, directly to the Hair,-
nemann II•ospitalrwh>ere, seeking the
superintendent, he continued to push
.his .inquiries' still further.
The man, however, did not appear
to know; much about the case, as he
had but recently succeeded the ere -
vibes Manager, wil:o lira died souse
six months before.
But he said, the `head nurse in tbe
• womanes department, who had been
in 'the institution ''for ten years or
r ore, might be, able to give him in -
f t'matton regarding .diel: matter in
gu ►stlroa. s,
"Yes," the superintendent eeplled
to id.. ewer auei:v. "there was a
obore woman on the premises who
was known as Crazy Moll, or Ittary,
but she was little better than an
idiot.. " , °
Then, excusing himself, he went to
summon the bead nurse of whom be
bad spoken. e , OO
• CHA]?T$P. -1.
The tread nurse of the woman's de-
partment soon made her aPpearauce
and said that she remembered, per-
rectly, all the facts cr nneeted with
the a enession of the poor victims of
that terrible fire in Castlemaine
street.
The woman, who' had never been
known 'by , any other name than
Crazy. Moll, or Mary, had been Its a
very. critical condition when she
was brought to the hospital.
She was unconscious, and re-
mained so for a long time, and
when she did finally arouse, it was
was only to rave Tor weeks in the
delirium of brain fever.,
The child, she stated, was very
badly burned on his feet and legs,
but he recovered very quickly, and
being such an attractive child, be-
came the pet of the children's ward.
He was retained in the institu-
tion much longer than It patient
was usually allowed to remain, for
it was hoped that the woman would
ultimately recover and be able to
identify the boy, when he could be
returned to his parents.
"`But when Mary at last began
to rally," the nurse observed ; "we
were shockecl beyond measure to find
drat her mind was gone—or, rather,
that she could remember nothing
about her previous life, and did not
show the faintest recognition of the
child ; although he knew her in-
stantly the moment we took him
to her, and clung to her until she
frightened him by gushing him
roughly from her„
"As she grew stronger, she began
to make herself useful about the
wards. was quiet and handy, and
the nurses petitioned that she be
allowed to remain in the institu-
tion as a servant, instead of being
sent ,to the workhouse,
`It was a sad day for all the
nurses when it was at length de-
cided that the boy must go. Several
had made strenuous efforts to find
a good home for him ; but without
avail, and he was finally sent to
one of the homes for the peo'r. I
have only seen him a couple of
times since then, for my ditties have
been so heavy .I could not go to
visit him," the nurse concluded,with
a regretful sigh,
Mr. Carrot then related something
of wfrat Jamie's life had been, and
inose he had at length fallen into
his hands, when, becoming deeply
interested in lane he had resolved
to see if he could not trace his
friends 'and restore him to them.
"Bute' Ile concluded, with a
doubtful shake of his head, "it looks
now as if that would be ant impos-
sibility
"What would you 3 With hire,
then ?" the woman inquired, ear-
nestly. "pia !" she added, teelingly,
'he was such a beautiful chid ! I
was sure that he belonged to a fine
family, and it nearly broke my
heart to have trim sent to that
dreadful almshouse."
"I have not yet decided what to
do with him if I tlo -not succeed in
gaining some new clue to his par-
entage," Mr. Carrot gravely replied ;
"I have no }come of my ewe -. no '
friends With whom I could place
•lrlm ; but of one thing I am .sure—
'shall never allow. frim to drift back
into the slums, whence lie came to
me. You feel cure that the woman
was leis nurse 1"
"Certainly—she could have been
nothing else; there was nothing in
common between them ; and, be-,
sides, she wore the nurse's cap and
apron, while the baby looked the
little aristocrat in every line and
feature"
"And arms now,- said her compan-
ion, "in spite of his rude life. I
was amazed, after he had been sub-
jected to a vigorous bath and was
decently dressed, to find what an
interesting child he is. Will it be
possible for one to see this weman,
Crazy Moll, as she is called 1" lie in-
quired, in conclusion, a
'Yes, if .you wash; althoughl 1' am!
sure' you will reap no satisfaction
from the interview.. But I will ar-
range 'for her to come to ;7,c l,"
the nurse returned, with ready com-
rpli.aoom.ne, as she arose to leave the
c
Site ivas absent some time, but
finally returned, and was follow-
ed by a woman of perhaps thirty-
five years.
She was a quiet, demure looking
person, leaving a good, honest face,
in spite oe its vacant expression,
black hair and eyes. She was very
neatly u:lad, had a plurup, well -
formed figure, although she was
somewhat awkward in ber move-
meeots.,
"This is the gentleman who wish-
ed to see you, i1tary," said the nurse,
by away of introduction, and Mary
made an awkward courtesy, but
without betraying the slightest in-
terest in her visitor. • '
"I suppose it wµll be of not use to
question her ?" Mr. Carrot re-
marked.
"Not the slightest — that was
tried, times ,without number, years
ago," the woman returned.
An expression of sadness swept
over the young man's countenance;
but after studying the unfortu-
nate creatur'e's face intently, for a
few moments he put a couple'
of shillings into her heard red hand,'
and kindles told her that she might
She now looked eagerly' up at him
and laughed out like a child that
had received a coveted toys, thug
showing that she knew sometbang of
the value et mtottmej if she was daft
on all otbeer subjects. She thanked
hina, made another rvoifrtesy, • and
then, at a gentle signal fronnt tho
nurse, left the room..
Yakie of Agricultur
The New Educational Features ---A Substitute for the
Fair.
)44 4; ; >! ,y; elealetrealerealereereeleahMeeelelelailfeMeereeelOW
it is a self evident, proposition thatmay learn just what crops and what
agricultural fairs which receive grants 1 varieties are best adapted to their farms,
of public money should give the public thus bringing hate to particular condi-
tion of soil and climate the general con-
clusions arrived at by the experimental
farms. In all kinds of farm crops the
yield per acre may be materially in-
creased and the quality substantially
improved by the use of seed whieh has
been graded up by careful growing and
systematic, intelligent selection, con-
tinued without interruption from year
to year. This fact cannot be too soon
brought home to the farmers of Can-
ada, and one of the best ways of doing
so would be to have on view at the fairs
representative exhibits of the great work
being done by members of the Canadian
Seed Growers' association.
something ofvalue therefor. It is not
the province of governments in these
days to assist. in providing amusement
for the r! people. A good many agricul-
tumat societies are now =king an earn-
est effort to improve their fairs by the
introduction of educational features, and
their example is being fbllowecl by the
large exhibitions which do not ordin-
arily receive legislative grants, There
are still some -fairs, controlled largely
by the business Wren of tbe towns, which
scan •to be held for the purpose of at-
tracting visitors who will prove good
customeee, but the number is fortun-
ately becoming few. It is now generally
recognized that shows 'exist primarily
for the purpose of improving agricul-
tural conditions.
Teaching Market Requirements. --The
up-to-date fair secures the services of
expert judges, who explain the reasons
for their decisions in the ring and give
addresses on the best types of horses,
cattle, sheep and swine. In this way the
judging may be made an educational
feature instead of merely an allotment
of premiums by Wren who are often in-
competent or biassed in their judgment.
The awarding of prizes at a fair is a
comparatively unimportant matter as
e •
Duren gthe mfternaom Mr.. Coa-
xal called at the apartment to
wiiibh air. Mayer had directed him,
.bi't, ttY dile dlearakofntment. he 'waieei
Interesting the Women and Children.—
Demonstrations of agricultural processes
are interesting to everyone, but the
operation of a model kitchen and din-
ing room, with exhibitions of cooking •
sample dishes and addresses on domestie
science, will appeal especially to the
farmers' wives and slaughters. That
the children may be lead to take an in-
telligent interest in the fair, prizes
might well be offered for exhibits by
school children of cut flowers, grains,
clovers and grasses, roots and vegeta-
bles, fruits, pressed and mounted wild
flowers, weeds and weed seeds, beneficial
compared with other considerations, and injurious insects and native woods.
What is really desirable is that fairs These exhibits could be supplemented by
should be the means of disseminating in-
formation aid -of fixing correct ideals in
the minds of those who are produeing
food -staffs and on whom the prosper-
ity of Canada depends. Desirable and un-
desirable types of fowls may be shown,
with lectures on the fatteniee of chick:
ens for the British and domestic mark-
ets and exhibitions ofkilling, pluek-
ing and packing for export. A model
poultry house, with incubators, brooders,
fattening crates and other appliances, in-
terested thousands of visitors at the To -
sante fair this year. Practical demon-
strations of the proper packing of fruit
for export should. be given in fruit dis-
tricte by expert packers: and the most
approved styles of fruit packages exhib-
ited.
To Improve Farm Crops.—another fea-
ture worthy of adoption by all agricul-
tural societies. but which only a few
have yet taken up, is the growing of il-
lustration plots on the fair g'rou)ude, At
a small expense a very interesting and
instructive exhibit of the best varieties
of grasses, clovers, millets, sorglnun;,
corn, fodder and pasture plants, turnips,
niangels and sugar beets can be provid-
ed. By studying these plots farmers
essays for which prizes- might be offer-
ed. Wherever tried this plan has prov-
ed effective In indecixtg ehxldren to be-
gin the faseinating study of nature.
Every precaution should be taken to
have a good clean fair, where all the
boys and girls may go to spend a pleas-
ant and instructive day without coining
in contact rvith any injurious influence.
Keeping Good Sires.—Many agricultu-
ral societies, particularly in Quebec and
the 11laritime provinces, do- not hold fairs,
but in lieu thereof buy and maintain •
pure bred sires for the use of their mane
bers. This is a practice which might
well be imitated more largely in Ontario,
where the number of fairs seems exces-
sive. By adhering to one breed of cat-
tle, horses, sheep or swine, as the case
may be, the stock belonging to the mem-
bers of a society may be graded up won-
derfully at a small cost, but the habit
of changing continually from one breed
to another most prove fatal to all plans
for building up a good, uniform herd or
flock of grades, which is just what the
average farmer needs.
Yours very truly,
W. A. CI,EMONS,
Publication Clerk,
told that the family' had not yet ar-
rived.
On hie return to itis own lodg-
ing': lie found ectter from that
gentleman, teethe; Ilim that they,
would be one day late in ",vetting
to London : but that they ;Mould look
for a call from lieu very soon. The
letter closed as follows: "eine ,keea-
ver and Miss itichardsom join me in
kind regards and the hope that tion
are fuey recovered from the ac-
cident, which so neatly proved a fa-
tal disaster. We slion:id have lost
our dear girl, but for you."
A very tender, tremulous smile qui-
vered about the ,young man's ex-
pressive mouth as he read this.
"Ale they; can have no suspicion
of how `dear' she has become to me,'
he murmured,
The second day after receiving Mr.
Seaver's note he made a careful toi-
let and started forth to make iris
•
First, however, lie bent his steps
toward a well-known florist's in
Oxford street.
As he drew near to it, he observ-
ed a lady just emerging from a book-
store,
Sbo was elegantly' and tastefully
claw, and there was something fa-
miliar about }ler air and figure, al-
though he could not see her face,
that sent the swift color into his
cheek and au electric thrill' into ev-
ery pulse.
Almost at the instant a tall, coarse
looking man approached her, and ad-
dressed her with a menacing air.
She turned and glanced at him
with a look of• astonishment, and
now llr. Carrot saw tbat the lady
was Florence R.icbardson, as be had
alreads, suspected.
As he approached nearer he heard
the man Observe In a harsh tone of
irritation :
"You can't play that game on me,
sou obstinate hnssy ; you just come
along with me if you don't want
to make a scene."
"I do not know what you mean,
sir," said Florence, backing away,
from him with an air of hauteur that
became her well, her blue eyes flash-
ing indignant fire upon her asssail-
ant. "I never saw you before, and
eton }x111 let me pass, if you please."
"Well, but I don't please, bliss Im-
pertinence ; rind ,yeti never saw. me
before, sn you think!" sneered the
man, coarsely. "It's pretty welt
done, my girl, but it's a game that'
wo'n't work, so you just come alone.
as you are told, or—there'll be a devil
od' a row—d';yee hear P'
He laid his powerful hand upon her
shoulder as be concluded, and would
have forced her away; with him, sig-
naling at the same moment a rpate-
trig cab, if Mr. Carrot, had tot stud -
dente. appeared upon the scene and
eon/rented beixu.
With one upward blow of les hand
lie released .Florence from his grasp.
"Whitt is th cineeaning elf ties out-
rage?" be eternise demeeded, as be
the wine .ln'stant allot a reastaurin±
look into the frightened eyes of the
oath and cringed with pain, tor the
blow had been no light one,
"It's name 0' your infernal business,
eon meddling young proppinjayl You
Jost quit your interference and at-
tend to your own affairs. The •girl
giolorngs to me and with me she's
going, in spite of her stabborness
and fifty officious dudes like your-
self"
And stalking to Florence's side, he
again seized ger rudely: by the arm.
One agile spring forward, one
quick, and powerful stroke
straight froom the shoulder,
and Tlorence's great, raw-
boned; ungainly persecutor: lay
sprawling upon the pavement at
our hero's feet.
(To be continued.)
SUCCESSFUL MOTHERS
You will always find that the mo-
thers who are successful in bring up
families of hearty, healthy children are
those who are careful to mote the slight-
est evidence of illness and to cheek it at
once. The wise mother gives her abildren
Baby's Own Tablets at the first symp-
ton of any childish ailment, and almost
at once the little one is all right. Mrs.
Thos. Stevenson, 13 Bishop street, Hal-
ifax N.' S, says: eit given rue pleasure
to be able to speak of the great value •
of Baby's Orr -rt Tablets. I always give
them to my chitchat when they are ail-
ing in any way, and they speedily make
them well. I 'could adr•ise every mother
to keep the `.Tablets in the house." The
Tablets allay Teething irritation, euro
colic and stomach troubles, prevent con-
stipation, destroy worms, allay fevers -
and break up colds. They can be given
safely to a new born child. Sold by all
medicine dealers or sent by mail at 25
emits a box by writing the Dr. Williams
Medicine Co., Brockville, Ont.
BULLETIN OF WEED SEEDS.
The seed division of tht Department
of Agriculture, Ottawa, bas just issued
an illustrated bulletin on the. Weed Seeds
Commonly Found in Timothy; Alsike and
Red Clover Seeds. It is well known that
barge quantities of seeds of many nox-
ious weeds are each year unwittingly
sown with grass and clover seed. ' The re=
semblance of many weed seeds to the
commercial seeds with which they are
found makes their •detection difficult to
an untrained eye, even if they be present
to the• extent of several hundred per
pound. It is therefore of greet import-
ance to be able to identify at least Etre
seeds of those weeds which are seriously
injurious in eg icluttire, The text and '
illustrations of this bulletin (No. 113, New
Series) are published with a view to,
assist farmers to identify,the more dan-
gerous seeds common to grass and clover
seed. The illustrations of seeds are front
drawings by J. 11. Paull, lecturer in bot-
any, University of Toronto, and the de-
scriptions are by G. H. Clarks chief tlf ,
the seed, division, Ottawa, to wheal appri'
plicatio'na for copies of "the' 'bundle
should be addressed. As the edition is
faeir .girl, r w i . limited, it Will be sent only to OM*
!rbe eaten xraave vent to an al gui z( 'who apnls for it,
, .,.....