“One day after my baby was born, a well dressed stranger called at our house and asked for my father. He was a lawyer that Arthur had sent. He had a great lot of papers he wanted us to sign, and after a long talk with father, we signed them as directed. After that father seemed to get along better; he was kinder to me and seemed to like the baby better. He seemed to have more money and the first day of each month, rain or shine, he went to town and nearly always brought mother and me a new dress or some article of apparel that was most needed. He gave me money to buy the baby’s clothes without a murmur, and took a more cheerful view of everything.
“At last the land in our section became so valuable for the gas that was under it that the little forty-acre tract on which my father had been a tenant so long, was sold to a party of capitalists, and our occupation as farmers was gone.
“We moved to town, I mean Anderson, Indiana. There my father obtained work in a factory. All this time my baby was growing from the sphere of long clothes, into prattling, toddling childhood. Father toiled long and faithfully day by day; mother and I managed the housework, nor was our strength taxed, for we had but a five-room cottage, and it seemed a shame that poor father should work so hard, so many long hours of the day and we have so much time to spend in idleness. It was decided that I should seek employment and I obtained a situation as maid in the home of one of the large factory owners. I had a very pleasant place, and when at the end of two years, the family decided to remove to Chicago, it was arranged that I go with them. My mother could easily get along without me, and she had grown so fond of the baby that she would not hear of my taking her with me.
“I was soon located in my new home on one of the principal North Side thoroughfares of the city. All went well until one day the lady of the house announced that she expected some company from California, and wished me to be in attendance to them during their stay.
“When the visitors arrived I was at my station in the hall on the second floor; the hostess greeted them, and in her demonstration of hospitality showed the lady the suite they were to occupy during their stay. She rang and I went in to assist in putting away the wraps. The lady was a sweet young matron, and when she said, ‘Now I must have my baby with me a little while,’ I could have hugged her.
“‘Yes,’ said the hostess; ‘Virginia, run down and bring the baby up; he is with his papa in the reception room.’
“Then, with a motherly feeling growing in my breast, I descended the heavily carpeted stairs, three steps at a time, but even in my flight I had taken time to fall in love with that baby before I ever set eyes on it.
“I told the gentleman that I would take the baby up to its mother. I saw the pallor on his face as I spoke, but when I took my baby’s half-brother into my arms none of the spectators suspected the truth.”
“Then the man was⸺?”
“Yes, it was my Arthur who had brought his wife and child to visit in the home where I was a servant, quite accidental, of course, and thanks to my rugged nature, I did not faint nor in any way betray my feelings.