A London Baby: The Story of King Roy
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way.
"They're a blessing to over-worked mothers, and that I will say,"replied Mrs Martin. "Here's the stuff, it looks innercent, don't it?like a drop o' water; but fur all that,--it's wonderful how it soothesoff a fretful baby."
Hannah took the bottle in her hand and looked at its contents withgreedy eyes.
"I know a 'oman," she said presently, "as have a baby, a baby a deal anda sight bigger nor yourn. It must be two year old. But she's wore to ashadow wid him, he won't sleep not fur nobody. The poor thing is liketo drop, but he hardly h'ever will close his eyes, the monkey."
"Them drops 'ud settle him fast enough," replied Mrs Martin.
"But how much ought she to give to a lad as big as that?"
"Well, let me see. I gives baby sometimes three drops, or four, ef Iwants to keep her extra quiet; I should say fur a wakeful lad o' twoyears as ten drops 'ud do the business."
"Thank yer, neighbour," replied Hannah, "and now ef yer'll be sogood-natured as to give me the name o' the bottle, why I'll run to thechemist's and get a little and run wid it to the poor worn-out critterthis werry night."
"Ah! but you can't get it at no chemist's," answered Mrs Martin with alaugh; "the woman wot give it to me makes it her own self, she had thereceipt from her mother afore her. You can't get it at no chemist's,Hannah Searles, and the neighbour wot give it me ha' gone to Ameriky;but see yere, fur I real feels for disturbed and worrited mothers, I'llgive yer a tiny drop in this yere bottle, and you can take it to her;ten drops ull settle that baby off as sound as a nut."
Hannah thanked her warmly for this offer and went back to her cellarwith the precious sleeping drops in her pocket. Now she had a remedyfor little Roy. Soundly and peacefully asleep, he would not miss herduring the few hours she must be absent the next day. She roseaccordingly with a light heart, and having prepared his breakfast, putcarefully into his milk ten drops from her bottle. She noticed howfresh and rosy he looked after his healthful, unbroken slumbers, and shesaid to herself that a little more sleep would do him still greatergood. He ate his breakfast with appetite, sitting on her lap. And nowshe watched anxiously for the effect of the drops. It came almostsooner than she had dared to hope. The blue eyes became languid andheavy, the little golden head fell wearily on her shoulder, anothermoment and Roy was sound asleep. She placed him on her bed, covered himup tight and warm, and went out with an easy heart. As she walkedquickly down the street which led directly from the court, she was metby two girls, one of whom she knew, and paused for a moment to accost.
"So you and yer mother ha' left Spiller Court, Meg Harris?"
"Oh, yes," answered Meg brightly; "I'm on my h'own spec' now, I and thisyere gal; we're purwiding fur one another. I wor thinking, Hannah," shecontinued, "as you might make us a shake-down in yer cellar; we'd payyer two pence a night, that's a penny each. I know as you ha' plenty o'room, for yer h'all alone."
The other and younger girl had shrunk a trifle away from the bold,coarse-looking woman, but Meg had come up and laid her hand on Hannah'sarm.
"You'll let us in to-night, won't yer, Hannah?" said Meg again.
Now Hannah was rather fond of Meg, and would gladly have nearly paid therent of her cellar by admitting these two little lodgers, but thepresence of Roy of course made this impossible. To hide her realdisappointment she spoke a little more roughly than usual.
"I can't no how," she said; "I ha' a job on hand as 'ull take h'up allmy spare room, and I can't ha' no gals a loitering around. You lookfurther afield, Meg Harris."
The younger girl seemed perceptibly relieved, and Meg, with agood-natured nod, walked on. But Hannah felt a vague sense ofuneasiness. That youngest girl, had she seen her before? Her facepuzzled, nay more, it annoyed her; she was an anxious, thin, dark-eyedchild; her dress was as ragged as Meg's, but somehow she looked farabove Meg in respectability. Where _had_ Hannah Searles seen herbefore? She turned a corner: she was now passing a police station, andyes, there was what she dreaded, a full description of little Roy; shestopped fascinated, to read it.
LOST.
Ten Pounds Reward.
Stayed away from his home on Sunday night, a little boy, aged two years,dressed in a light-blue frock, white pinafore, white socks, blue shoes.
He has golden hair, very fair skin, and blue eyes. Any one eitherbringing the child back, or coming with information which shall lead tohis recovery, shall receive Ten Pounds Reward.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
Hannah was unsuccessful in her search for coarse needlework. Badly andmiserably paid as such work was, the slop-shops had their fullcomplement of workers, and had nothing to give her, even though she wentso far as to promise to do the work for even more wretched prices thanhad hitherto been given.
She was obliged to leave Roy the next day, and again the next, and forthese two days the drops were each time resorted to. On the evening ofthe third day, she had obtained some partial success. She was givenhalf-a-dozen shirts to make. These shirts were of the coarsest check,and Hannah would obtain tenpence for each. She was in quite goodspirits, for she could now work and stay at home with Roy.
But there was a change in little Roy. He was no longer the laughing,rosy, healthy child whom Hannah had brought to her cellar. His blueeyes were heavy, his movements languid, and his fair skin was assumingthat waxen tint which Hannah had noticed in Mrs Martin's baby over theway. Hannah was a strangely ignorant woman, and she never associatedthis change in little Roy with the drops which he had taken now forthree days in succession. She saw a vast difference in him, but sheconcluded that such was the way with all children. Through how many,many changes had her Davie gone? Why, at his very best he never lookedhalf as healthy as little Roy did at his worst. No, she was not theleast uneasy about the little fellow. But as he now had growntroublesome and restless at night, she gave him a few more drops fromthe fatal mixture, and when taking these he went off into feverish andfitful slumber, she congratulated herself on possessing so valuable aremedy.
While the shirts were being made she stayed quietly at home with thelittle boy, who in his waking moments would stand gravely and quietly byher knee, now and then putting up a small hot hand to stroke her cheeks,exclaiming as he did so in his broken English, "Pitty yed face, pittyyed face." Then adding, as he raised his heavenly blue eyes to hers,"'Oy 'oves 'oo vevy much."
At these words, uttered so innocently by the little child, down would goHannah's work, needle, and thimble, and he would find himself claspedtightly to her bosom; while down the red cheeks, which he had praised,would flow large salt tears which had lain locked up and frozen sinceDavie died. Yes, Roy was becoming more and more a necessity to HannahSearles, and a treasure without which she did not now believe she couldfind life endurable.
One evening, leaving the child asleep, she went into the court. She wasgossiping with a neighbour, and enjoying the sensation of the outsideair, which was at least better than the cellar atmosphere which she hadquitted, when Meg Harris came up to her. Meg and Faith had found ashelter for themselves in another house in this court, and now Meg cameup alone to speak to Hannah.
"And how ere you getting on widhout yer mother?" asked Hannah. "But Ineedn't go fur to axe," she continued, "fur though you ain't much toboast on now, Meg, yet you look more peart than when she wor allers awallopping of yer."
"But I have a h'anxiety on my mind," said Meg, shrugging her thinshoulders and speaking in a low, confidential tone. "I ha' a gal alongwid me, and a young gal wot ain't none of h'our people. You might ha'noticed her, Hannah, when you was walking down Middle Street."
"Yes," answered Hannah, "she looked a white-faced, mealy-mouthed little'un. I mind me as I thought as I had seen her somewhere afore."
"Her father is a carpenter, Hannah, a werry, werry upper kind o'carpenter. She's real respectable, is Faithy. And wot does yer think?She have a little brother, a little lovely duck of a child, and he wentout o' the house on Sunday night last and got losted, and this poorlittle Faith, she's n
ear distracted. She and me, we're a looking furthe young 'un h'everywhere. I thought as I'd tell yer, Hannah, fur yousee's a deal o' life, and you might ha' noticed as they ha' put him inthe h'advertisements, and ten pound offered fur him."
Hannah Searles had perfect control of feature.
"I ha' seen about a missing child," she said after a moment's pause. "Achild h'aged two year, dressed in blue, wid real gold 'air?"
"Yes, yes," said Meg. "Oh! Hannah, ef you could