NOBODY'S CHILD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7080, 26 July 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

NOBODY'S CHILD.

A young woman, of good personal appearance, stepped into the witness-box at the Thame Police Court, and, addressing Mr. Saunders, asked if His Worship could assist her to find her parents. She was eeventeeen years of age, and was at present residing with a Mrs. C—, who was within the jurisdiction of the Court. Sho had been with her for about three years, and prior to that she had livedi as long as she could remember, with a Mrs. A—, who had a house in the vicinity of St. John's-wood, and it was on the death of Mrs. A—, wjio was Mn. C—'s mother, that she went to live with the last-named person. The applicant had frequently asked both Mrs. A— and Mrs. C— to tell her who her parents were but she conld never get them to do so, although she knew that Mrs. A—, daring her lifetime, and Mrs. C—, since her death held letters and papers in which the name of applicant's parents were mentioned, but applicant was never allowed to see these papers. She had, however, been given to understand that her parents were persons of title, and that she had a brother who was of high standing in the legal profession, and that was all the satisfaction, she could get. The applicant added that she had a faint recolleotion of being taken, when she was about twelve months old, to Mrs. A—"s house by a nurse and a lady whom she had since understood was her mamma. She remembered being christened when quite a child at * church in the West-end of London, receiving, however, a very plebeian name by which she had since been known, although she had since been told that it was not her proper one. She was convinced that there was a great deal of myatary abont the matter, and ■lit wished, if possible, to come to th>i bottom of it Mr. Saunders said that if he could do anything to help the applicant he should be very happy, but he did not see his way to do so. 'If the lady she had namod did know anything of applicant's parentage, he (the magistrate) could not oompel her to divulge that knowledge. The young lady thanked His Worship, and retired.