ADOPTING AN ORPHAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8928, 17 December 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

ADOPTING AN ORPHAN.

Rarely are the proceedings of a police court relieved by a pleaaanter incident than that in which Sir James Ingham, Miss Ada Ward, and Robert Walters, an orphan boy, were the principal actors on Oct. 27. Young Walters, described as a fair-haired, intelligent little fellow, thirteen years old, had beeen charged about a week previously with sleeping in Covent Garden, and not having visible means of subsistence. During the hearing of the charge for this heinous offence Miss Ada Ward happened to be iD court as a witness in another case, and she then and there offered to adopt the boy. With dignified gallantry Sir James rose from his seat and thanked the distinguished actress, but begged her to take time to consider the matter, which she consented to do. The magistrate feared that she might perhaps remove the lad into a sphere unsuited to his origin, and the fair-haired orphan himself afforded some emphasis to the apprehensions of the Bench by his ready answer to a question put to him—"What would you like to be, my lad ?" Of course, the orphan ought properly have replied that he should like to be a great actor and play Macbeth. But the poor boy told the magistrate that he wanted to be a shoemaker, and loud laughter broke out in court at the unlooked for drop from the ideal to the commonplace. The parties concerned appeared again on October 27 before the magistrate, and Miss Ward publicly announced her intention of adhering to hor offer. After a genial little speech, first to the lady and then to her protege, the adoption was ratified, and Walters, with his fingers deeply stained by the walnut-shelling he had been doing for a living, was led off, to be put in a suitable school, and bye-and-bye to a good trade. In a double sense Robert Walters may be said to have had rather a dramatic re-start in life, and he ought to rise to distinction, if only for the sake of the splendid opening the scene ended on October 27 would givo hlu biographer hereafter. Sir James Ingham said ha had the kindest offers for this orphan boy from all parts of the country.