Page:The Rejuvenation Of Miss Semaphore.pdf/219

 "Oh! this one couldn't have been starved. It was only two days in Brown's place I hear. They do say its mother is a lady, and gave it to Sal with a hundred pounds in gold, and told her to get rid of it as soon as she liked. Sal went on the spree with the money, an' that's how she was run in. The neighbours said that child had not been long with her. Look! it's a deal plumper than the others. They're regular starved I'll allow, but this 'un has queer ways. Now to give you an idear, the matron and me we had a friendly glass of punch last night after a 'ard day's work, and the matron, she says to me, as how she'd like to see the children in the baby farming case, as there's so much interest took in it you know, it made her curious, an' so I brought her in to see 'em all a laying in their cots. An' this 'ere one was awake, staring at us with all its eyes. So matron, she stoops an' says, 'Ow wazzums?' an' kisses it, an' the cretur it makes a face at her, turns away its head, and pulls out a bit of blue ribbon as was on a doll I gave it, and makes signs to her to take it. Struck all of a heap she was. 'Watever does it mean?' sez she. 'Wy take the blue ribbon,' sez I, half jokin', for I couldn't believe it, and