Biographical sketch of Millie Christine, the Carolina Twin : $b Surnamed the Two-headed Nightingale and the Eighth Wonder of the World — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Biographical sketch of Millie Christine, the Carolina Twin : $b Surnamed the Two-headed Nightingale and the Eighth Wonder of the World
John Stuart Mill · en
Seated in a promiscuous crowd of traders and traveling clerks one
evening, in front of his hotel, her name was introduced, and he learned
that a short time before she had been on exhibition in Glasgow,
Scotland. Immediately they started for that city, but on arrival found
that a short time before she had been taken back to England, and was
then in Birmingham. So to that city they posted, and on their arrival,
to their joy, found she was then on exhibition. It now became necessary
that extreme caution should be used, lest their long-cherished object
would be frustrated on the very eve of consummation. The impatience
of the mother knew no bounds: scarcely could she be restrained from
rushing to the exhibition room and defiantly claiming her child,
supposing the party who then had possession of it would recognize her
claim. She was, however, at length convinced of the imprudence of such
a course, and submitted until the case had been placed in the hands
of the proper officers. Accordingly the Chief of Police and a select
body of assistants were called and a true statement of the affairs
given. The American Consul was also waited upon and consulted. He
immediately took a lively interest in the matter, and advised that the
arrival of the American party be kept unknown to the exhibitor until
they, in company with a protective force of police, should enter the
hall that evening; and should the child recognize the mother among the
audience, it would be _prima facie_ evidence of the facts attempted
to be established by them, and used as such in case of litigation.
Accordingly, the impatience of the mother was restrained until the
hour of the gathering of the visitors, when a portion of the police
(selected for the purpose and disguised) Mr. Smith and the mother
procured tickets of admission and entered the hall, as casual visitors
impelled only by the general curiosity. No sooner, however had the
keen eye of the mother caught a glimpse of her long-lost child than
she uttered a scream of such heart-rending pathos that the audience
simultaneously rose to their feet, wondering and astonished. The
mother, overpowered, fell fainting to the floor. When resuscitated she
wildly threw her arms about, crying in most piteous tones. “My own
child! O! give her to me! Do not take her away again; she needs my
care! Where is she? Where is she?” While this scene of excitement was
going on, the exhibitor attempted to secrete the girl in an adjoining
room; but an honest Scotchman, divining his intentions, placed his back
against the door, and bringing himself into a position that would have
delighted a pugilist, cried out: “Ye’ll nae tak’ the bairn ayant the
door, maun ye wallop me first, and I’m nae thinkin’ ye’ll soon do that.”