Topsy (d.1998)
Topsy (died 1998) was an abused deaf mute Chinese Tartar girl who was adopted by British missionary Mildred Cable, a Protestant Christian missionary in China, serving with the China Inland Mission, and her friends Evangeline (Eva) French and Francesca French. Her story is told in the book The Story of Topsy.[1] She was named 'Little Lonely' by her abusive guardian, but the sisters called her 'Topsy'. The child could not hear or speak and was sold as a beggar. She was unable to defend herself against attacks from the neighbour's dogs.
After the missionaries brought her to England, she took on the name of Eileen Guy. The French sisters left her their money when they died in 1960 (Eileen was thought to be about 45 at that time), and she lived in Rickmansworth until she died in 1998.[2][3]
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ Cable, Mildred, and French, Francesca, The Story of Topsy; Little Lonely of Central Asia (London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1947)
- ^ Former Slave Girl Benefits in Wills, The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Sep 27, 1960; pg. 4; Issue 54887,
- ^ Ross-Millar, Lucy (27 September 1960). "Former Slave Girl in China left $40,000 by two sisters". Toledo Blade. Rickmansworth. Retrieved 26 June 2014.