The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-05-23
EMIGRANTs, DAUGHTER.

One OF the most singular pecullarltIeS;
indeed, | may say passions-of the Irish is
their fondness for their offspring.
A curious illustration of this occurred to
me on my recent journey through the North
ern lakes. 1t happened TO be what the sail
ors call very dirty weather, finished up by a
tremendous gale which obliged US to seek
shelter at a lump of aboriginal barrenness
called, Maintou Island, where we were oblig- |
led TO remain tor FIVE days. There were a
few deck passengers-between FIVE and six
hundred and inasmuch as they had only pro-
vided themselves with barely sufficient food
for the ave,sge time, provisions became al
armingly scarce, and no possibility OF a sup
lply. 70 BE sure there was one venerable
ox-a sort of semi-petri6cation, an organic
remnant poor, attenuated, h~ornless, sight
less, bovine patriarch, who obligingly yield
ed up his small residue of existence for our
benefit. Indeed, it was quite a mercy that
we arrived to relieve him from a painful state
OF suspense, for so old and powelless was he,
that if his last breath had not been extracted,
he certainly could not have drawn it by
himself.
Well, as you may suppose, there was con-
siderable CONSERVATION on board. Short.
very short, allo vance was adopted to meet
the contingefcy ~, and the poor deck passen-
gers had a terrible time oft. Amongst the
latter was an Irish emigrant, with his wife
and three Children, the eldest about seven
years, and al without the smallest subsis-
tence, except wha. the charity of their fel-
low passengers would afford them; and as
they were but ~scantily supplied. it can readi-
ly be imagined uoy miserably off was this
poor family. RoHevs r, it so happened that
the beauty and intelligence of the children
attracted the attention of one of our LADY,
passengers, who had them occasionally
brought into the cabin and their hunger ap-
peased. Gleesome brigii. eyed little creatures
they were, %scrupulously clean, despite the
poverty of their parents, all life and happi-
ness, and in blissfull ignorance ofthe desti-
tuition by which they were surrounded.
One day delighted with her little protege,
the lady happened to say, half jestingly-
81 wonder would this poor man part with one
of-those little darlings! l should like to
adopt it."
81 don't know" said 1; %"suppose we make
the inquiry"
The man was sent for, and the delicate
business thus opened:-
"My good friend said," said the lady ;s'you
are very poor, are you notr'
His answer was peculiarly Irish:-"Poor,
me lady," said he. "Be the power OF pew
Their! if there's a poorer man nor meself irou-
blin' the world, God pity both of w.. for we
we'd be about aiqual."
"Then you must find it difficult to support
your children" srid !, making a long Jump
towards our object.
'Is it support thin, sirf'he replied. Lord
bless ye, | never supported thim-they get
supported somehow or another; they've ne
yer bin hungary yit-whin they are it'll
be time enough to grumble."
Irish all over, thought To-day has
enough to do, let tomorrow look out for il
self.
"Well then," [ resumed with a determin-
ed plunge, "would it be a relief to you TO
part from one of them?"
| had mistaken my mode of attack. He
started, turned pale, and, with a wild glare
in his eye, literally screamed out
GA relief! God be good TO uz, what do
We mean? A relief!-would it be a relief
dye think to have the hand chopped from
my body, or have the heart tore out of my
breastg
You don't understand u.s." interposed my
philanthropic companion. "Should one be
enabled to take and place your child in ease
and comfort, would you interfere with its
well doing?"
The tract of women! She had touched
the chord of paternal solicitude the poor
fellow was silent, twisted his head about, and
looked all bewilde red. The struggle be-
tween a fathers love and his child's interest
was evident and affecting. At last he said
"Godb bless We, my lady, and all that thinks
of the poor! Heaven knows I'd be glad to
better the child, it isn't in regard to meself,
but-but hadn't | betther go and spake to
Mary, she's the mother of thin, and 'twould
be unreasonable to be givin away her children
afore her face, and she not to know nothing
of the matther."
"Away with you them" said I, "'and bring
us back word as soon as possible. In about
an hour he returned, but his eyes red and
swollen, and features pale from excitement
and agitation.
"Well," inquired I, "what success?"
"Bedad twas a hard struggle, sir" said
he, but it's for the child's good, and Heaven
give us stringth to bear it."
"Very good, and which is it to be?"
"Why, sir, I've bin spakin' to Mary, and
she thinks as Norah here is the ouldest, she
won't miss the mother so much, and if ye'l
jist let her take a parting kiss, she'd give her
to yez with a blessin'.
So my poor fellow took his children away,
to look at one of them for the last time. 1t
uac lopr 1oro ha ro4,rrna1 Int rubau he did
he was leading the second eldest.
Il HITo.f. H. 13, IL HeII..o $3.50 o1o,-