The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-04-24
From Broughtan's Irish Entertainment.
THE EMIGRANT'S FAMILY. sa


One of the strongest peculiarities-indeed
may say passions--of the Irish is their devoted
fondness for their offspring.
A curious illustration of this occurred to me on
my recent journey through the northern lakes.
1t happened to be what sailors call very dirty
weather, finished up by tremendous gale, which
obliged us to seek shelter at a lump Of aboriginal
barrenness, called Mainton Island, where we
were obliged to remain for five days. There
were .feao deck Observation-Disclosures five and
six hundreds and inasmuch as they had only pro-
vided themselves with barely sufficient for the
average time, provisions became alarmngly
scarce, and no possibility of supply To be
sure there was one venerable ox--a sort of semi
petrfaction, an organic remnant--a poor, atten-
uated hornless, sghtless bovine patriarch, who
obligingly yielded up his email residue Of exist
ence for our benefit. Indeed, it was quite mer-
cy that we arrived to relieve him from painful
state OF suspense for so old and powerless was
he, that if his last breath had not been extracted
he certainly could not have drawn it by himself
We'll, as you may suppose, there was consde-
rable CONSERVATION on board. Short Gerry short
| allowance was adopted to meet the contingency,
| and the poor deck passengers had terrible time
Of 1t. Amongst the latter was an Irish emgrant
with his wife and three beautiful children, the
| eldest about seven years, and all without the
smallest subsistence, except what the charity Of
| their fellow passengers could afford them; and
as they were but scanty supplied, it can readily
| be imagined how miserably off was this poor
family. However, it so happened that the beauty
and intelligence Of the children attracted the at
| tenton of one Of our lady passengers, who had
| them occasionally brought into the cabin and
their hunger appeased. Gleesome, brghteyed
| little creatures they were, scrupulousy clean
despite the poverty of their parents, and life and
happiness, and in blissful ignorance Of the desti
tuition by which they were surrounded.
One day, delighted with her little proteges, the
| lady happened to say, half jestingly-"I wonder
would this poor man part with one Of those little
| darlings? | should like to adopt it,.
:" don't know" said "suppose we make
the inquiry"
A The man was sent for, and the delicate bust.
ness thus opened =
"My good friend" said the lady, "you are very
poor, are you not ~
His answer was peculiarly Irish Poor! me
lady," said he Be the powers of pewther if
there's a poorer man nor meself, throublin' the
world God pity both of w, for we'd be about
aqual."
" Then you must find it difficult to support your
chlldren," said !, making long jump towards
our object ata
els it support thin, sir Z" he replied. Lord
bless you, never supported them they git sup
ported somehow or another; they've niver bin
hungry vi; whin they are it'll be time enough
to grumble." d aig lg.s s8 e
Irish all over, thought | to-day has enough to
do, let tomorrow look out for itself. N. st
"Wel, them" resumed, with determined
plunge, swoud it be relief to you to part from
one OF themv' 4Wt
had mistaken my mode Of attack. He start
ed, turned pale, and, with wild glare in his eye,
literally screamed out
"a relief? God be good to uz, what dye
name! A relief? Would it be relief, dye
think, to have the hand chopped from me body,
or the heart tore out of me breast %
/ " You don't understand u.s." nterposed my phi
lanthropic companion. "Should one be enabled
to place your child in ease and comfort, would you
interfere with its well -doing!' n
The tact of woman! She had touched the
chord of paternal solcitude. The poor fellow
was silent, twisted bis head about, and looked all
bewdered. The struggle between father 5
love and his chds interest was evident and at
| fecting. AT last he said e
"God bless ye, me lady, and all that thinks OF
the poor, Heaven knows I'd be glad to betther
~ nh;lJ II ;sn,t in regard To meself, but --