Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-11-19

help them or their triendS 10 happiness here
after, endcavored, as James Frlong had be-
come Il great p~eniient and pilgrim entirely"
to regard him with the kindly feelings they
bestowed upon ordinary beggars, They would
say when James came in sight of their dwell
lings, "Lord be between US aud harm, but
there James Furlong. Well, who knows but
he may die a great Christian-its better TO sec
u MIN draw near "a he grows old. than fall
awJy--and maybe If our thoughts had oppor-
tunity at all times, we might be as great SIM
ners as he was, by all accounts, pet up and
make way for him, he must 90 TO the big
houses Tor restitution money! but we can give
him an air OF the fire aud Il kindly welcome,
though that last we'd rather keep for those
our hearts warm TO, which somehow they nev.
er do TO him The Lord above look down up
on oil sinners, abroad and at homel'
Such men as James Furlong, the victims of
unbrldled passions and strong superstitions;
wandering as he wandered. are only to be
iound either in half civilized and poverty
stricken countries, or under very peculiar
phases of society; it's even now no uncommon
thing TO be solicited by aged people for money
Ito give them a decent wake"-money ITO
help TO burr them-moncy "to lave the pri-
est to pray their souls out of purga,oyh-
money Tor various things, but very seldom
~ 80 SaiIfo ENtiOuI =
father coniessor must have considered him a
great sinner or Inc would have Obliged him
To tell that he collected money to make .sresti-
tuition. | have heard some priests bitterly
complained OF, on the ground that they pre-
terred restitution 10 bodily penance. and
certainly the idea of returning whatever has
been uflawfully obtained, must be a great
check TO those who care nothing, for d pilgrim
age TO Tough Dergh, to whom lasting is a ne
cessily rather than a law, and who can "get
through their prayers" as they say themselves
lat the rate Of hunt" a curious story was
told me lately of the way in which a desire to
make restitution operated some years ago
ON q young women in the north of Ireland,
VINO became a widow two months before she
was a mother, and was engaged as ~fostercr
(that.is,as nurse to lady's infant, the mother
being obliged to proceed with her husband TO
lndia.) She was described as a gentle. afrec-
%tionate, and, for her situation in life well edu-
Gated young woman.
To CRAFTY her employer, she removed with
the la0ys child and her own TO the neighbor-
hood OF Dublin, but in little time became
SO exceedingly attached to her nursing, that
the idea OF ever parting with il rendered her
almost insane, nor could she endure the
thought oil giving up her own child instead.
30 she managed very cunningly To steal a
child. and representing To her neighbor that
she had obtained another little creature TO at
tend TO, silenced suspicious; and some time af-
ter, on the lady's return, presented her with
the changeling who was as well satisfied at re-
ceiving a fine healthy little creature of two
years old, instead OF the delicate infant she
had left in the nurs's care. Many months
passed on--the lady's child Jared with the
nurses's own, and Jared but indiilcrently.
though she was by no means in absolute pow
erty. Yet she afterwards confessed that she
never saw the changeling, in all its iinery,
without feeling bitterly the real child she
had deprived OF its birthright; but even this
seemed To affect her less than the iniustice shc
had rendered the poor woman whose child She
had stolen; and, leaving the children in the
care oil a iriend, She set out on a sort of pill
griIhage, resolved TO bestow on the woman
She had robbed, a sum of money left her by an
uncle Tor her own usc--this. she fancicd .wo,ld
be sufficient restitution. After such trouble
and enquiry, she found that the woman had
gone to neiShborhood of Kilkenny, and there
she followed, determined TO leave the money
Where she would be certain to receive it; for.
as she could not write, she did not like TO trust
Inc communication to another person.. Strang-
ly enough, while seeking the woman. the wo-
man recognized her, and, charging her with
having stolen her child some years previously.
refused all compromise, and would accent
ho'hiuS as retltutlon out her OWN child. The
nurse was imprisoned, and after much skil(nl
pleading, confessed the truth; the beggar from
whom she had stolen the child proving lis
identity by sumdry marks The woman. at
the expiration oil the period of her imprison-
ment; used To wander at night around the
mouse where the girl, grown out of childhood.
resided with ITS parents, sing snatches of wild
songs, In the hope that the strains il had so
often heard might keep alive the memory of
the oiicction,--which might be considered a
species OF insanity. Atlast, the worn an en-
aciated creature requested permission to see
the lady she had so deeply injured. She told
her she felt that she could not have long TO
live, that she had a strong desire to make
RESTITUTION ior the injury she had inflicted up
od her, and that she b9queaihed her the ONLY
thlng she had III the word TO give--her own
~clllld!--so long the companion and PLAYMATE
OF lhe lady's darling! There was something
both ludicrous and pathetic in the Offering and
manner thereof; but to the credit of the lady's
humanity. she accepted the gift. Within a
Jew days the mother died. have often thouoht
how curious 1t would be TO trace the career of
these thee children-the one claimed bv The
beggar, would be considered as deserving the
greriest sympathy, and yet, the notification
tHe lazy 5 daughter must endure, coming as an
intruder amongst sisters and brothers who
knew not, and who considered her vulgar and
ignorant, must have occasioned her great main
viable.