Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-09-24

hunger appeased. Gleesome, bright-eyed
little creatures they were, scrupulously
clean, despite the poverty OF their parents
all life and happiness, and IN bllssful lgno'
rance of the destitution by whichthey were
surrounded.
One dav, delighted with her little pro-
teges, the lady happened to say, half jestlng-
ly, ~ wonder would this poor man part
with one of those little darlings? l should
like to adopt it,
al don't know" said L; suppose we
make the inquiry"
The man was sent for and the delicate
business 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 pew
ther! if there's poorer man than mesel
throublin' the wurld God pity both OF uz
for we'd be about aiquil.'
"Then you must find it difficult to sup
port your children" said I, making long
lump toward our object.
sis it support thin, sir?" he replied
sLord bless ye, Inever supported thim-they
git supported somehow or another; they ", We
nnivir bin hungry yit-when they are it'll
be time enough to grumble."
Irish all over, thought |; to-day has e.
noueh to do, let tomorrow look out tor IT
self.
"Well then," Presumed, with determln'
ed plunge, "would it be a relief to you to
6 fhar ~
had mistaken my mode of attack. He
started, turned pale, and, with wild glare
in his eve, literally screamed out
GA relief God be good to w, what dye
name? A Arelief-would it be arellet, dye
think, to have the hand chopped from me
body, Or the heart torn out OF my breast
"You don't understand u.s. interPoseo
my philanthropic companion. "Should one
be enabled to place your child In ease and
comfort would you interfere with Its we'll
doing'
The tact of woman! She had touched
the chord of parental solicitude, the poor
fellow was silent, twisted his head about,
and looked all bewildered. The. struggle
between a fathers love and his chlld's III
telest was evident and affecting. At last
he said,-
"God bless We, my lady, and all that thinks
of the poor Heaven knows I'd be glad to
betther the child it isn't in regard to me-
self, but, but hadn't betther go and spake
to Mary; she's the mother OF THIN, and
'twould be unreasonable to be given away
her child afore her face, and she not know
nothin' of the matther."
"Away with you, then," said l, land
bring us back word as soon as possible. =
In about an hour he returned, but with eyes
red and swollen, and features pale from ex-
citement and agitation.
"Well," inquired 1, "what success''
"Bedad, twas hard struggle, sir: SAID
he, 'sbut It's for the child's good, and heav-
en- give us stringth to bear H."
Every good, and which is it to be? ?"
"Why, sir, Eve bin spakin' to Mary, and
she thinks as Norah here is the ouldest she
won't miss the mother so much, and ifye'll
list let her take partin kiss, she'd give her
to yez wild blessing"
So my poor fellow took his children away
to look at one of them for the last time. 1t
was long ere he returned, but when he did,
he was leading the second eldest.
"How's this?" said |; "have you chang
ed your mind :"
";Not exactly changed me mind, sir, he
replied; "but Eve changed the crathur.--
Ye see sir, I've been spakin' to Mary, and
whin 1t come to the ind, be goxty, she
couldn't part wild Norah, at ALL at all; they've
GOT used to aitch others ways; but here's
little Biddy-shes purifier far if she'll do
as WE'LL"
"Its all the same" said l "let Biddyre-
main"
"May heaven be her guardian" !" cried
he, snatching her up in his arms, and CIV
ing her one long, hearty kiss, ''God be kind
to thin that't kind to you, and thin that
offers you hurt or harum, may their soul
niver see Saint Petherw So the bereaved
father rushed away, and all that night the
child remained with us but early the next
morning my friend Pat re-appeared, and this
time he had his youngest child, mere ba-
by, snugly cuddlcd up in his arms"
"Why, them" said he, with an express
sion of the most comic anxiety, "axin' yer
honor's pardon for being so wake hearted,
but whin | begin to think of Biddy's eyes
look at thim they're the image of her
mothers, bedad-I couldn't let her go; but
here's little Paudeen; he won't be much
throuble to any one, for if he takes after his
mother he'll have the brightest eye and the
soitest heart on the top of creation; and If
he takes after his father, he'll have purity
hard fist on broad pair of shoulders topush
his way through the world. Take him, sir,
and gi' me Biddy,"
'Just as you like" said I, having pref
ty good guess how matter would eventuate.
So he took away his pet Biddy, and hand
ed me the little toddling urchin. This chirp-
ing little vagabond won't be long with US,
thought I. Nor was he. Ten minutes had
scarcely elapsed, ere Pat rushed into the
cabin, and seizing little Paudeen up in his
arms, he turned to me, with large tears bub-
bling in his eyes, cried out
"Look at him, sir,-jist look at him its
the youngest. Ye wouln't have the heart
to keep him from uz. The long and short
Of it is, I've bin spakin' to Mary. Ye see
she couldn't part wild Norah, and didn't
like to let Biddv go; but, be me sowl, naith-
er of w could live half day widout little
Paudcen. No, sir-no. We can bear the
bitterness of poverty, but we can't part from
onr childer un'ess il is Tie DiH Of hearen 10
iake thHm from w."
&S- None of US know what we can live
past, till we have proved it. God sends