Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-04-28
Il istfllsutous.
Giving Away a Child.


beauty of the children, two girls and =
boy, was the admiration of all their fellow
passengers. A lady, who had no children
OF her own, was desirous of ADOPTING one
OF the little travellers, and made an annj;-
cation 10 the father, through a friend. who
gives the following touching, and as we
suppose, truthful account of the negocia-
uon.
| l-proceeded, he says, immediately up-
on my delicate diplomacy. Finding NV
friend upon deck, | thus opened the af-
fair:
on are very poor q
lis answer was very characteristic:
" Poor, sir, !" said be az, if there's
a poorer man than me troublin' the world
God pity both Of US. for we'd be about
aquil."
3" Then how do you manage to support
your children? o.
1t IS TO support them, sir Why l
oont support them any way; they get
! supported some way or other"
wouldn't 1t be relief to you to part
with one of them 90
1t was too sudden he turned sharplv
| round.
a what, sir :" he cried. relief 70
part from my child. Would it be a re-
lief to have the hands chopped from the
| body, or the heart torn out OF my breast /?
4 relief, indeed God be good to rs
what do you name g.
on don't understand me-" I replied
Ii, now 1t were in ones power TO
provide comfortably for one of YOUR chill
! dren, would you stand in the wav Of its
interests z"
No, sir" said he. Heaven knows
that would willingly cut the sunshine
away from myself, that thew might get
all the warmth of il; but do tell US what
you're driving at"
l then told him that a lady had taken
fancy to have one of the children; and.
If he would consent to it, should be e1u
Gated and finally settled and made com
Portable in life.
This threw him into a fit of gratula-
ton. He scratched his head and looked
the very picture of bewiiderment. The
struggle between a fathers love and
chnds interest was evident and touching
At length he said:
oh, murther, wouldn't it be great
thing for the baby? But must 90 and
talk with Mary-that's the mother of
them an'it wouldn't be right 10 be giving
away her children afore her face. and She
TO know nothing at all about it,
Away, with You then" said I, "and
bring me an answer back as soon as pos
sibIe.'
In about half an hour he returned d
leading TWO of his children. His eyes
were red and swollen, and agitated.
Well" inquired what success z"
-" Bedad, it was hard struggle. sir"
said he. - But I've been talking to Mary.
an she says as its for the chiId's good.
may be the Heavens above will give US
strength to bear it."
be q
Fax, and don't know, sir" and he
run his eye obviously over both
g Here's liIlle Norah-she's the Oldest,
an won't need her mother so much. but
then-oh, sare and aiges-it's myself
that can't cell which I'd rather part with
laste; so take the fist one that comes
with bIessn." & There, sir" and he
handed over lite Norah turning back,
he snatched her up in his arms, and gave
one long hearty, fatherIy kiss, saving
through his tears.
May God be good TO him that's good
to you, an them tha, offers YOU hurt or
harm, may their souls never see St. Pc
ter.
Then taking his other, child bv the
hand, he walked away, leaving Norah
! with me.
took her down to the cabin, and we
| thought the matter settlad. 1t mus be
confessed to my great Indignation. how
ever, IN about an hours time | saw nv
| friend Pat at the window. AS soon as
he caught my eye he commenced making
Signs for me to come out. | did so, and
found that he had he other chiIi in his
arms.
w what's the matter now ?' asked I.
Well, SIT, said he, e ak your par
don for troubling You about so foolish
thing as child or two, but we were
thinking that maybe it'd make no differ
ence-you see, sir, I've been talking 10
Mary. an she says she can't part with
/ Norah, because the creature has the look
ov me, hut here's little biddv, she's pur-
tyer far, and av you phase, sir, will you
swap2"
. Certainly" said I, whenever you
like"
So he snapped up little Norah. as If it
were some recovered treasure. and dart
/ ed away with her. leaving Biddv. who
remained with us all night; but 10. the
moment we entered the cabin in the
morning, there was Pat making his mvs-
terious sign again at the window, this
time he had the youngest, a baby, in his
arms.
8 What's wrong now ?" inquired
I g Be the honey fly, sir, an its myself
that's almost ashamed to tell YOU. You
/ see I've been talking to Mary, and she
did not like to part with Norah, because
she had the look ov me, and be my soul.
can't part with Bddy, because she's the
model of her mother: but theirs little
| Paudeen, sir. There's a lump of a
! Christian for you, two years oud. and
not day more he' never be any trouble
+