Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-06-11
An 1rishman and his Three chll.
Vanity Fair.

I'm DoarQ OF one OF the lake steamers,
bound for the far west, were an Irish
family-husband, wife, and three children.
They were evidently in very destitute cir
cumstances. but the exceeding beauty of
the children, two girls and a boy, was the
admiration of their fellow passengers. A
lady, who had no children of her own. was
desirous Of adopting one of the little trav-
elers, and made application to the father,
through a friend, who gives the following
touching, and, as we suppose, truthful ac-
count of the negotiation:
i proceed he says, Immediately on my
delicate diplomacy. Finding my friend on
deck. I thus opened the affair
You are very pOOr@
His answer was very characteristic.
Poor, sir = said he, if there's a poorer
man than me troublin' the world, God pity
both oV us, for we'd be about aquil.'
Then bow do you manage to support
your children p
is it support them, sir Why I don't
support them in any way they get sup
ported one way or other. It'll be time
enough to complain when they do
Would it be a relief to you to part with
o Of them?'
lItEas too sudden; he turned sharply
around.
"A what sir 2 he cried, "a relief to part
from my child /? Would it be a relief to
have the hands chopped from the body OF
the heart torn out of my breast ? A relief,
indeed What do you name?
You don't understand me- | replied
IF now, it were in ones power to provide
comfortably for one of your children, would
you stand in the way of its interests p
No, SIR said he; 4 would willingly
cut the sunshine from myself, that they
might get all the warm of it but tell US
what you are driving at?"
l then told him that a lady had taken a
fancy to have one of his children, and, if
he would consent to it, it should be edu-
Gated, and finally settled comfortably in
life.
This threw him into a fit Of graduation.
He scratched his head, and looked the
very picture of bewilderment. The strug-
gle between the fathers love and the child's
interest was evident and touching. At
length be said:
ooh wouldn't it be a great thing for the
baby ? But I must go and talk with Mary
that's the mother of EN- and it wouldn't
be right to be giving away her children be-
fore her face, and she to know nothing at
all about it
Away with you. then said l, and
bring ne an answer as soon as possible
In about half an hour he returned,
Heading two Of his children. His eyes
were red and swollen, and his face pale
from excitement and agitation.
WELL l inquired. what success?
'Bedad, it was a hard struggle, SIR said
be. But I've been talking to Mary, an
abe says, as it's for the child's good, may
be the heavens above will give us strength
to bear it."
Very well, and which of them is it to
be?'
FAX, and l don't know SIR and he ran
his eye obviously over both of them,
Here's little Norah-she's the eldest. and
won't need her mother SO much but then
oh, tear an aigers, it's myself that can't
tell which I'd rather part with least SO
take the first one that comes wild a bless
ing. There, sir, and he handed over little
Eorah. Turning back, he snatched her up
in his arms. and gave her one long. hearty
fathers kiss, saying through his tears:
May God be god to him that's good to
you
Then, taking his other child by the
land, be walked away, leaving Norah with
me.
] took her down to tie cabin, and we
thought the matter settled. 1t must be
confessed to my great indignation, however,
in about an hours time l saw my friend
Pat at the window. As soon as he caught
my eye, he began making signs for me to
come out. l did 80, and found that be had
she other child in his arms.
What's the matter, now? I asked.
We'll, SIR said he, i ask your pardon
for troubling you about so foolish a thing
as a child or two, but we're thinkin' that
maybe it'd make no difer-you see, sir | We
been talking to Mary, an she says she
can't part with Norah, because the creature
has the look of me /; but here's little Biddy.
she's purtyer by far, and av you phase, sir,
will you swap
Certainly. whenever you Ike said 1.
So he snatcbed up little Nora as though
il was some recovered treasure, and darted
away with her. leaving little Biddy. who
remained with US all night; but 10 the
moment we entered the cabin in the MORN
ing, there was Pat making his mysterious
signs at the window, and this time he had
the youngest, a baby, in his arms.
What's wrong. now?' L inquired.
'Ay /; an it's meself that's almost asham-
ed to tell ye. Ye see, I've been talking to
Mary, an she didn't like to part wi h No.
lah, because she had the look of me, and /
asr,t part with Biddy, because she's the
model Of her mother; but there's little
,psudeen nv There's a hmm If q Cbr;,