The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-11-27
Giving Away the Baby.
A MoTHRR's STORY.


7 was so stunned by his sudden death
that could do nothing but sit and
think over it, and try to realize how II
souId be- 80. Only the Sunday before
be.had been sitting with me, watching
the habv. as he sat in the sunshine,
laughing and clapping his little hands,
oe the shadows Of the trees were hung
ocross the bare floor, and moved by
the passing breeze. Now the child
was sitting in the same spot, the warm
October sun streamingin on his bright
curls. and making him look so pretty
so like a picture; but the father was
gone from us forever.
eft seemed to me / must see his
dear face once more-that he would
surely lift the latch and come in: and
take our child up, and say as ne often
did-'Mother, what would you take
for this little bother?'
ssEven the baby missed him, and
and would come and stand at my knee
calling PapaE papa!' until thought
nv poor heart would break. The TWO
oldest children were at school; the rest
were out playing, SO that Twas quite
alone. BY and by the baby was HTed
of his play, aud came and got up into
lap. - -, bo
lisped out, and wiped my wet face with
his little chubby hands; but could
only hold him closer to me, and then
cry more bitterly.
ssJust then, Mr.. and Mrs. Lorrlmer
drove up in their handsome carriage.
They lived not far off, and were our
richest neighbors. When / had invl-
ted them in, and had dried my tears
little, they seemed at loss how to
begin the conversation, but Charhe
had slid away from my side, and went
and stood at the lady's knee, and
pointing to her heavy gold bracelet,
said-'Pretty, pretty in his childish
way. She took it off, and gave it to
him, sying: -, ,.,.
"Won't you come to be my little
boy, Charlie?'
8My mothers heart took fright, at
once. They had no children, and +!
seemed to feel as plainly as ifthey had
told me, that they had come to ask me
for one of mine.
o"No no; mother couldn't spare him,
I said, quickly snatching him away
almost rudely, l fear.
esMy dear woman began Mr.. Lor-
rirner, have you thought seriously
of the impossibility of your getting
along with five children, under twelve
years of age? 1t has required all your
husbands efforts to make living for
you-how can you expect to do 1t
without him?"
eve offer" joined in his wife, TO
take the most helpless OF your little
ones-to give him all the advantages
we would our own child; and surely
you must see that Gods hand is In it
that through us lie intends to help you
'Tneed not tell youhow long | with>
stood all their arguments. But at last
overcome by their entreaties, con
sented to consider the matter. In
two days they came for my answer.
never mentioned their visit to any OF
the children, and had changed my
mind almost every hour since had
seen them. At last convinced that 1t
was for the child's good, consented
to live him up. When | went to
dress him to go, my resolution almost
failed me. | fingered over every ar
ticle 1 put on him, and made every
dear curl over and over before |
could get it to please me; and L kiss
ed the little shoulders until they were
all rosy. But at length he was ready
and thought he never looked so pret>
ty. He was full OF animation, for he
was old enough to know what it
meant to go riding, and he clapped his
hands and laughed aloud at the horses
as they were driven up. | handed him
to his new mother, 1.-THE children sup
posed that he was to come back soon)
and he never even looked at me. Oh,
how Jealous was my aching heart!
"When / came back into the house
the first thing my eye fell upon was his
cradle. .a
81 could only throw myself on it,
and sob aloud. Then came the trial
of telling the whole truth to the chil>
dren. None of them seemed reconciI-
ed, and felt that the worst was to
come when the two oldest should
come from school. l almost dreaded
to meet them especially Willie; he was
like his father, so quiet and calm out
wardly, but hiding beneath his appa-
rent GOODNESS the strongest, deepest
feelings. But others went to meet
them as they came home, aud l was
pleasantly disappointed in the way the
oldest took it. He seemed to feel that
I had done it for the best, and that he
must hide his own sorrow for my sake.
He was more thoughtful for my com
fort, gentler than ever, only very still
and grave.
"The day ended, as the longest will
at last and it came time to go to bed
I had taken Willie to sleep down stairs
near me. Since his fathers death, the
other children slept just above us.
Well. when came to lie down there
was the Empty PillOec! Baby had
always laid his little rosy face as close
to mine as he could get it, and slept
with one little warm hand on my neck.
All nv grief broke out afresh when
thought of him. Willie raised up at
last. and said, earnestly:
"'Mother, it's Charlie you are cry,
ing for isn't it?'
eyes, answered, I know it is for
the best; but oh! it's so hard to give
him up
"Mother,' continued the child,
when father died, we knew it was all
for the best, because God took Him
from us; but have been thinking ever
since we laid down how poor Charlie
must be crying for you, and how God
gave him to US, to love him and keep
: finland now YOU. have given him