Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-12-05

A MOTHERS STORY.

GIVING AWAY THE BABY.
xoTnRR's STORY.
From the "Littls Pilgrim Magazine"
ut was the third day after my husbands
funeral" said the widow, land was so
stunned by his sudden death that could do
nothing but sit and think over it, and try to
realize how it could be SO. Only the Sunday
before. he had been sitting with me, watching
the baby, as he sat in the sunshine, laughing
and clapping his little hands as the shadows
of the trees were flung across the bare floor,
and moved by the passing breeze. Now the
child was sitting in the same spot, the warm
October sun streaming in on his bright curls,
and making him lcok so pretty-so like
picture; but the father was gone from US
forever.
1t 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 he so often did-'Mother, what would you
take for this brother?'
come and stand by my knee, calling Papa,
papa! until thought my poor heart would
break. The two oldest children were at
school the rest were out playing, so that
was quite alone. By and by the baby was
tired Of his play, and came and got up into
my lap.
"Mamma cry p-mamma mustn't " he lispcd
out, and wiped my wet face with his little
chubby hands; but l could only hold him
closer to me, and then cry more bitterly.
Just then, Mr.. and Mrs. Lorrimer drove
up in their handsome carriage. They lived
not far off, and were our richest neighbors
When had invited them in, and had dried
my tears little, they seemed at n loss how
to begin the conversation, but Charlie 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 say
ing;
wont you come to DO by little boy, Char
lie"
My mothers heart took fright at once.
They bad no children, and seemed to feel
as plainly as if they had told me, that they
had come for one of mine.
No, no mother couldn't spare him. said,
quickly snatching him away, almost rudely,
my dear woman" began Mr.. Lorrimer,
shave you thought seriously of the impossi.
bility of your getting along with five child rem,
under twelve years Of age9 It has required
all your husbands efforts to make living for
"We Offer" j'ined in his wife, ITO 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 he intends to help
you"
need not tell you how long l withstood
all their arguments But at last, overcome
by their entreaties, I consented to consider
the matter. In two days they came for n y
answer. Inever mentioned their visit to any
of the children, and had changed my mind
almost every hour since had seen them.
At last convinced that it was fer it's good
l consented to give him up. When went to
dress him to 60, my resolution almost failed
me. Fingered on every article put ON him,
and made every dear curl over and over before
| could getit to please me and kissed the
little white shoulders until they were rosy.
But atlength he was ready. and thought he
never looked so pretty. He was full of ami
nation, 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, (the chill.
dren supposed he was to come back soon, J
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 |
could only throw myself on it, and sob aloud.
Then came the trial Of telling the whole truth
to tho children. None of them seemed rec.
onciled, and felt the worst was to come
when the two Oldest came from school. I
almost dreaded to meet them, especially Willie;
he was ike his father, so quiet and calm, out.
wardly, but hiding beneath his apparent cold
ness the strongest and deepest feelings. But
the others went to meet them as they came
home, and i! was pleasantly disappointed in
the way the oldest took it. He seemed
to feel that l had done it for the best, and
that he must hide his own sorrow for my
sake. lie was more tn ughtful 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 60 to bed. had taken
Willie to sleep down stairs near me. Since
his fathers death the other children slept
just above US. Well, when l came to lie
down, there was the empty pilloao! Baby
had always laid his little rosy face as close to
mine as he could get it, and slept with one
warm hand on my neck. All my grief broke
out afresh when thought of him. Willie
raised up at last, and said, earnestly: 49,.
"Mother, it's Charlie you are crying for
isn't lt?"
EYES," I answered, 81 know it's 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 little Charlie must be crying for you,
and how God gave him to US, to love him
and keep him, and now you have given him
away. If He had meant him to be Mr.. and
Mrs. orrimer's baby, wouldn't He have given
him to them at first?"
The child's words carried more weight with
them than all the arguments of my rich neigh
bors. After considering a moment | said,
impulsively:
"Oh, if Ionly had him back, he should
never 90 away again, no matter how poor we
might be-"
The moon was shining so brightly that it
was almost as light as day, and presently
Willie said:
:" Mother it's only half mile across the
aelds, and they won't go to bed for long
time at Mr.. Lorrimer's; let US go and get
Charlie. Why, mother 1 seem to hear him
now"
Urged by the child's entreaties and the fond
pronptings Of my own heart. consented. 1
IL Ill
in my life, and neither of us spoke until we
roaohod