The Portland daily press., 1862-11-24
MISCELLANY.
GIVING AWAY THE BABY.

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
flying across the bare floor and moved by the
passing breeze. Now the child was sitting in
the same spot, the warm October sun stream
ing in on his bright curls, and making him
look so pretty-so like picture; but the father
was gone from us forever.
at 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 little bother?
aEyen the baby missed him, and would come,
and stand at my knee, calling, 'Papal 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, tired of his play, and came
and got into my lap.
mamma cry ?--mamma mustn't" he lisped
out, and wiped my wet face with his slittle club
by hands: but | 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 a loss how to be-
gin 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, prettyr in his childish way.
She took it off, and gave it to him, saying
"'Wont you come to be my little boy, Char
lie?"
"My mothers heart took fright at once.
They had no children, and l seemed to feel as
plainly as if they had told me that they had
come to ask me for one of mine.
".No, no; mother couldn't spare him. said,
quickly snatching him away, almost rudely, l
fear.
"'My dear woman began Mr. Lorrimer,
have you thought seriously of the impossible
ty of your getting along with five children, un-
der twelve years of age? 1t has required all
your husbands efforts to make living for you
how can you hope do it without him?
"We Offer to take the most helpless of
your little ones-to give him all the advantag-
es we would our own child, and surely you
mus see that Gods hand is in it-that through
us, He intends to help you'
g need not tell you how long withstood
all their arguments. But at last, overcome
by their entreaties, | consented 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 it was for the child's good,
consented to give him up. When went to
uTtss ultU W ~, NY ItSOluliOu diulOSb iulivu
me- / fingered over every article put on
him, and made every dear curl over and over
before | could get it to please me; and l kiss
ed the little white shoulders until they were
all rosy. But at length he was ready, and
thought he never looked SO pretty. He was
full of animation, for he was old enough to
know what it meant to go riding and clap
ped his hands, and laughed aloud at the hors-
es, as they were driven up. l handed him to
his new mother, the children supposed that he
was to come back soon,) and he never even
looked at me. Oh, how jealous my aching
heart grewi
"When came back into the house, the first
thing my eye fell on was his cradle. could
only throw myself on it, and sob aloud. Then
came the trial of telling the whole truth to the
children. None of them seemed reconciled,
and felt that the worst was 10 come, when
the two oldest should return from school, /
almost dreaded to meet them, especially Will
lie; he was like his father, SO quiet and calm,
outwardly, but hiding beneath his apparent
GOODNESS the strongest, deepest feelings. But
the others went to meet them as they came
home, and was pleasantly disappointed in
the way the Oldest took it. He seemed to feel
that had done it for the best, and that he
must hide his own sorrow for my sake. He was
more thoughtful for my comfort, genter than
ever, only very still and grave.
"The day ended, as the longest will at last
and 1t came time to go 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 pillowi Baby had al
ways laid his little rosy face as close to mine
as he could get it, AID slept with one little
warm hand on my neck. All my grief broke
out afresh when thought of him. Willie rails
ed up at last and said earnestly:
Mother, it's Charlie you are crying for, isn't
itp
"Yes,', 1 answered; Il know it's for the best
but oh! it's so hard to give him up."
"Mother," continued the child-"when fa-
ther died we knew it was all for the best, be-
cause 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, 10 love him, and keep
him; and now you have given him away. If
He had meant him to be Mr.. and Mrs. Lorri-
mers baby, wouldn't he have given him to
them at first?'.
"rhe child's words carried more weight with
them than all the arguments Of my rich neigh
bors. After considering moment, said, i'm
pulsively:
sob, if only had him back, he should new
er 60 away again, no matter how poor we
might be-"
Ahe fhoon was snillHs SO brightly tnat IL
was almost as bright as day, and presently
Willie said:
"Mother, It's only half mile across the
fields, and they won't go to bed for long
time at Mr.. Lorrimer's; let us go and get
Charlie. Why, mother, seem to hear him
now."
"Urged by the child's entreaties, and the
fond promptings of my own heart, consent
ed. l think I never walked half mile SO
quickly In my life, and neither of us spoke un-
I'll we reached the mansion. Then we stopped
q moment for breath, and sure enough, we
could hear baby screaming at the top of his
Toice. We went round to the stting-room
door, and knocked They seemed half fright
ened when they saw who it was, but asked us
In politely. A hired nurse was waking with
the child up and down the floor, trying to pac-
ify 1t. Mrs. Loriimer had wearied herself out,
aud waslying on lounge
Come TO MOTHER" Willie said, and brought
the little fellow to me at once.
How he clung to me, still sobbing, vet
smiling all the while to find himself IN nv
arms.
"Icannot giue him up," l said at last, when
could get my voice clear. "You must let
me take him homen
"They evidently thought me the silliest of
women; but their cold words only made me
The more determined, and we started back in
less than half an hour after we came, carry
ing the baby; Willie offered TO help me, but |
!elt as though could carry him in my arms
forever.
"When had laid him in bed, now fast asleep,
but still sobbing, and reaching out his little
hands, to feel If was there, said, God help
ing me, come what will. will never part with
one OF my living children again. and l never
lid.
s.Il