The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-12-05
Giving Away ,he baby.
A MOTHERS STORY.


II was the third day Oftev my hus.
bands funeral, said the widow, aud I
was so stunned by his sudden death that
I could do nothing but sit and think
over il, and try to realize how il could be 4
so. Only the Sunday before, he had
been sitting with me. watching the baby I
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 on the same |
SPOT, the warm October sun streaming in I
on his golden curls and making him look
50 prettv--so like a picture; but the fa-
thcr was gone from us forever.
"It seemed to me Us il must see his
dear face once more-that he would sure
y lift the latch and come in, and take
our child up, and say as he often did:
Mother, what would yop. take for this
little botherP
Even the BABY would miss him, and
would come and stand at my knee, call
ing Papa, papal' until l 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 cryl-mammy mustn't;' he
lisped out, and wiped my wet face with
his little chubby bands; but | could on
ly hold him closer TO me, and cry more
bitterly.
Just then Mr.. and Mrs. Lorrimer drove
up in their handsome carriage. They
I lived not far of, and We're our richest
neighbors. When had ingited them in.
and had dried my tears little, they
seemed at a loss how to begin the con.
versation, but Charlie had slid away from
my side, aud went aud stood at tho lady's
knee, and pointing TO her heavy gold
bracelet, said, pretty ,pretty,' in his Chi ID
ish way. She took it oG aud We il to
Lin, saying:
/ Won't you come and be my little boy
Charlep
my mothers heart took fright at once.
They had no children and seemed 10
feel as plainly Us ii they had told me :.
that they had come to ask me for one Of
mine.
'No, no; mother couldn't spare him.
/ said, quickly snntching him away, al
most rudely, fear.
My dear woman began Mr.. Lori
mer, 'hUve you thought seriously Of the
impossibiity of your getting along with
five children, under twelve years of nge!
1t has requi ed all your husbands Of
forts to make living tor you-how can
you hope TO do it without himP
we offer, joined in the wife, TO take
the most helpless Of your little ones--to
give him all the advantages we could our
own child; and surely you must see that
Gods hand is in it--that through US he
intends to help YOU t-r
| need not tell you how long with
stood all their arguments. But at last
overcome by their entrchties, consented
TO consider the matter. In two days
they came for my answer. | never mem
toned their visit to-any OF the children,
and had changed my mind almost owe
ry hour since had seen them. AT last,
convinced that il was for the childs good
consented to give him up. When
went to dress him to 90, my resolution
almost failed me.
l fingered over every article / put on
him, aud made every dear curl over aud
over before | could got it 10 please me;
and kissed the little white shoulders un-
I'll they We're ali rosy. But at length ha
was ready, and thought he never look.
ed so pretty. In
I He was lull Of animation, for he was
old enough to know what il mean. 10
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 children surprising 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 that my eye fell on was his
cradle. | could only throw myself on il
and sob aloud. Then came the trial of
telling the whole truth to the children.
None of them seemed rcconciled, and |
felt that the worst was to come when
the two Oldest came from school. | al
most dreaded to meet them, especially
Willie, he was like his father, so quie,
and calm, outwardly, but hiding beneath
his apparent coldness, the strongest, dee
pest feelings.
But the others went to meet them as
they came home, and was pleasantly
disappointed in the way the old est took
it. He SO emed to feel that had done il
for the best, and that he must hide his
own sorrow for my SAKE. He was more
thoughtful for my comfort, gentler than
ever, only very still and grave.
The day ended, as the longest will, at
last, and it came time 10 90 to bed. /
had taken Willie TO sleep down stairs
with me. Since his fathers death, the
other children slept Just above us. Well,
when came to lie down there was the
empty pillow! Baby had always laid
could get il. and slept with one little
warm hand on my neck. All my grief
broke out uiresh when | thought of
him. Willie raised up at last, and said
earnestly:
Mother, it's Charlie you are crying for
isn't itp -~
Yes answered, Il know it's for
the best; but oh! it's SO hard to give him
up rC I-.
Mother confined the boy, 'when fa-
ther died, We knew il 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 him; and now you
have given him away. III he had meant
him 10 be Mr.. and Mrs. Lorrimer's baby,
wouldn't He have given him To them at
firstl'
The child's words carried more weight
with them than all the arguments ofmy
rich neiOhbors After considering a mo-