The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-07-22
fur the fireside Ghair.
GIVING AWAY THE BABY.
A MOTHERS STORY.

at was the third day after my husbands
funeral" said the widow, "and I was SO
stunned by his sudden death that could do
nothing bat sit and think over it, and try to
realize how il could be so. Only the Sun
day before he had been sitting with me, watch
ing the baby, as he sat in the sunshine, laagh-
ing and elapping his little hands, as the shad-
ows 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
curs, and making him look SO pretty-so like
apicture; but the father was gone from us for
ever.
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 little bother p
"Even! the baby missed him, and would
come and stand at 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 I
was quite alone. By and by the baby was
tired of his play, and came and got up into
my lap. ata -7sal1 i'Ha ,5.G G.saf'f't '9ezt
Mamma cry-mamma mustn't, 'he lisped
out, and wiped my wet face with his little
chubby hands; but 1 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 of, and were our richest neighbors.
When had invited them in and had dried
my tears little, they seemed at 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 p in his
childish way. She took it off and gave it to
him, saying za Z sss- r sa' g
"Won't you come to be my little boy.
Charlie ?, iii +.
My mothers heart took fright at once.-
They had no children, and seemed to feel as
plainly as if they had told me, that they had
come to ask for one of mine.
No, no, mother couldn't spare him. I said,
quickly snatching him away, almost rudely,
l fear. F VI iy.7f'
Ny dear woman began Mr.. LeTrimer,
have you thought seriously of the impossi-
bilify 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 hope to do it without him?'
"'We 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 he intends to help
you.' -e s3 5i5E a
"Ineed not tell you how long withstood
all their arguments. But at last, overcome
by their entreaties, 1 consented to consider
the matter. In two days they came for my
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 for the chlld's
good, l consented to give him up. When I
went to dress him to go, my resolution almost
failed me. fingered over every article put
VII hiAAi, dIb AiloOO 0fSly dOdE curl over anu
over before could get it to please me, and I
kissed 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 to go riding and
he clapped his hands and laughed aloud at the
horses as they were driven up. I handed
him to his new mother (the children suppos-
ed that he was to come back soon) and he
never even looked at me. Oh, how Jealous
my aching heart grew. 3 eHff9vf ha-4tez
When l came back into the house, the
first thing my eye fell on was his cradle.
scould only throw myself on it, and sob aloud
Then came the trial of telling the whole truth
to the children. None of them seemed re-
conciled, and felt that the worst was to come
when the two Oldest should return from
school. I almost dreaded to meet them, es
pecially Willie; he was like his father, 81
quiet and calm outwardly, but hiding beneath
his apparent coldness the strongest, deepes
feelings. But the others went to meet then
i ast they came home, and was pleasantly dis
appointed in the way the Oldest took it. H
seemed to feel that had done it for the best
and that he must hide his own sorrow for m,
sake. He was more thoughtful for my com
fort, gentler than ever only very still AM
> grave.
Z "The day ended, as the longest will, a
last and it came time to go to bed. had ia
ken Willie down stairs to sleep near me-
Since his fathers death, the other childre
slept just above us. Well, when came t
Il lie down, there was the empty pillow Bah