Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-10-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
Giving Away a Child

On board of one of the lake steamers, bound
for the far West, was an Irish family, consist
ing of husband, wife and children. They
were evidently in very destitute circumstati-
ces /; but the exceeding beauty of the children
two boys and girl-was the admiration of
their fellow passengers. A lady, who had
po>ehildren of her own, was desirous of adopt
ing 'o1e 6f The little travellers, and made ap-
plication to the father through friend, who
gives the following touching and, as we sup
pose, truthful account of the negotiation:
proceeded, he says, Immediately, on my
delicate diplomacy. Finding my friend on
deck, thus opened he-affafr, ''Yd on are very
poor?"
lis answer was very characteristic. "Poor,
sir y said lie, Gay, if there's poorer man
than me troublin' the world, God pity both
OF uz, Tor we'd be about aquil."
children ?" ~
"Is it support them, sir? Why, I don't
support any way; they get supported some
way or other. It'll be time enough for me
to complain when they do"
Would it be a relief to you to part with
one of them ?'
Il was too sudden; he turned sharply
around. :,
ga what, sir ?" he cried ia relief to part
from my child? Would it be a relief to have
the hands chopped from the body, or the
heart torn from my breast? A relief in>
decd God be good to us what do you
mean 2"
,''You don't understand me-" I replied
"lf, now, it were in ones power to provide
comfortably for one of your children, would
you stand in the way of its interests ?'p -. u
-."No, sir, said he "the heavens, knows
that L would willingly cut, the sunshine away
from myself that they might get all the wafm
of it; bit tell us what you're drawing at"
then told him that lady had taken a
fancy to have one of his children and if he
would consent to it, it should be educated and
finally settled in life: :. 4 - ...,..,,
This threw him into fit of gratulation.--
lie scratched his head and looked the very
picture of bewildermcnt. The struggle be-
tween a fathers love and the ehild's interest
was evident and touching. At length he
said, ooh murther, wouldn't it be great
thing for the baby? But, must go anGtelk
with Mary-that's the mother of them. an it
wouldn't be right to be givin' away her chill
dren before her face, and she to know moth
EHg about it" ., ,.a
Away with you, then, !" saidzI, sandbring
me an answer back as soon as possible" ;;,
In about half an hour he returned, leading
two of his children. His eyes were red and
swollen, and his face pale from excitement
andlogitatioT. .. ~
"Wllat's the matter now ?" I asked.
"Well, sir, said lie. 81 ask your pardon for
troublingyo6 about so foolish thing as 4
child or two. butwe're thinkin' that may be
it'd make no diference-you see sir, I've
been talkin' to Mary, and she says she can't
part with Norah, because the creature has
the look Nv me; but here's a little Biddy,
she's purtyer by far, an av you plake, sir,
will you swap?"
''Certaihly whenever you like, said l.. i,
He snatched up little Norah, as though It
was some recovered treasure and darted away
with her, leaving little Biddy, who remained
with us all night ), but 10 !! the moment we
entered the cabin in the morning, there was
Pat making his mysterious signs again at the
window and thisfti he had the youngest,
baby, in his arms !,
whats wrong now 2". I inquired. ~.
t;Sure, sir, and it's meself that's almost
ashamed to tell ye. Ye see I've been talking
to Mary, an she didn't like to part with No
rah, because she has look ov me and be
me soul, I can't part with Biddy, because
she's the model ov her mother; but there's
little Paudeen, sir, will you swap again ?''
''With all my heart said I, isit is all the
same to me and little Paudeen was left with
me: e. t-,..,-
''Ha, he !' said I to myself, as I looked
into his big laughing eyes, $50 the affair is
settled at last" -,
But it wasn't ;sfor ten minutes had scarce
ly elapsed when Pat rushed into the cabin
without sign Or ceremony, and snatched up
the baby, and said, "It's no use; I've been
talking to Mary, and we can't do it. No,
sir we can bear rdifortnne, starvatinn, and
misefy, but we can't bear to part with our
children, unless it be the will of Heaven to
take them from d"
1IGnTNINd RoDs.-Professor Silliman
says that lightning rod to be effective should
be conducted to well or water cistern, and,
if possible, be coiled on the bottom, SO that
it will always be immersed in water. IF this
is not practicable, then the rod should be
conducted to heap of charcoal recently ig-
nited and quenched with water. These are
allexeellent conductors. The points of light
ming rods should, he also states. be electro
plated with gold, the ordinary way of gliding
them with gold-leaf being useless, as the leaf
'xUoebae -off -, = E,,,- ,,,oa n +.