National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-11
AFFECTING SCENE.

A WOMAN GIVES AWAY HER INFANT.
An affecting scene occurred IN the ladies
room of the Central railroad depot shortly after
noon yesterday. From the st. Louis Express,
which arrived at 10 o'clock, family alighted,
consisting Of man, woman and three children.
They entered the ladies' sitting room and seated
themselves. The woman, poorly clad, pale and
care-worn, carried in her arms an infant six
weeks old. The husband and other children
were shabbily dressed, presenting the appear
anee of having passed through some terrible
misfortune. They secured seats together, and
remained In silence, ''waiting fol the train"
They had been in their seats about fifteen min
utes when two ladies, accompanied by gen.
tleman, entered and looked about for seats.
The party arrived in private carriage, and
their dress and appearance indicated that they
belonged to the upper strata of society. The
young man and woman were husband and wife,
and the elder lady was the mother of the young
wife.
While glancing about the room the eyes of
the latter rested upon the face of the infant,
which nestled closely to its mothers bosom.
She remarked: 'iWhat beautiful child; /
wish 1t was mine" The mother, with tears in
her eyes, replied: 81 wish IL was; we have
been very unfortunate, but cannot support our
offspring" "Wnl you give the darling to mel'
asked the young woman. After some hesita-
ton the mother replied, with tears flowing
down her cheeks, "Yes; will 'Then will
take it and bring it up as my own," said the
young woman; Kit shall be clad in the best
garments that can be procured; and the dear
little creature shall never know want" The
child was handed over to her, and she took It
in her arms. The husband and mother remon-
strated with "Hat," as they called her. She
replied to her husband, calling him CIVIL"
"There is no use of talking, my mind is made
up; am bound to have the childp' Argu-
ment was of no avail. Finally, the forlone
woman who had given up her infant into the
hands of stranger, repented, and begged that
the child be returned to her, saying that she
should never see it again.
Her brutal husband, striking her in the face,
replied, "You fool, in three or four months
will return, find the child and get it," "No
you WON'T" said the indignant adopted mother;
''it is mine, and you will never see 1t again.
will take good care that You don't know where
It Is" The child was then hurriely conveyed
by It's newly found protector to q carriage, &C
companied by her husband and mother. The
driver asked the street and number of the lady.
She replied: "Never mind, drive to Main street
and then 1 will tell you where to go. The
driver mounted his box and started up Mill
street. That Is the last that is known of that
party. The scene was witnessed by number
of people, and many eyes were sufused with
tears At O'Clock the strangers who had
thus parted with the youngest of their of
springs again took the cars and proceeded to
New York, where they have friends. The wo-
man said they came from the West, and had
travelled continually for five weeks. The names
Of the parties to the transaction could not be
obtained. The woman appeared intelligent,
and must have been driven to direful neces-
si;y to have given up the child to an ertire
stranger, without scarcely moment ofthought.
We trust and believe the child has fallen into
good hands. The parties who adopted the
child went to the depot for the purpose of
taking the train East, we understandable
chester Express. ...---