The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-08-02

before she had held the Gazette uuder
the light Of my student lamp, and point
ing with her finger to an advertisement,
said TO me: Please read that" It was
the well'known appeal, the cry Of de-
spair from q bleeding heart, addressed
:" to good people," A child was offered
lor adoption to persons we'll off. "WbAt
would you think OF our taking it," my
wife had said, and ] had returned the
paper to her with q shrug Of my shoul-
ders.
But, Martha, what have you doneP'
cried ], in tone vibrating with anger.
You bave really"
"Certainly, as you see. And then it
belongs tc me; 1 myself have settled
everything with the poor mother, who is
in reality 20 be pitied. have sworn
to take good care of it; and 30 will in.
deed"
She took the little head, with its
blonde silk curls, between her white
hands and fondled and caressed it..
''Is it not so, little one 2-you will be
loved 2n
But the somewhat sickly and delicate
little face showed no sign OF understand
| ing, except that out OF the heart.shaped
little mouth came one of those sighs that
sound 80 strangely from children.
at once gave up all serious objec.
tion. Had we not been accustomed for
years to act independently OF each
othefp Our marriage was not happy
one, although we had not married for
love. During the noise and hustle of
the crowded exchange, our fathers had
contracted this union. She had to tear
her heart from q beloved one, and in
mine glowed a passion not yet outspoken.
But parental wishes conquered. We
chose to be obedient children; and 30
it happened.
AT the commencement we were to
each other silent reproach; after
which followed declared war, until
finally we came to polite but gloomy
peace.
To be sure she was beautiful, she was
good and bright and sparkling. Others
called her an ngel. And I? Well, 1
believe that was no monster either.
The analysis showed the brightest eel
| ors, still the sun was missing. We were
six years married and had no children.
Perhaps had heaven sent us them-well,
this child belonged entirely to her 1
heard later that she had given the
mother thousand dollars, the price of
a set of jewels which she sold secretly.
"Why did You not tell me OF it 2"
said 1, half angrily.
Because it would have been loo
late if l had waited for your return to
the city /; and besides wanted to have
it entirely for myself / want to call it
my own" said she, poutingly.
My horses, my dogs her cansries,
her gold fishes-that l conld endure !;
but that she wanted to have her child
for herself alone, that was too much for
me. The thought of it tortured me
one, two days long. On the third day,
my wife having gone out in her carriage,
there came q yelled woman and de-
manded entrance. 1t was the mother.
Like shadow she glided into the room,
and, with. o half-suppressed sob, begged
to see her child once more. She could not
part from him forever without imprint
ing one more kiss upon his cheeks. 1
opened my safe quickly: "Here, my
good woman" said /, stake that, they
have not given you enough" Hot tears
fell down her wan cheeks; she begged
me not to Judge her too harshly; she
had another child, cripple and help
less; she herself was sick and would not
live much longer, and what was to be-
come of the childrenP Then she
thought myself had to finish the
sentence, which violent fit of cough.
ing had interrupted. eyes," she had
thought, al will sell the healthy one,
in order that the money may help the
cripple when am dead and gone"
No, she must not be judged harshly;
We rich ones know but little of the trials
and temptations of the poor.
When my wife returned 1 gave her
an account of the call l had had, adding
that had given to the unfortunate one
exactly the same amount as she had
"And now," said I, "you see the child
belongs to both of us" She bit her lip
with her little white teeth.
at is all the same to me-" said she
after a moments reflection, and with
that she pressed tender kiss on the
little boys mouth. 1t sounded almost
like challenge.
"Our childp I scarcely ever saw it.
And the changes that were made in our
household for his sake were made entire
ly without me. Sometimes, after the
most important things we're decided,
my consent was then asked. "We are
obliged to have nurse, I hired one
Anselm"-I nodded silently" We
must fit up a nursery that room is too
warm for the child" nodded silently,
but heard the sound Of the workmen,
who were already busy in the hall
What could do better? VAST not all
done for our child?
My wife and I did not talk much
about the child, and when We did men
tion it we used only the name "It'
But this " 1t" could be heard through
the house at almost any time of the
day.