The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-01-04
A Pathetic Story.

A Pathetic Story.
In our party was an American
gentleman, who was blessed with an
abundance of boys, but no girl, and
he and his wife had been con-
templating the adoption of a girl.
Here was an opportunityto secure
not only girl, but just the kind of
girl that he would have given half
his estate to be the father OF. And
so he opened negotiations.
An IrisEman who knew him ex-
planned to the father and mother
that the gentleman was man OF
means, that his wife was an excel
lent, good woman, and that the child
would be adopted regularly under
the laws of the State in which he
lived and would be educated, and
would rank equally with his own
children in the matter of inheritance,
and all that. In short, she was TO
understand that Norah would be
reared a lady.
Then the American struck In.
She, the mother, might select a girl
to accompany her child across the
Atlantic, and the g.rl selected should
90 into the family as the child's
nurse, and that the child should be
reared in the religion ofits parents.
The father and mother consulted
long and anxiously. 1t was terri
bic struggle. On the one hand was
the ehild's advantage, on the other
parental and maternal love.
Finally Il conclusion was arrived
at.
"God help me-" said the mother
.'You shall have her. | know you
will be good to her."
Then the arrangements were push
ed very briskly, and with regular
American business-like vehemence.
The girl selected to act as nurse was
the mothers sister, a comely girl OF
| 20. The Americans took the child
and rushed out to the haberdasher's
and purchased an outfit for her lie
put shoes and stockings on her, which
was a novel experience, and pretty
little dress. and little hat with a
feather in it, and little sash and all
that sort of thing, and he procured
shoes and stockings for the elder
girl, and tidy dress, and hat and
shawl, and so forth. And then he
brought them back, instructing the
mother that he should leave with
them for Cork the next morning at
III, and that the girl and child
should be dressed and ready to de-
part.
The next morning came, and the
American went for his child. She
was dressed though ye awkward
Ily. The mother had never had any
experience in dressing childre and
| it was a wonder that she did J It get
the dress on wrong sid up But
there she was. The mot vailed
as one who was parting with every
thing that was dear to her; the faith
er lay and moaned, looking from
Norah to the American. Time was
up. The mother took the baby IN
her arms and gave it the final en-
brace. and the long loving kiss the
father took her in his arms and kiss
ed her. and the other children look.
ed on astounded, while the girl stood
weeping.
Good by" said the American
~ viii take good care of the baby,
and taking her from the mothers
arms started for the door.
There was 4 shrek, the woman
darted to him Just as he was clos
ling the door, and snatched the baby
from his arms.
drop The child y said the father
aYou can't have her for ali the mon
ey in Ameriby r
"No, for" CALCULATED the mother
half way between fainting and hys
.eries, II can't part with her y
| And she comenced undressing th'
baby.
Take back your beautiful clothes
give me back the rags that was OF
her, but ye can't have the child"
And the girl commenced undress
ing too, for she did not want to ob
} tain clothes under false pretenses
but the American stopped the dis
robing. -,
"It's bad for the child" he said
but somehow l can't blame you
You are welcome to the clothes
though"
And he left as fast as he could, ant
; | noticed he was busy with his hand
| kerchief about his eyes for som
} minutes.