Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-01
FAMILY TIES BROKEN
IN FACE OF MISFORTUNE FATHER
GIVES UP CHILDREN.
Members Of Once Happy Household
Widely Separated-Al Well
Provided For.

ooAuc tSik ycdf6 dSo a Na6AAAo A~>AAAAS
was separated In this city. and today the
and have about lost sight OF or remem-
brance of each other. But except for the
breakage Of the tender ties which once
united the family the children have all
been exceedingly fortunate and have homes
far better than the average.
Fifteen or twenty years ago the father
and mother, each descended from stock
In which were crown officers, legislators,
jurists. divines and warriors. whose names
were indelibly written in the history of the
mother country and Of the colonies. settled
on g. farm near a not distant Virginia
town. This was on part of the original
grants which had been cut up into planta-
lions and worked by hundreds of slaves.
lions were that the land settled upon them
would afford good living. BY some
means-want of experience, scarcity of Ia
Dor, bad management or other cause
they failed to prosper. possibly by reason
of the increase of the family, eight chill
dren having been born to them in fourteen
years. Thinking to secure a better sup
port, he moved his family into town, rent
ing small house. Unsuited by education
and unable to perform labor1ous work, he
sought and obtained occasional employ
ment in stores. But he was seriously han
dtcapped. Then came to him crushing
blow. calculated to stagger. him-the death
of his wife-which left on him the care and
support of a flock of eight children, in
GLIDING an infant of five weeks.
Though almost crazed, he realized that it
was his duty to care for them, and secur-
ing the services of an old cOlored woman
he kept home over their heads for a year
by doing any kind of work he could pro-
cure. A poor widow who was dependent on
summer boarding house for living gen
erously opened her doors to the little
brood during the winter months, while the
father came here seeking employment.
Living frugally and now and then striking
job, he was enabled to pay the widow
small amounts occasionally for taking care
Of the children. But as the season for
summer boarders approached and the chill
dren's presence would interfere with the
business of their benefactress, the father
brought them to this city.
Added Misfortune.
When they arrived it was found that the
oldest girl cripple from hip disease,
needed medical treatment, and she was
sent to a hospital where she died in a
few weeks. Failing to obtain steady en-
ployment and unable to keep the other
children together, the father, with reluc-
lance, placed them in an orphan asylum,
where he frequently visited them ever in
tent on finding them a home. They were
remarkably healthy. robust children and
more than ordinarily smart soon winning
and in a lttl time excelled their COM
panions in school work. The father finally
despaired of ever being able to re-establish
his family, and some Of the friends of the
institution, looking for children to adopt,
endeavored to gain his consent to have
them thus cared for. To distant rela-
tive taking one he made no objection, but
he for time objected to giving any of
If suitable parties could be found. AS they
grew up homes were accordingly found
for them. but the father. ever hoping that
his circumstances would change for the
as a father. Some who were willing to
adopt them insisted that the children be
formally bound to them.
The first girl to leave the institution for
a home was adopted by a wealthy family
in a neighboring states. and was given
a. fine education. While receiving fnstruc-
ton she learned to love professor, to
whom she was married, and she Is now the
queen of his household at, g prominent coll
lege. = The second GIRL, AFTER being with
a private family at the, north Tor several
years, adopted the profession. of trained
nurse, and has made name as such in
New York. The third is teacher in
nearby orphanage: the fourth is a kinder
garten teacher; the fifth was adopted by
a couple then living in Washington, but
now in the west. and regards them as her
parents. The youngest girl Is still In
school,
The only boy Of the family drew the
lady Of the millionaire class. 1t was with
the greatest reluctance that the father gave
his consent the insisting that the boy
should be kept ignorant Of his parentage
and relationship to others, and be her
child exclusively. She had had some ex-
perience with a child before, having taken
one from an asylum and been obliged to
surrender 1t after having become attached
to 1t.
Consent Finally Given.
In view Of the bright prospects pre-
scented to the little boy the father finally
consented and parted with the only male
heir, agreeing never to interfere with the
custody Of the child. The manly little fel-
low was taken to the lady's country home
and Is given every advantage to become
worthy bearer Of name long prominent
in financial circles
Thus has branch Of one Of the first
families of the old dominion been oblit-
Grated as to name, but the assurance that
all are comfortably situated goes far
toward making all parties resigned.
MORGAN's VIEWS ON LABOR.
Financier Said to Oppose Discrimina-