AUSTRALIAN POET'S CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN POET'S CHILDREN.

"'■■' B has been cast at:the.English people ' that! they let their poets die in .the workhouse, (writes C. Hay Thomson in the Sydney "Morning Herald")'. The three young children of. the well-known Australian poet—Jennings Carmichael, who died in England, in: 1904—are at this moment in f an;English'''workhouse.. ■ .In. the case ,of.v some'of those who ■ oome to this end,:-the fault can hardly be said to be other', than their 1 own. -.' But Jennings Carmichaol was intellectually and morally an, .honour,' to her! .country. : ■.'•':■'■,■. ■';■:■:;.;,.-■ ■: -. ■ 'j .. Jennings to Melbourne from the" Gippsjand' l 4wil3s about 1889,' and entered upon the two years' course.of trainingas a, .nurse ■at the Children's Hospital:.'' For.' some time . after, qualifying '.'she was nurse to: the afflicted little son of wealthy,'parents. During several years poeins and sketches from her pen. appeared , almost every ..week in the column's of the. '. "Austrav lasian," and.she was tempted to.essay> the "literary career,",whose fruits were : nece'Bsarily°.'.meagre.V.':At this time she . . was known :'in Melbourne circles as 'the .; "Gippsland. poet,":, -though she; was : ■ really • a -'- native Vof ■; Ballarat,: and was nine or ten year's,?pld "when J she' went :•" to Orbpst, stepfather., was manager , of. a :statibn'fdr;tlie'late Sir . TV. J. Clarke..-Boith; Sir William and '•• Lady Clarke were' her staunch.'"■friends..'! Her first book,:, "Hospital ■-•Children}" •■'■'. was published in ; Melbourne in;' 1891. . Her collected' poems,- with: a • preface dated June, 1895, b'y Mr. J. F.Hogan, ex-M.P., appearedjthat;year in London, bearing on its title ? page, ' 'By Jennings Carmichael (Mrs. Francis MuUis)." ." Ear about a year after the publication of-'., her book.-.•'„Jennings .Carmichael , lectured in a:number, of places in Australia on "The..,Spirit\of the Bush," which she. herself seemed;to, embody in her,own beautiful : person.. She gave this lecture ■■ for' tht( last ..time.- in. .'Adelaide,, tinder : tie auepices of i the Chief: Justice (Sir Samuel: Way);, Then she sailed for England,' and silence fell, unbroken save for the news', of-her deathiniFebruarv, 1904/ ;::■.:;:.: ' :^';: : ~ ,; jShe was only 36>hen shej.died.; .Her •three children (boys), whose, rages are now 7, 10, and. 13 v yeajrs.'."respectively, are in ,the •.care of 'the guardians, of ■ the poor, in , -the;Northampton Union Work- ... house. .The'..present •■whereabouts .of - .their, father,/.if'i'he.'.be/aliye,'afd un-knpwi.,iThebbys,-by:.Englishpoor law, are now.-.the .'wards , of ..the guardians, ■ willing;to; part -iwith -them; if ■ it be'for-the boys' ibenefit,- if,they,can , be. assured that they'.:- will 'be well ' trained, morally and mentally.- ..; .■:.- ■ A few who remember Jennings ■ Car- : michael's early promise appreciate what ■ her life must have been for those. seven years, and have become interested, in her children's welfare, now appeal to the Australian people, never, behind in giving, to rescue. these. children for. their own sake, ; no:less than, for'their mother's,, from "the pauper taint," so ; that they may be -brought ! : to /their'l mother's counry, and placed in'„ the .en-, ' vironment which, for their mother's 'Bake,.*is due to them;'-- 1 ' ':-. ' ■'■

The Mayoral "election for the city' of Wellington' will take place On Wednesday next, and is of vital importance to the residents, of Wellington and suburbs.; Equally so'is your health; which deserves first consideration, if it is r impaired in any way,, if .you are.; run down, or you feel that life is-a burden, do not hesitate, for., delays arc dangerous. Consult Frank:.Shaw, Practical and Consulting Chemist-Qptician, Medical Hall,' Manners Street, and the Cecil Buildings* Lanibton Quay; ■-.• ■•. ■■■■:'-■.-: •.;•..;■