BABY'S DESTINY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8303, 5 December 1906, Page 7

BABY'S DESTINY.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED BE- . FORE A JUDGE. NEW YORK, October 16. The mother love asserting itself amid the prosaic surroundings of a circuit court produced a dramatic scene at Richmond, Indiana, to-day. Mrs Goldie Johnson, whose husband died two months ago, within a year of their marriage, and a day after a baby daughter was born, was left without resources, and was unable to earn enough to keep herself and the child. Her sad case was brought to the notice of a rich couple residing, at Cambridge, who were childless themselves and desired to adopt the baby. Despairing of ever being able properly to bring up the child; the young mother reluctantly decided to part with her-for ever. One of the conditions was that, in consideration of the settlement of a considerable property in trust for the child's benefit, together with some immediate benefactions to herself, she could, with the necessary legal formalities, renounce for ever all her rights, interest, and claim of relationship to the child. To-day was appointed for the ratification of the agreement before the circuit court judge. The mother and the new parents met before the court assembled. The benevolent lady had thought that it would help to soften the mother's grief at parting if she saw how grandly the baby would be cared for, and so had brought a complete set of baby clothe 3 of the finest texture and richest lace. Before they went to the court the baby's plain mothermade garments were removed, and the child ,was arrayed in the new finery. Then they went to the court. It was quiet a formal proceeding, the judge glancing through the papers and asking the mother a single formal question as to her willingness, which was answered in the affirmative. She passed the cooing infant over to the new parent, who kissed it. It only remained for the mother to affix the signature to the official record, and she took the pen in her hand. But at that moment the instinct of motherhood welled out, and, dashing down the pen with a sudden shriek, and snatching the baby from the other woman's arms, she cried, " No, you shan't take my baby from me. Judge, don't let her take my baby. She \is my baby. I won't part with my baby." Then, wildly gobbing, she began frantically to tear off the delicate laces and cambrics in which the baby half an hour before had been clad, scattering them about the courtroom, re-dressing the child in its own poor clothing, and clasping it to her breast. Judge Pox, seeing how matters stood, said: " The papers in, this case may be destroyed. The court bows to the authority of a higher law."