A. CHILD’S SUBSCRIPTION TO THE IRISH FAMINE RELIEF FUND.

Kumara Times, Issue 1069, 4 March 1880, Page 3

A. CHILD’S SUBSCRIPTION TO THE IRISH FAMINE RELIEF FUND.

[to the editor.] —I feelj as I think every .tnan should feel who has a drop of Irish blood in his veins must feelj proud of and grateful to his fellow colonists of every clime and creed, for their noble response to the call of the hungry father, the no Jess hungry, emaciated, knd broken-hearted mother, and starving children. I would, and the suf-

ferers from the famine in Ireland would j naturally expect Irish people, wherever located, would assist them as far as Ilea in their power. But what will those sufferers think (for they don't know us at the antipodes) when they know that not only their own race but every race under the sun vied with one another in diving defy) in their pockets to extract a heavy bullet to send with a deliberate aim at the heart of that demon hunger that at the present time is stalking at so many Irish doors 1 What will those starving little children say when they hear that as I myself was handing my mite to the collector, a little girl of seven summers, who happened to be present, questioned me as to the purpose for which I gave the money, and, being told that it was to buy bread for hungry people in Ireland, she asked if little children were also hungry 1 I answered, " Yes." She exclaimed, " Oh ! I have a shilling ; I will send it to one little hungry child." She ran home'j got all her wealth from hsr toother, and banded it to the collectors of Dill man's Town road. I asked what they would say. I will answer for them. They will say and sing—May she and all others who fired a shot in that direction never know hunger or want! And 7| million voices", with mine will cry, Amen ! And to give, those whose cry came to our ears some idea of the sort of people we are, I will tell them that we are one nation, one race, one creed) .and. one colorj at the moment the cry of distress is wafted. to our ears ; and I can well imagine the cloud of prayers for the rescuers that will rise like incense to heaven. Should anyone like to know the name of the child, I think the collectors can tell them ; but as she herself and her parents aie totally ignorant of my notice of her, I decline, without their consent, to give it; but I will send her name to be immortalised with the print of that shilling on the heart of every child in Ireland. I beg most humbly to be excused for my excessive encroachment on your valuable space. Failbhe Finn. Kumara, March 3, 1880,