CORRESPONDENCE.

NZ Truth, Issue 74, 17 November 1906, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.

TO THE EDITOE,

Sir,-— You say m your issue of Nov. 10 that "Judge Chapman struck the nail on the head when, m summing up the Ann Foster case of child murder, he said that "illegitimate children were not so well treated as legitimate children," and you add that "the mothers of these unfortunates do not seem to care whether they pass out or not." Now, Sir, that is a shameful libel against many good ■women, who, many times unaided, support their illegitimate offspring. It has been my lot to know of many cases where illegitimate babies have been tenderly looked after from ' the moment of their birth; and the greatest anxiety felt: by the mother when her babe has suffered from any childish ailment, and genuine thankfulness has been hers when the little one has shown signs of returning health ; this, too. often m the face of poverty and shame. Then how many girls and women, being utterly deserted by the fathers of their children, pay out of their own small earnings fot their illegitimate children's support . month after month and sometimes year after year, and when they can spare the time hurry to. the home where the little one is kept, longing to see it and make sure it is well? Again, how many women take their illegitimate children to domestic service with them and put up with a wretChed wage or next to none at all, so that they will not have to part with the child they love ? Yes, Sir, love. A loving woman will be a good mother whether her child be born m or out of wedlock, her child's welfare will be first m all, the world to her— the world's opinion, and other people notwithstanding. A woman who would be unkind to a helpless little illegitimate, "babe I would not trust with a child born m wedlock. Then just a word for the grandmothers. Because one or two or more grandmothers are heartless monsters is that to say that all are ? ' No, no no ! Many a .grandmother has taken, an erring daughter's illegitimate child to her heart and brought it up as her own. Now, Sir, I hope m justice to vnVnown numbers of good mothers whe have faced the world's scorn and made the best'. of things, and successfully reared a beautiful healthy, but illegitimate, child that you will publish this.— Yours, etc., PHOEBE.

Wellington, Nov. id, 1906

(Phoebe's sentiments do her infinite credit, and m a great measure she is right. But, all the same, there -are more heartless mothers of illegitimate children than her good ■ heart wots of —creatures who absolutely hate the innocent incubus that is the fruit of their own unbridled passion, and longingly await the day that the babyfarmer shall announce its decease. And there are hosts of grandmothers who make the lives of tteir erring daughters a hell upon earth and do all ' 4 hey can', short of swift murder, to remove the outward and visible, sign of "disgrace. "-Ed. "Truth.")