But now I drove away, quietly and
undisturbed.
About three miles from our house was a settlement known as New
Dublin. It was a cluster of poor and doleful houses, inhabited
entirely by Irish people, whose dirt and poverty seemed to make
them very contented and happy. The men were generally away, at
their work, during the day, but there was never any difficulty in
finding some one at home, no matter at what house one called. I
was acquainted with one of the matrons of this locality, a Mrs.
Duffy, who had occasionally undertaken some odd jobs at our house,
and to her I made a visit.
She was glad to see me, and wiped off a chair for me.
"Mrs. Duffy," said I, "I want to rent a baby."
At first, the good woman could not understand me, but when I made
plain to her that I wished for a short time, to obtain the
exclusive use and control of a baby, for which I was willing to pay
a liberal rental, she burst into long and violent laughter. It
seemed to her like a person coming into the country to purchase
weeds. Weeds and children were so abundant in New Dublin. But she
gradually began to see that I was in earnest, and as she knew I was
a trusty person, and somewhat noted for the care I took of my live
stock, she was perfectly willing to accommodate me, but feared she
had nothing on hand of the age I desired.
"Me childther are all agoin' about," she said. "Ye kin see a poile
uv 'em out yon, in the road, an' there's more uv 'em on the fince.
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