Fosterage. brought me a note asking me to come to the Speaker's room. I found the presiding offi cer of the House pacing nervously up and down. "You heard the conversation in the Gov ernor's office the other day," he said. "Read that." He handed me a note. It was on the Gov ernor's stationery and in the Governor's handwriting. It read: "Dear Sir:—I had hoped that your sud denly developed opposition to me might not have enough effect to make a serious breach between us. Fate, and yourself at a critical moment, have willed otherwise. We had some conversation, you will recollect, in re gard to my daughter. This note, I presume, is unnecessary; for I trust you will see how utterly impossible is the alliance you sug gested. In fact, I forbid it, and have so in formed my daughter." "I trust," the Speaker said, when I looked up, "that you will respect the confidence. You see it is all ended."
391
"No, I don't see," I said. "What do you mean?" he asked, pausing in his walk. "Nothing or something," I replied. "That is according to what the girl says when you see her; for I think you had better see her." Then I went away. The House and Senate adjourned Friday over Sunday. Friday after noon the Speaker's messenger brought me a note. It was from the Speaker anJ simply said: "Stick near the Governor tomorrow." Next day I stuck near the Governor. At a little after five o'clock, while we were smoking in the executive office, his secretary handed him a telegram. As the Governor read it, he frowned, but the frown was put to flight by a smile, as he handed me the yellow paper. The message was from Grand Rapids and was timed 448 p. m. It read: "Jim and I were married at four. There are three of us—Jim, and you, and I- --and Tim and I are two-thirds. Will you forgive us? GRACE"
FOSTERAGE. BY JOSEPH M. SULLIVAN. THE custom of fosterage had existed nected the young chief to his foster-mother among the Irish from very ancient and the members of her family were of a most times. The evolution of the clan, tribe and strong and most loving character. This cus state in primitive Ireland shows that foster tom was not confined to the wealthy and age is of very ancient origin. Briefly de powerful, but was a common practice with fined, fosterage was the custom of letting all classes. The reasons for the practice of out children of families of rank to women this custom are not quite clear, but the asso who looked after their care, nursing and edu ciations which it necessarily entailed had a cation. In the early days of Ireland no lady powerful effect in cementing the ties of friend of rank thought of giving suck to her child ship between the chief and members of the or children. This duty was discharged by the clan. Aside from the legal aspect of this custom, wife of a farmer or grazier on the chief's the relations arising from the practice of fos demesne, and the after-bonds which con
