Crime -- England -- London -- History -- 19th century; London (England) -- Moral conditions; London (England) -- Social conditions
NURSE CHILD WANTED, OR TO ADOPT.—The Advertiser, a Widow with a
little family of her own, and a moderate allowance from her late
husband’s friends, would be glad to accept the charge of a young
child. Age no object. If sickly would receive a parent’s care.
Terms, Fifteen Shillings a month; or would adopt entirely if under
two months for the small sum of Twelve pounds.
Women are shrewder than men at understanding these matters, and the
advertisement is addressed to women; but I doubt if a man would be far
wrong in setting down the “widow lady with a little family of her own,”
as one of those monsters in woman’s clothing who go about seeking for
babies to devour. Her “moderate allowance,” so artlessly introduced, is
intended to convey to the unhappy mother but half resolved to part with
her encumbrance, that possibly the widow’s late husband’s friends settle
her butcher’s and baker’s bills, and that under such circumstances the
widow would actually be that fifteen shillings a month in pocket, for the
small trouble of entering the little stranger with her own interesting
little flock. And what a well-bred, cheerful, and kindly-behaved little
flock it must be, to have no objection to add to its number a young child
aged one month or twelve, sick or well! Fancy such an estimable person
as the widow lady appraising her parental care at so low a figure as
three-and-ninepence a week—sevenpence farthing a day, including Sundays!
But, after all, that is not so cheap as the taking the whole and sole
charge of a child, sick or well, mind you, to nourish and clothe, and
educate it from the age of two months till twelve years, say! To be
sure, the widow lady stipulates that the child she is ready to “adopt”
must be under two months, and we all know how precarious is infantine
existence, and at what a wonderfully low rate the cheap undertakers bury
babies in these days.
Another of the precious batch of eleven speaks plainer, and comes to the
point without any preliminary walking round it:—
ADOPTION.—A person wishing a lasting and comfortable home for a young
child of either sex will find this a good opportunity. Advertisers
having no children of their own are about to proceed to America.
Premium, Fifteen pounds. Respectable references given and required.
Address F. X—.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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