ake,
a child was conceived, and though attempts were made to get rid of the
mistake, a boy was born, fairly healthy. The father, a modern tired
profligate, refused to accept the responsibilities of his fatherhood,
though he did not deny the child was his, and continued as one of the
lovers of its mother. The mother showed no sign of maternal love; the
little one was much neglected and probably would have died, but, when
about two months old, he was taken from the mother and cared for and
most tenderly loved by one of the woman's other lovers. He left her as
her indifference to her child killed his affection, but he took her
child to bring up as his own son._

_Case 5._--_A record of this very revolting case appeared recently in
the daily papers under the heading "L8000 Baby's End." I copy the story
as it was told in the "Daily Mail": the date I do not remember._

"_The love affair of a middle-aged painter, Charles Godin, with his
model Georgette Belli, aged 16, has led to a remarkable charge of
murder. Georgette became a mother, and when the painter died a few
months later he left the child L8000._

"_The girl married a young man named Emile Gourdon, and the baby was
placed in the care of a grandmother. Later, when the young mother wished
to get back her child, the grandmother refused to give it up on the
ground that the young couple meant to destroy it in order to inherit the
money, and produced letters and telegrams in support of her suspicion.
Georgette, however, got an order from a court for the surrender of the
baby, and went to live at Marseilles with her husband._

"_One day, while walking on the jetty, the woman appeared to stumble and
the child fell into the sea and was drowned. The couple have been
arrested, the woman, it is alleged, having pretended to faint in order
to make away with her child._"

Now, I know that these five cases I have recounted are not exceptional,
though some of their sordid details may be specially disagreeable. Give
but a moment's attention to the facts that stand out, and at once you
will grasp what is wrong. We are demanding too much from these unmarried
mothers, and, by leaving the full power of parenthood in their weak
hands, are jeopardizing the child's safety; we are also encouraging
conditions harmful to society. It is like leaving a loaded gun in the
hands of a little child. These cases speak for themselves. In No. 3 and
No. 5 the child was killed by the direct act of the