The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-02-03

teen babies.
Twenty received passes, and were
sent. TO- friends. Homes and work
were procuredafDr ffteensfnine were
sent 10 hospital; two 70 the poor farm;
one to the Orphan AsylunB and one
10 the Insane Asylum two left rather
than 60 to the hospital; seven ran
away; three were dismissed for breach
of rules; two were married, and
eleven are in the house at present.
(SOme have since come to the home,
making the present number of in
mates fifteen, Of whom butcone has
motherssliEing. =
The Trustees and Managers of the
Home include many of the most
wealthy and influential ladies of the
city, and : thereby a suficiency of
funds is provided. But the chief
strength of the institution exists IN
the excellent Matron, Sarah S. Smith,
who is. member of the Society Of
Friends. She seems to devote her
entire time, almost, to doing good,
and being a woman of a kind heart,
a pleasant and benevolent looking
face, and sat the same time of great
strength of character, she does not
fear to 60 wherever duty seems to call
her. The reading of extracts from
her notes, written down from time to
time, was the most interesting feature
of the meeting. She appeared before
them, she remarked, because she was
herself mother whose daughters had
been happily shielded from the
temptations which others, deprived of
the influence of a mother and kind
friends, had found it impossible to
Withstand. She had learned to pity in
stead of despise the poor creatures
who are frowned upon and thrust
downward by the unsympathizing
world. A very large proportion of
those whom she had met in the course
of her duty, had been deprived of a
mother influence at very early age.
The first inmates were obtained from
the county Jail, from among the most
wretched and hopeless of their class.
She had met with discouraging re-
marks from the jailor and others, who
had them in charge, who believed
there was no good remaining in them
Experience had shown that they were
mistaken, and she read many affect
ing and interesting incidents occur
ring at the evening prayer meetings,
and extracts from aletters received
from former inmates, whose hearts
seemed overfowing with gratitude.
Mrs. Smith was especially severe IN
her censures of married men, ehus-
bands and fathers, who not only visit
places of ill-fame, but successfully
betray young and innocent girls
More than one of these in this city
have been visited by her and the be-
trayed one with success In obtaining
such poor restitution as money could
give. And yet, many of such persons
walk the streets, and their families
and friends know nothing of their
depravity. One instance she men
toned, where the daughter of a man
had been led estray after the father
had been instrumental in betraying a
young girl. The institution here is
certainly in excellent hands, for a
very moderate degree of success is
all that can be expected in a work of
this kind. In this one, much more
good has been accomplished than
they had any reason to hope for. A
fallen woman seems at once to
give herself up in despair, and to
seek in excitement to forget her
shame. Let her endeavor to reform,
and she is met at every step with DIS
trust and GOODNESS. A life Of toll and
deprivation, almost entirely without
sympathy on the one hand, is opposed
by the allurements of vice. a life of
idleness and excitement. Virtueholds
out, hesitatingly, a cold, distrustful
hand, while vice beckons with. all
the persuasiveness that is possible.
Should she walk the street7in the ha-
biliments of virtue, it is probable her
mean pittance can furnish her with
such appearance only as passers-
by will shun while her former
gay companions come trippfngly
by In elegant dresses and all the com
forts that money can buy. She has
lost what can never be restored. and
it requires all the strength that hu-
man nature is capable Of exerting to
continue in the path of virtue These
an the difficulties which must be. met
at every step, and it is only the ALI
pow erful strength from above which
can hold her up. Kind friends-such
institutions as this in the proper
hands can but assist her in herag0od
Intentions.
SENATOR MoRTON's SPEECH.
The speech of Governor Morton in
the Senate is the general theme of
conversation here. OF course it does
\ not surprise the people of this State,
who know him so yell, that he should
so suddenly place himself in thefront
rank Of national statesmen. Itnow
seems very much: as though this
speech would be the foundation stone
sof the coming campaign, as his Ma
Esonic Hall speech in 1866 was the key