Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-02-19

and rosy cheeks and lips ofthis baby con-
gregation around, one could scarcely be
uDmoved, even il he were an American.
and his own little ones were no nearer to
him than three thousand miles beyond
the salt sea.
Nor was the surprise of seeing so many
swinging cradles at all diminished by
reading the illustrious names attached to
them for every one had plate or card,
upon which was engraved or inscribed
the name Of some juvenile of illustrious
birth: for instance, the one on my right,
as entered. bore the name of the young
Prince Imperial. and others, on every
side, exhibiting some title Of nobility be-
longing to the tender morning glories of
the Empire. 80, them" said ]. "here
lies the flower of the noblesse Of France,'
Here are the infant ompcrors, princes,
dukes, marquises, and counts of the Napo-
leonic dynasty. Alas! where are the young
Bourbons, the Orleans, the Montpensiers,
the Joinvilles, the Montmorencies? BY
my faith, the children of people Of rank
are always beautiful there is something
SO MISUNDERSTANDING in their counte-
nances, even when asleep, that You at
once recognize the difference between
them and tho children Of ordinary people.
A few of the youthful dukes andprinccs
were wide awake, and sitting boltupright
in their cribs, while quite rosy ring of
urchins were seated on the clean wax
floor, all around, shining eyes, and little
black heads. and blooming cheeks; but,
to my surprise. not among them all was
note Of complaint uttered, a cry ofpain,
an exclamation of fretfnlness. All looked
happy, clean, and content. But il seemed
TO me they were awfully serious-staring
ut US with naughty looks, Us if impressed
with the dignity of their positions in life.
A couple of bright apple-faced nuns of
the Order of st. Therese, clad in yellow
stuff gowns. with keys, rosaries. scissors,
pincushions, or other useful articles, hang
ing from their girdles, were bustling
about among the callous community. as
full Of goodness and mirth and cheerful
conversation, rs ifthey had been veritablc
mothers themselves The whole estaE-
lishment, one Of them said, was under the
immediate protection OF the Empress, as
well rs seventeen other crecheS in the city.
They are benevolent institutions, where
poor mothers could deposit their babies
in the morning, before going TO their
daily work, returning to nurse them Mt
proper hours, and then 10 take them home
in the evening When they are brought
to La Creche in the morning. they are
washed, dressed, fed, and attended to
during the whole day, medical attendance
provided, if necessary, for all OF which
the mother pays only two sous Cor two
ccnts) This Institution takes charge OF
sixty children day, none ofwhich, be-
iicve, are over two years OF age. The
swinging cradles are gifts of benevolent
ladies', many of them of high rank, and
are given in the name of their own little
ones. See here" she said, pointing TO
the first one that attracted my attention,
"a cradle from the Empress herself"
So, then, these are not children of no.
bic blood, but only foundlings of wash
crwomen and seamstreSses. | thought
from the first they had sort of plebeian
look, Pardon me, monsieur" said SIS
ter Agathe, these are mol loundlings.-
Their mothers are very poor; but they
are very respectable. And when they
take their infants away at night, ah! mon
seur should see how happy the poor
mothers are TO get them back once more
-hugging them rs if they never, never
wanted to part with them again"
1t was beautiful thought to give these
institutions the name they bear; for La
Creehe signifies "manger," and at once
brings TO mind the heavenly manger in
which the young Sayiour-himselfa child
of the poor-was carefully laid by his
virgin mother.
Such institutions ~ La Creche do not
foster crime but they may be the means
of preventing hundreds of thousands of
cases of infanticide; they may prevent
many cases Of suicide; they may even
bring fathers aud mothers together by
stronger ties than those which are two
often separated by misery and hopeless
ness. Little children soon grow large
enough TO take care Of themselves, and
even to add to the support of family
But while they are infants, and helpless
and poor, and friendless, protect them for
a little while, o We benevolent!
turn from La Creche with happy
heart to think that even in this vast and
vicious city the little ones were not alto
gether unprovided for; that even in the
midst of toll and priyation. Partisan
mothers could look forward to the rising
of the mornings sun with hope and graf
itude; and as then thought of my own
country, cloud darkened my spirit, and
| said: Would to God we had a day.
by-day asylum, such as this, in the midst
of our populous and thriving cities! IL
we had how many poor mothers heart
would be lightened over her daily work,
and how many arich woman's heart would
feel glorified in ministering to such
c.,a,,, .hora are nlentv of he.