Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-06-10
General Literature.
TIE MOTHER OF 100. 900 CEIIE-
DRE.V.

\ few months since friend of the writ
er Of these paragraphs visited Randal's
Island, and was introduced to the retired
matron of the Chld's Nursery.
Looking at her visitor intently for few
moments with the perplexed expression of
one trying to recall some half-forgotten
memory, she said: "Any relation to Mr.
Robert B-?"
"Oh yes the gentleman replied, "hc
was my grandfather" "Well," she an
swered, her kindly face lighting up with a
smile of welc ONE, 'your grandfather got
me my first place when he was Governor
of the old City Hospital, now well on to
-seventy yoars.agoi AND one day when
met him on the stairs, he patted me on the
head, and said-'Jane, thee is the smartest
little girl l ever saw. "
Jane Ley, of whom the above incident is
told, was born in Caenar, on, Wales, in
1880. Her parents, if not of the blood
royal, were ut least of royal blood in the
sense that true nobility finds its blazon in
posterity," proud conscience and an hon
est name.
The father was a well -to-do slate mcr-
chant, owning vessels for transporting his
merchandise to the coast towns of Eng
land, Scotland and Ireland, and he also
owned and kept general commodity store,
such as can be seen here in country towns,
where one may purchase almost anything,
from sheet of paper to sheet-anchor, or
from a pin to plowsharc.
In 1895 they emigrated to this country,
and the story of their coming was some
what in this wise: The only living son and
eldest child had a decided penchdM for
rowing, and the graceful ships riding at an
chor in the harbor, looking with their reef
cd sails, like huge birds with wings folded
down TO rest, were a source of never-end-
ing delight and attracti on to the boy, and a
ceaseless terror to the mother. One Sun
day he was missing fr ON his seat at church.
The parents, wondering at so unusual an
occurrence, and fearing he was i'll, FASTENED
home, only y to find him gone, and the ship
on which he had embarked standing out to
sea with all sails set
The mother fell in a dead swoon at learn
| ing the fact, and nothing saved her from
absolute madness but the knowledge thai
clergyman and acquaintance from the
same town was also on board.
The first news received, after many
months Of tedious waiting. was that tho
son had died of yellow fever while the
ship was going out of New York bay oil
her return trip.
Then all wealth was worthless; hom,
ties were loosed, and the land of stranger,
became a Mecca unto the bereaved for tn,
sorrowing mother said, 81 must go wher,
my boy is buried"
So the farms of Griffith were sold unde
tho hammer, and with the two remainn.
children girls the parents embarked fo
this country, where they both fell victim
to yellow fever within the year after thei
arrival, leaving their two children orphan
cd in a strange land.
Thus il was that, through these seeming
ly yremote circumstances, the destitute babe
of Mahattan Island came TO have n secon
mother-beter by far, in tho majority G
cases, than the first-and the world beno
iactress for the matron named in the frs
paragraph, and Jane Ley nee Grflith, wa
the younger of these two little orpha
girls.
At ten years Of age She was employed j
the New York Hospital as nurse; and d
fourteen so great was her skill and powo
of command, all the worst case of epidem
ic fevers and insanity were placed unde
her chrage Maniacs whom no woman {
the hospital dared approach, and befor
whom strong men and doctors trembleC
were pinioned by her with fearless facilt
and placed in the strait jacket. She tell
an amusing story of an immense and mus
cular Irishwoman who whiled away he
frantic hours in smashing things generally
One dry visitors were going over the hoi
pital, and coming upon my luny lady
all unconsciousness of her dangerous prC
clivties, began talking with her. The
were soon brought to q realizing sense
the same, however, by seeing heay
chair circling round about over their head
preliminary TO the descending crash The
lodged in all directions, each making
bee-line for the door Of exit, while She b,
eyes blazing with madness, and still nou
ishing the upilted chair as If it were :
much paper, endeavored to intercept then