New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-22
MRS. WEBB'S WAITS:
LOsT<CHILp,s TEMPORARY HOME.

A LOST 'CHILD'S TEMPORARY HOME
now BEwmDERED LITTLE WANDERERS ARE REs-
CUTD AND TEYDERLY CARED FOR-scENEs AT
THE POIICI CENTRAL OFFICE.
"Tbis amt my home, Sir. We don't live in
| no such place as this"
Officer" on. yes, you do. You havo moved here re-
Gently Isn't tins nice big house And mp the stair
way OF the Police Central ONCE marched the stalwart
policeman kindly keeping step with the little towharcd
urchn by his side. Fifteen minutes elapsed and then
Excited woman" Please. Is 'Bub horei We have
looked everywhere and cant find him"
Doortnan-" Go upstairs, Madam, and see Mrs "ebO;
he may be among the lost children" Another short ih
terva and Hub and his mother emerged from Police
Headquaers smiling through their tears and talking as
If they had hecn separated for years.
"IIov could you i've so Rad, 'BubH" cried the mother
But Bub only blubbered and hung closer to her meek
"A very ordinary occurrence that saih the uOoriha'
In reply question from the reporter who witnessed
tnis scene Just wait awhile and you VIII see more
such cases" The reporter did wait. From SHUTDOWN
until hour after dark policemen came In, ledding
children by the hand carrying them In their arms
while fathers aad mothers followed after TO reclaim
the wanderers Bare-footed hatlcss. bareegged' ahc
often hafnakcd boys and girls of all the ages and sizes
OF childhood, were brought in and placed under the
matrons On the particular evening referred TO-
eleven children led in capyes. II was quiet
night the crowded streets around Police III adquartes
and each policeman brought in his prisoner, he felt
apparently pleased 10 have found something 70 relieve
the monOtOny OF the patrol.
Where had the little follows been found The police
Ilen answer Fast asleep in hallway, on strange
doorstep, IN the street. roaming In the streets Iar
from home and be ydered their names ana resi-
dences they found in vacant buildings,
where they have been deserted by unnatural parents
And how did they get LOST Some OF them accident
ay strsyed y ay from their and homes others
stole away AMI lost themselves while st others were
purposey turned In the morning By their parents to
shift for Themselves"
Early in the morning these little children, some OF
them Just able todde along, playing at the door
step. -troing musician any unusual sig at or souno
attracts their attention and when mother turns
aside for a moment the children have disappeared |
Some ~ the miscbieyous little scaDpS waich ior an OBJ
pOrmity escape and wnent presents ITSELF tney are
of, ana their friends might as vel lnOk Tor hee9le ~
haystack as for them Nothing IS 10 DC done On nis
when the missing ones are found among me |
ios children the Police Central Office OF among the
dead and AZ the Morge Another clss Of
Always the children Of the careless poor ana criminal
families These young unfOTtunates arc turned INTO te
welfare and and Who s1cnG their own time in idenes and
dissipation. such parents are glad to he rid OF telr
children during the day. and often when the 10y |
or girl cannot he found at Police Headquarters at night
scarcely any anxiety is shown number or sch cases
record rs well a. cases where parents Whose cur
dren missing have taken no steps Whatever TO re-
Climbing the stairways OF the large marble building
in Mlberryst the reporter was eoon upon inc spacious
were found pleasant, cheerful woman Is the natron
everything around heris pleasant and cheerful she
into open door the north side OF the hall aud the
Soxe AID an outbmst Of Voices announced to the re-
porter that he there " This Is tile place, sa!d MIS-
webb where keep the temporaries, the children |
who are brought and stay hour 20, and are then
taken home By their friends" Scattered over the loor
dozen or more little ooys ana girls OF Yarlous
ages engaged In playing with toys, and every moment
looking and asking for" mamma Who 1t was promised
them, would &" he in IN short time" said MIS- "eDD; |
." I wish could see the little creatures When tney
aSn s pT AMI ali Of them are nearly shed from
hunger Their clio hes nothing but rags and nlth al
i'm hand the first thing their dirty clothes
throw them away, aud then put the children VINO are
awful sight Of soaking Meanwhile they are gwen
nouri.hmg food. when have soaked far pro-
portion of the DIRT from their bou.es put them IN uce
clean clothes and give them nap And II Is wonderi
wake them one lot OF little fellows were put he'd
after day, ana did not awake until 10 O'Clock
Just at this point Mrs. webb called upon to quel
small blllOn, after which she continued: There are
great many children lost in this great city Ihty are
brought here for Identification II within certain uue
they not reclaimed we send them to Keil0gGs; we
receive large number OF children whom tne socey l0r
the Prevention OF Cruelty t. Children has rescued from
cruel parents. Among the boys aud girls brought mere
we something's run across the most ieprayed OF ntte
wretches The and daughters Of parents who are
with wonderful Sometimes children eight OF
nine years old tell the most hsarirencerng stores OF
the suferings OF their good parents ana their ehleaV
| make q living. Others pretend 10 re enuien
friendess. and give fictitious names N oL,ler TO AVOID
being returned home, and III order nat they may con-
| tinuc 10 live upon the bounty OF charity ,,s >,
| Isn't This room sometimes Babel Of confusonf' !
was asaed of Mrs. webb. "The children are pretty
| roisy" she answered. " but manage 10 keep them
cheerful and con entel They build houses, play sol
diers and have a good time IOmpng In this way theJ
pas. aw y the time unt. their friends arrive OF they
| forget their troubles in sleep"
Mrs Webb was interrupted by the entrance OF an ex-
cited German who around the room eXamiI-
ipg Tho children. not finding the object of her search
she almost fell into III of Mysteries. Oh, mine VII
helmna we're ish YOU ycul" the woman s0Obed
We nave rid cnOuS well sad scenes here" said
the matron every often and women come mere "ld
after examining the lost children are puzzled TO Know
their ofsurng. The last time they their htte ones
thew were covered with the mud OF the street and with
other dire and were clothed in Very naturally |
wher the parents find children al clean 8nd neatly
Dire. sp they do not for the moment recognize then
nv this time the sleepy hours tor the itre ones had
com, brt NOT their parents want 20 g0 home some
of them cried; but kind Mrs Webb tucked them away IA
the trlnde beds IN 0f the room, ana IN Few
minutes al was quiet The homeless little fellows were
fast asleep in a marble palace.