Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-05-18
miscellaneous.
New forks Waits.
How THEY ARE NAMED AND WHAT Be-
CONES OF THEM.


ave got a nice baby girl for you here
this time. Mr.. Blake" said hurly-look-
ing member of the police force in full uni
form. as he sat in front Of the superinien
dents desk at the Department of Charities
and Correction New York;, holding in his
arms what appeared to be a most diminu-
tive specimen Of humanity. The little one
was almost hid from view within the folds
of large shawl that had been wrapped
about its body.
Uncover its face" said the genial Mr..
Blake, as he dropped his pen to take a
look at the child The policeman pulled
back the shawl from his charges head
and revealed an innocent, doll-like face.
The infant was fast asleep and oblivious
Of all going on about it.
well. she is a real pretty child said
the superintendent. Bring her in and
will give her a number and a name. and
YOU can then take her up to the janitress.
who will see that she goes TO the asylum. -
How do YOU choose names for these
waits ?" asked the reporter.
WELL" said the superintendent, laugh
ing. "lt's inspiration. You see the mo-
ment receive the children am so busy
j cdflIiOt sup W oCiCtt pditibutHt
so give child the first name that enters
my head. Now, for instance" continued
the superintendent, as he pulled a large
volume over to him and "opening it read,
I'VE have already among the females
such names as Clara Morris, Charlotte
Cushman. Fanny Davenport. Mary An
derson, LYDIA Thompson, Lillian Russell.
Sarah Bernhardt because she is so thin. }
Myra Dashway, Maud Revere. Clara We're
de We're. Ethel Hardness. Julia Orme,
Maude Darlington. Marie Antoinette, and
last but not least. Lillian Langtry-oi
course no relation to the English beauty"
interjected Mr.. Blake, as he perceived
the reporters sudden awe at the sound OF
the last name mentioned. among the
males we have had not only George
Washington. Winfield Scott, Abraham
Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, but also
Edwin Booth, John Mccullough, Peter
Cooper, Thurlow Weed, namesakes OF
all the commissioners of this department
and of well-known public men. such as
Roscoe Conkling. President Arthur, ex-
Judge Folger, Congressman S. S. Cox
and Benjamin Wood"
Are the fondlings always known by
these names ?" asked the reporter.
They are only known by them while
in the institutions of the department.
When we receive child, after | make
out its given name and number on a card,
these are entered on the books, with an
account OF how the infant was secured.
whether through the police. or its mother
or other persons. At the asylum a SINH
Jar book is kept. Its clothes are changed
but the apparel the child first wore is also
kept safe for identification. So YOU see
can make no mistake on this score.
Every foundlng is baptised and chrstened
by clergyman. The first child received
to-day will be christened by a Catholic
priest. the next by Presbyterian minis
ter, and so on"
Are these abandoned children ever
reclaimed ?' Mr. was asked.
Certainly. Only a few days ago a
Jewess came here who said she had lost Il
child. She gave good description OF it to
me, and gave her permit to recover
the infant. The woman went Ia the asy-
tum, saw her child. and came back here
declaring it was not her offspring. In Il
moment | saw where the mistake was,
and writing note to the marion. instruct
ing her to dress the child up in the clothes
it wore when it entered the institution.
sent back the mother to see if she could
then identify the infant. The result was
that she did. We do not have Il regular
uniform for children in our asylnms. |
think nothing is more repulsive to the eye
than to see a lot of innocent children in
the same charity garb. | believe it spoile
children for life. They have no indvldu-
ality. and grow up lazy and graceless."
about how many of these toundlings
do you receive year on an average?"
Nearly three hundred" answered the
Superintendent.
What becomes of all these, and how
are they disposed Off"
well, we keep them until they are
about two wears old; then the Protestants
are taken by the Home OF the Friendless
and the Catholics by the Institution OF
Mercy. and other like institutions, where
they are educated and brought up to final
ly go out in the world to make their own
living. A great many are fortunate
enough to be adopted by good people who
take excellent care ofthem