The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-18
CHILDREN OF THE PUBLIC.
4 Visit to the Home of the City's Family of
Little Waifs-How They Live.


Yesterday reporter sauntered up the broad
walk margined with old-fashioned flowers that
leads from College avenue through large yard,
green with closely cropped grass and shaded by
forest trees, to the Indianapolis Orphan Asylum
There are usually hundred children in the care
of that institution, but there are now hardly so
many, as several have been taken out by their
mothers or other relatives
The building is that once known as the North.
western Christian University, and the reporter
well remembers when he trod its airy halls as a
none too earnest drinker at the fonnt Of knowl-
edge The old chapel has been divided. In one
part of it he found half dozen babies, the
youngest in the institution, and on the other
side of the partition was school of about sixty
bright-eyed boys and girls, the youngsters vary
ing in age from six to twelve years All were
barefooted. but all neat, clean and healthy
just as clipper and wholesome as anybody's
darlings
The old recitation rooms of the college
make excellent g smitories for the youngsters.
The beds look clean and sweet, and all the sur
roundines are made pleasant as possible This
lisa woman's institution, from the board of man.
ayers down. It is in charge of Mrs. Wishard.
formerly of the Knightstown home. There are
an assistant matron and five governesses, and
all are kept busy. There is seamstress, one
night nurse, dining room girl, dormitory
girl and cook
There are twenty-five nursery children, y
that is little ones between the ages of two and
five years These were out in the ward swing
ing in hammocks toddling about under the
trees or rolling over the grass. There is about
two acres of good lawn to romp over. The
large and small boys separated on the
playground, and the larger and smaller girls
also.
The reporter went over to look at the nursery
youngsters at play. They we're having fine
time. Edgar" said the governess to a lisping
three-year old, "make bow and sing to this
gentleman" Edgar made very short bow, but
quite long enough for boy little more thar two
feet high, and sung song, of which all that
could be understood was CLAP your hands for
George
Joy is what he MEANS" explained the gov
erness.
Edgar then recited, with fine Evolutionary
effect the pathetic story of tom. Tom the
pipers SON" This latter effort excited the emu
lation of Johnny" who tumbled out of a ham
mock, came forward and repeated the story of
Tom and the pig with the earnestness of con-
testant in an Indiana oratorical contest.
Johnny did well, but lost in per-
centage by having Tom was beat and
the pig, was beat" when, according to the tradi,
tlOD, the pig was eat "A pretty uLLl6 girl
named "Gertie" told the story of
'"rhey call me Little Buttercup
And will tell you why.
never played in 'Pinafore,' >" etc.
Cora a wee Bit of a toddler, was requested to
show her 'boofu boo eyes, to the visitor, instead
of which she ran to her nurse. and, throwing
her arms around her neck, hid her face on the
nurses shoulder. In fact. these little waits
were just like, other peoples cbildren.-iust as
bright, engaging, and at times coy, perverse and
willful as those found in happy homes all over
Indianapolis.
Every year, about Christmas time, in all the
Catholic churches in this diocese, generous col
lection is taken up for the benefit of the Catholic
Orphans Home at Vincennes. It might be sug.
gested that the Protestant churches of this city,
that example, to take up collection about
Christmas time for the orphans, for the benefit
of the three orphan asylums-the Indianapolis,
the German and the Colored