Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-06-26
ONLY a WAfF.
A story Taken From Heal Life u, the Founding
Asylum.

|
Asylum.
From the New York Herald.
"A wait, most likely" muttered the police.
man, ~ he stopped down To pick up suspi.
cious looking bundle by the curbstone, at
which well dressed gentleman stood point
ing with his cane. As his hands grasped the
bundle feeble wall came from out tho folds
of the faded shawl, and the child moved
itself In his hands.
"Only a waif, sir. There's plenty of 'em
in this neighborhood'
"Wel, you'll do something with 1t, OF |
course? Now, In a case Of this kind, what |
what do you do with them?"
"Take 'em to the station house They'll |
send it to the Poorhouse or foundiing
asylum."
"Quit right. You have mstron, haven't
you ~
".oh,, yes; there's = mstron down't the
prison."
"Yes. Well, she will know what to do
with it," and he handed tho officer dollar
al am glad found it. and called your atten-
tion. All good night" and the gentleman
hurried on his way.
The officer watched him Til In the gather
| ing darkness of the evening he disappeared
| from view, then quietly pocketed the dollar
and proceeded to the station house. The
| child was given into the hands OF the matron,
aud in the morning was transferred to an
| asylum.
| Have you ever opened the door into long,
| cool ward, with rows of high, white sheeted
| cribs, and seen a hundred babies in a hun
| dred different attitudes, some upon the floor,
| some toddling along and tumbling over
| chairs and iootstools, some just learning TO
| walk by clinging to the rails OF their CRIBS
| some filling the air with merry laughter, ~
| they fell pel-mell In heap, one upon The
| other, in a game of romp some few asleep
| upon soft white pillows, under curtains ot
| long, white net, and others, just waking In
| their nurses arms, scarce knowing whether
to laugh or cry? II you have, then you can
imagine the home the little wait found.
Home' Yes Isn't a comfortable bed,
| plenty of healthy food, an abundant shelter
from storm or cold, sufficient clothing and a
nurse, home? Can you ask that each OF the
| hundreds of babies that fiji h large institution
shall have mothers care or a mothers love
to surround it? Would ii be possible to give
each babe separate training To enter into its
nature7 You ask too much. No, they
must be dealt with as "A whole, governed by
rule, and trained according To the precepis
OF the managers.
THE FoUNpLING FINDS FRIEND.
And so it happened that at ten years of age
the little waf was a scrub girl In the kitchen
OF the asylum. When questioned, her
teachers shook their heads and whispered
"not bright" and sho was left alone with
her pots aud kettles.
| 4 new matron came into the asylum. Pass
ing through the kitchen one day she dis
covered the little wsf busily washing dishes.
| A. ba n IN. har sba loi bar
hand umon rsr shonIdsr whan tho chiid
| shuddered and drew back with look of
terror in her eyes. AS she did so, the
,nstron eyes ieil upon redeemed neck
;'' ,r drasa - .s 10, 10, a,o ,;pi,, n,oi
was swollen and still heading from recent
cuts of the lash.
To her exclsmatiOns of surprise and close
| questioning the child tried to explain, but
burst into tears and soobed out IL:
q afn tpft ht,,F h,t n,,i
NAL, anyway Mrs. - (mentioning
the name of the former mstron) says so :"
"My child you are just as much Of hu.
man being as l am. You haven't got four
"No, ma'am."
"Well, then, you are not an ANIMAL and
you have Just a. much right to your life and
, TO love and Kindness as ! have"
"Oh, ma'am, never had a friend In my
, life J" she exclaimed with n fresh burst OF
, grief
The loving sympathy OF the new matlon
instantly won the child's heart, and under
her genial influence she developed many
hne traits OF character. The child's attach
, ment became so strong and sweet that she
called her mamma and the matron did
not forbid her but her intellect, dulled
from her birth, never expanded, and at thir
teen she was as simple, trusttnl and Ignorant
OF sin as babe.
Then the managers put her out to service,
the matron removed TO another Institution,
and for a few years the little waif was LOST
sight OF.
UNCoMPREuENpEp SIN.
ssysra, ya.rs ws,, h,, a,a Tho ,,,r, ,.,,r,ad
, 70 rho asuinm "' ~ anu '"' s"' '''u'n ne'
"Whst have done what have l done !"
, she moaned day after day, as she tossed upon
!, the bed in delirium and then when the finaI
, bour came and she Law In ago,y sha IooL ad
up in the face Of her friend and moa,ied'
UTbey called me an outcast What Iin !,
| ,,aanS WIN Cd na,o. Io,,a - ..I. a -, y