Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-09-01
nv ADAYNURSERY.
one OF New York's Interesting Places
How Big Family of Toddlers are
Kindly Cared for During the Daytime.


One Of New York's Interesting Places
How a Big Family of Toddlers are
Kindly Cared for During the Daytime.
From the New York Graphic.l
There is lady living on the north
side of Washington Square-whose
name I would love to give, for her
noble generosity amply deserves it,
but sincere respect for her Christian
humility as we'll as her modesty for
bids-who is to-day the means of saw
ing many helpless babes and little
children from life of misery and suf-
fering that is past the power of words
to describe 1t came about III this
way: The lady-whom we will call Mrs.
Lee-was the mother of a little girl IL
years of age, who was unusually
sympathetic and was generous to g.
fault. Children of her own age were
especially interesting to her, and when
she met poor little girl on the street
she would always speak to her, and If
allowed would have taken. of her own
shoes or wrap to clothe the little
stranger with.
About Christmas time Mrs. Lee was
invited to visit q day nursery In the
lower part of the city, where the chill
eren of poor working women were
cared for during the day. She was
deeply touched by the sight that met
her ewes, and when Christmas day had
passed she took the handsome tree
with it's wonderful lights and trim
mings that had been an ornament to
her own wealthy home and planted it
in the play room of this nursery.
Her little daughter was with her,
and the Joy that she felt was deeper
even than that of the crowd of little
ones who had never before seen such a
sight, and who walked round and
round the tree. peering at it from all
sides with wide eyes and asking all man.
ner of questions about it with child
lsh eagernesss
After that the little daughter of Mrs.
Lee seemed to dwell upon her memory
of the nursery, and often begged her
mother to open another nursery In
their own basement, promising to
take all the care of the children her.
self.
A few months afterward, while trav-
cling in Europe, the daughter suddenly
died, and the grief-stricken mother re-
turned to her darkened home. Every
where she went she recalled the child 8
earnest wish to care for the suffering
children, and at last, as q fitting testi-
monial to the lovely character of the
child herself, and as though it were the
child's own bequest, she took g. legacy
that had belonged to her and pur-
chased and fitted up the Memorial
Day Nursery. It is located at 275
East Broadway, and takes care OF
thirty-fve babies and children from
A. NJ. to z P. NJ. Every morning a
stream of women crowd into the base
ment door of the nursery, leave their
little ones in the care of the nurses and
hurry off to their days work. The
children then receive bath and are
clothed in calico and gingham dresses
and fresh, clean underwear. At $50
they all 60 into the dining to the
low tables and benches and enjoy a
luncheon of bread and milk. Then the
older children go to the play ground
in the rear, over which an awning is
drawn, and the babies are carried into
a big room up stairs and put in pad
ded playhouse, with soft toys, where
no fall can hurt them.
AL noon d. lS
served, and at 1 o'clock the whole
troop, saving those of 6 years old, 60
up stairs to the dormitory. On hot
days they are undressed and put IN
cool white night dresses and laid to
sleep in small white beds and cribs
Two hours after they are dressed again
and ready for another frolic in the
playground. After g. hearty supper at
7P. M. they are dressed again in their
own clothes and are ready to GO
home.
Two children, some years ago, were
living in a sub-cellar with a drunken
mother and dying father. A mis-
sionary found them, and through he1
efforts the children were put in the
nursery and the mother went to work
The father died, reclaimed in heart by
the Alnighty's grace. The mother
had never properly cared for the chill
dren or for their room, and they lived
in filth and restitution. The children
were taught to be neat, and when they
returned to their home their childish
reproofs to their mother ran about az
follows:
mamma, Mrs. g., thematron, says
we must keep our faces clean. YoJ
must Leep your face clean, too. You
must sweep the floor, mamma. Mrs
G. says you must. You must make
the bed up, mamma, or Mrs. G. won'i
like YOU"
This sort OF rebuke had a more sig
nal effect on the mother than all tn,
missionary's gentle admonitions, ant
In short time a marked change ha(
taken place in that household.
Another little child, a pretty bah,
girl of two years old, whose mournfu
eyes and sad but very sweet fac
touched yeur sympathies at once