San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-20
FINDING LOST BABIES.
HOW ToOoLERs ARE PICKED UP
IN THE CITY STREETS.


Not Hard to Find the Strayed Darlings Of
New York-Matron Webb and the Lost
ChiIdren's Department-The Fate of
-Four Babies.
The little shavers and shaverines that the
policemen carry every night to Matron
Webb, at the lost childrens department, are
a thoroughly assorted lot. Some are about
the size that a westerner designates as being
las big as "a pint of cider half drunk ups"
others are often or 10'years of age, and'got
lost because they have Just come to the city
or have lived in some institution all their
lives. The strays are invariably dirty, and
usually more or less unbuttoned and unlaced
Also, the more certain their parents are'that
their darlinss will be scared almost to death,
the more sure the youngsters are to come in
with fist full of pennies, no hat, and soul
full Of peace.
Last Sunday night manly, handsome oG-
Ger got on Broadway car at Twenty-ninth
street with a little girl, who chung to him
hike thistle blow, shaking and quireripg
with sobs. The car was well filed with
church folks, who began immediately to peat
the officer with questions, which he answered
calmly and patiently, huggfng the little one
up to his side the while.
At Matron Webbs Miss Baby found q
warm welcome Three rows Of blue arm
chairs and rockers constitute the strange
little human pound, where the stray babies
wait for some one 10 come and prove their
property. With tear stained face washed and
her roll replaced by some alphabetically So
CARED cake, the little one seonsented to trust
herself, her precious pennies and Der daisies
to the arms of a much gilded and fozeFed
blue rocking chair. They weren't nice,
warm, strong arms same as the policeman
had, but they had,their good points, As soon
as she was settled a bit Matron Webb smiled
on her one of those naDtherfy smiles thaS have
warmed the cookies OF so many little hearts
and asked her name.
The gray eyes looked at her very steadily
for minute, then the lower part Of the, in
terrogetion point fuivered aNlittle and she
answered:
Fanny"
The voice was asqut as fine as a capbric
needle and as large asa minute old robins
chirp, but the 9atron heard it, and, asked her
''other, Name The ghost Of az baby smile
Strengthened out the interrogation point, and
the sweet threedsof voice was q fun si1s
larger as it answered;
"Duckemi"
This was all the, information that could be
gained, for indeed it was probably ell the
mere baby knew. She sat obediently IN her
chair during her sta At Last after
an hours waiting, the door opened sharply
and q nice looking young fellow of 10 or 20
came 'tumbling in, white and excited Up
flew the little fat arms, away went the PEN
MES and the posies, "Oh, Duckeml" cried
manly voice, and Duckem was close IN her
big brothers arms. She wasso glad that her
shyness all went away at ones and she gra-
ciously let everybody who wanted to kiss her
sood-by. Little Fanny Daily, of West
Twenty street, was, thus lost and found
But this dear little girl was not the only
Suest that the matron was entertaining last
Sunday night 1t was not very much Of q
day for lost babies, for there had not been so
much as procession or 9. hand organ out Ito
tempt them away, but, all the same, seven
teen small pilgrims in hinafores and jackets
drifted in and out, before and after
''Duckem" came and went. Next to
''Duckem," the baby of this group Of young
sters, was a burty, splendid boy about 2
years and a half old, just the sort Of boy to
suit the name he gave, Phil" Phil gave
the wiry young "cop," as he called him, vino
brought him in a lively tustle; but no one
who could see the poor little beggar fat on
his face before the door begging and scream
ing to be taken to his ''moth-ther," could
blame him for the rumpus he was making.
No cakes, nor candies, nor fine words could
butter poor little fhil's parsnips that night
and he sobbed and cried as if his manly little
heart would break until his mother appeared
She came in half hour later, thin, tidy
looking woman, with a flushed face and q
shawl hastily wrapped around her, almost
beside herself with fear
sob, Phil, my darlin', why did ye run
away from your motherG On, sure, me boy,
it's the dreadful terror you've given me, this
day, thinking I'd never be seeing. you again,
and the mother of eight children that never
had one of them run away from the steps on
which I put 'em beforel Where was it ye
were, spalpeen"
Phil left home on East Seventy-four
street at 10 o'clock in the morning, and at 8
o'clock was picked up at the foot Of Park
place! Seven good miles if it was an inch,
and Phil not three years oid-till September
comes" Small wonder his nanny picked
him up in her willing arms and carried him
off folded close to her mothers heart.
The little wanderer was scarce on his way
home when a good looking man burst into
the room He sprang toward the triple row
Of chairs without speaking and then with
groan turned away. As' he turned his eye
fell on tattered sailor hat, with a long
blue ribbon on it, lying on, the table.
That's his hat" he cried. Where's
JackT' Matron Webb pointed to the white
bed in the corner. Master Jack had sat in his