The Dickinson press., 1888-09-15
FINDING LOST BABIES.
HOW ToDDLERs ARE PICKED UP
IN THE CITY STREETS.


Chillrcn's Dcpartmcnt-Tnc Fato of
Four Babies.
The little shavers and shaverines that the
policemen carry every night to Matron
Webb, at the lost childrcn's department., arc
Il thoroughly assorted lot Some are about
the size that q westerIcr dcsignates as being
'';,s big rs a pint of cider half drunk up"
Others are often or 10 years of age, and got
lost because they have just como to tho city
or have lived i'll somo institution all their
lives. The strays arc invariably dirty, and
usually More OF less unbuttoncd and unaccd.
Also, the moro certain their parents are that
their darllnss will he scared almost to death,
the more sure the Youngsters are to como in
with list full of pennies, no hat, and n soul
full of peace.
Last Sunday night 4 manly, handsome Off
Ger got on Broadway car at Twenty-ninth
street With IL little girl, who clung to him
Ikea thistle blow, shaking and 1uivering
with sohS. Tho car was we'll filled with
church folks who began Immediately to pelt
the officer with questions, which he answered
calmly and patiently, hugging the little ono
up To his side the while
ut Matron Webb's Miss Baby found
warm welcome. Three rows of blue arm
chairs and rockers constitute the strange
little human pound, where the stray babies
walt Tor some one to come and provo their
property. With tear stained face washed and
her roll replaced by some automatically sl-
CARED cake, the little one consented to trust
herself, her precious pennies and her daisies
I" the arms vi Il much gillcd and flowcrcd
blue rocking chair. They weren't nice,
warm, strong arms same as the policeman
bad, but they had their good points. AS soon
as she was settled n bit Matron Webb smiled
on her one of those mothcrly smiles that lavo
warmed tho cookies of SO many little hearts
and asked her name.
Tho gray eyes looked at her very steadily
for minute, then the lower part of the in
to''rogation point quivered u littlo and she
ali,wercd:
'Fanny!'
The voice was about us fino as cambric
needle and rs large rs n minute old robins
rhirp, hut the Matron heard it and asked her
''otlcr name" The ghost of Il baby smile
Strengthened ont the Interrogation point, and
the sweet thread of u Voice was IL full size
larger us it alswercd:
"Duckcm!'
This was all the Information that could hn
i.nine'l, for indeed it was probably all tho
mere baby knew. She sat obedcntly in her
chair during her stay. AT last, after
a hours waiting, the door opened sharply
nna Il nice looking young fellow of 10 on 20
"amc tunhlinS in, white and excited Up
isw the little fat arms, away went the pen
Mes and tho pnscs, "Oh. Duckem!' cried II
manly voice, and Duckcm was close in her
biz brothers arms. Sho was so glad that her
ShyncsS all went away ut once and sho gra-
| riollsiy let everybody who wanted to kiss her
sood-by. Little Fanny DAILY, of West
| Iwcnty-nlnth street, was thus lost and found.
But this dear little girl was not the only
| Guest That tho matron WAS entertaining last
Sunday night. 1T was not very much OF Il
day for lost babies, for there had not been SO
in'ich as Il procession OF Il hand organ out to
tempt them away, but, all the same, seven
teen small pilgrims in pinaforcs and jackets
| Lrlfted i'll and out, before and after
"Dnckcm' came and went. Next To
'Duckem,' the baby Of this group of yonng-
stcrs, was a burly, splendid boy about :,
years and II half old, just the sort of boy tp
suit the name he gave, "PhiI" Phil gave
,h" wil'y young "cop," as lie called him. vino
brought him i'll n lively tustlr; but 10 one
who could SEQ the poor little bcgg;,r flat on
lls face before the door begging and scream
ing to be taken to his ''nr,th-thor," could
/ blame linn for tho rumpus he was lnahines.
No cakes, nor candies, nor fine words could
b;ittor poor little Pills parsnps that night,
and lie soi,bcd and cried as if his manly little
heart would break unit his mother appeared
she came III Il half hour later, Il thin, tidy
looking woman, with n flushed face and !,
shawl hastily wrapped around her, almost
beside herself with fear.
"on, Phil, my darlin', why did yc run
away from your mother! Oh, sure, me boy,
it's tn" dreadful terror you've given me this
| day, thinking Id never be seeing yor again,
and tho mother of eight children that ncy"I,
had "neo: them run a~ay from the sic Is o.l
which ln.t 'cm before. Where was il Y.
"'Hr, spa!pe'n!n
ihil left home on East SScvcMty-fourili
street ut 10 O'Clock in the morning, and at
o'clock was picked up at the foot of larl;
| place. Seven good miles if it was an inch,
AID Phil not three years oi': i'll September,
comes" Small wonder his nanny picked
| him N, in her willing arms and carried linl
Off folded close to her mothers heart
The little wandcrer was scarce on lis way
iipine when good looking man burst into
tlt room. He sprang toward the triple row
OF chairs without Speaking aud then with a
| groan turned away. AS he turned his eye
fell on tattcreI sailor hat, with a long
blse ribbon on it, lying on the table.
That's his h%t," lie cried. ''N'hcres
JacI;::' Matron Webb pointed to the white
b"d in the corner. Master Jac. lad sat in his
clair as long as lie could and then had calmly
gotten up, laid his lat Oh the table and gone
to bed till daddy comes" In u moment
;lcre was the greatest lullabaloo in the cor
nrr that one could imagine. The sight of his
daddy put all Jacks philosophy out of lis
nnnl and he cried like good one lis
i;..!!cr binked Il few times over the boys
s!. ulder and held him very tight, but not n
wccd did he say until lie got his 10y out in
tho hall Then he broke into u sob
'!)il, my little son, / thought you'd gone
for good and then they both went OFF 10
''il.ainrna.'
These three youngsters and one other ~
all the kisses there We're given. Not o..c cf
the eighteen We're scoldcd, but fourteen IT,.
il."'n vs. re greeted in a manner that spcl.e
more OF less Of Il shattered confidence.
Tie young mothers and father, are tie
,.,a who take it hard, particularly if they
are strangers ami foreigners. For instance.
the fourth baby last Sunday night who 20. q
| kissing was a little DIRK haired, tlarl: eyed
girl in a white irocs, with small blue
o!lalneiled earrings in lcr cars. Her mother
emu, IL s4EiIt.t! lDI!;I III
& ..a"l over her head and her III, eyes
winning with tears. She had n young lad
"'.th her as interpreter, but she was too
much excited TO wait for liin, and she flew
from one clair to the othc:,, wrinstus her
hands and ci.;,ttegits ike !. maspi'. Mrs.
" cbb happened 10 reiEembe. tho little onc
oh the bed with the earrings il. her ears, ami
inIuirin.!y touched her Own cars Us u g,ies-
ton. Tie little mother few to the corner,
and in Il moment was staggcri.i, about with
her big girl in the arms that ought sti!l 10 he
tending dolls. She kissed and cried o:,er her
baby for five !u..i:tca before she could MAKE
up her mind 10 leave Off and 20 holne-
Fannie B. Merrill in New York World.
KEEPING UP PRICES.
a Trick of the Fish Trade N New York
City-The Result.
ssSee those forty barrels standi,,, oycr