Wichita eagle., 1888-09-16
FINDING. LOST BABIES.
HOW ToDpLERs ARE PICKED UP
IN THE CITY STREETS.

: a-H
Children's Department-The Fate of
Four Babies.
The little shavers and shaverines that the
policemen carry every night to Matron
Webb, at the lost children's department, are
a thoroughly assorted lot. Some are about
the size that westerner designates as being
'as big as pint Of cider half drunk up"
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 mbuttoned and unlaced
Also, the more certain their parents are that
their darlings will be scared almost to death,
the more sure the youngsters are to come in
with fist full Of pennies, no hat, and a soul
full Of peace
Last Sunday night a manly, handsome Off
Ger got on Broadway car at Twenty-ninth
street with little girl, who chung to him
like thistle blow, shaking and quivering
with sobs The car was well filled with
church folks, who began Immediately to pelt
the officer with questions, which he answered
calmly and patiently, hugging the little one
: Up to his side the while.
At 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
wait for some one to come and prove their
property With tear stained face washed and
her roll replaced by some automatically su-
CARED cake the little one consented to trust
herself, her precious pennies and her daisies
to the arms Of much gilded and lowered
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 bit Matron Webb smiled
on her one of those motherly smiles that have
warmed the cookies of so many little hearts
and asked her name.
The gray eyes looked at her very steadily
for q minute, then the lower part of the in
terrogation point quivered a little and she
answered:
''Fanny!n
The voice was about as fine as a cambric
needle and as large as a minute old robins
chirp, but the matron heard it, and asked her
''other name" The ghost of a baby smile
Strengthened out the interrogation point, and
the sweet thread of voice was a full size
larger as it answered.:
'DucEem!"
This was all the information that could be
gained, for indeed it was probably all the
mere baby knew. She sat obediently in her
chair during her stay. At last, after
an hours waiting, the door opened sharply
and nice looking young fellow of 10 or 20
came tumbling in, white and excited. Up
flew the little fat arms, away went the PEN
nies and the posies, 'Oh, Duckem!' cried a
manly voice, and Duckem was close in her
big brothers arms. She was SO glad that her
oil r. nd CHI
ciously let everybody who wanted to kiss her
good-by. Little Fanny Daily, of West
Twenty ninth 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 a
day for lost babies, for there had not been so
much as a procession or hand organ out to
tempt them away, but, all the same, seven
teen small pilgrims in pinafores and jackets
drifted in and out, before and after
''Duc1em' canle and went. Next to
'Duckem," the baby of this group of young
sters, was burly, splendid boy about Q
years and half old, just the sort Of boy to
suit the name be gave, "Phil." Phil gave
the why yQ,Np1eop," as he called him, VINO
brought him in a lively tustle; but no one
who could see the poor little beggar fat ON
&
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 Pills 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, a thin, tidy
looking woman, with a flushed face and a
shawl hastily wrapped around her, almost
beside herself with fear.
ooh, Phil, my darlin', why did ye run
away from your mothera Oh, 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 put 'erl before! Where was it ye
were, spalpeen!'
Phil left home on East Seventy-fourth
street at 10 o'clock in the morning, and at 5
o'clock was picked up at the foot Of Park
place! Seven good miles if it was an inch,
and 'Phil not three years old 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 good looking man burst into
the room He sprang toward the triple row
of chairs without speaking and then with a
groan turned away AS he turned his eye
fell on a tattered sailor hat, with a long
blue ribbon on it, lying on the table.
That's his hat" he cried. Where's
Jacks' Matron Webb pointed to the white
bed in the corner Master Jack had sat in his
chair as long as he could and then had calmly
| gotten up, laid his hat on the table and gone
! to bed ''till daddy comes" In moment
-bara xv,e tho oraatest hulsbaloo in the cor
ner that one could imagine. The sight of his
| daddy put all Jacks philosophy out OF his
mind and he cried like good one. His
! father bEnked few times over the boy 3
shoulder and held him very tight, but not a
word did he say until he got his boy out in
| the hall Then he broke into sob.
| ''Oh, my little son, thought you'd gone
| for good,n and then they both went OF TO
| mamma"
| These three youngsters and one other gH
| all the kisses there were given. Not one OF
the eighteen were scolded, but fourteen OF
them were greeted in o manner that spoke
| moro OF less OF shattered confidence
| The young mothers and fathers are the
| ones who take it hard, particularly If they
| are strangers and foraignerx For instance,
the fourth baby last Sunday night who got q
| kissing was q little dark haired, dark eyed
| girl in @ white frcck, with small blue
| enarneIled earrings IN her ears. Her mother
was mere child, slender Polish girl with
! shawl over her head and her big eyes
! swimming with tears. She had young lad
with her as Interpreter, but she was too
| much excited 70 wait for him, and she few
! from one chair to the other. wringing her
/ hands and chattering like magpie Mrs.