The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-01
SOLD 1T FOR A SHILLING.
PRICE OF A DRUNKEN MOTHERS BABY
other Stories For Young Foiks-Trundle-
Bed Theology-The Joke on Mamma
They Knew Him-The New Baby
-Knotty Problems.

1t is almost impossible to realize that
there is to-day system of child-slavery
carried on in London, says the Youths
Companion, a recognized traffic, which goes
on in spite of the efforts of the wise and
charitable. Any one who knows where
to inquire may for a trihe hire a child for
begging purposes, and the term of hire
may be so extended as TO amount practi.
cally to purchase. Boys are cheaper
/ than girls, as the latter usually look more
1 frail and so excite a larger measure OF
sympathy. Thus one must pay sixpence
a day for a girl, while boy brings but
/ fourpence.
! OF course charitable people are always
on the lookout for these little waits, but
! DIR. Bernardo, who is director of certain
homes for orphan and destitute children,
says that although 5000 are now sheltered
beneath those friendly roofs, thousands
more are still outside. AS an example Of
the Indebtedness to be thus relieved, he
tells the story OF his shilling baby not
as an exceptional case, but as type of
many.
A misunderstanding baby, evidently
the property OF no one in particular, had
for some time been noticed by charitable
visitors to a vile lodging-house, crawling
about the steps and in general taking care
of itself. 1t was ascertained that the
mother had died or gone away, and that a
woman of very low character held author
ity over the child.
DR.. Bernardo sent word to the woman
that if she would bring him the child it
should be admitted to the children's home,
and she duly appeared, half tpsy and
wholly disgusting to the eye.
The little creature which she at once set
down upon the table was about two years
old, weazened, pale, dirty, and with look
of age and suffering about the eyes and
mouth The child's manner seemed i'm
pressed with a gloomy self-possession.
"YOu may leave her with me, said DR..
Barnado to the woman.
"What are you going to give me?" asked
she.
The doctor replied that she would not
be paid, but she ought to feel very CRATE
full at being relieved from the care OF the
child
"Well, then, I ain'tp she reioined, with
emphasis. Il don't mind lettin' you have
her. but in course | want her value"
She set her price at half a sovereign, but
this the doctor was compelled to refuse
her. If he gave so large sum he would
speedily be overrun with more children
than he could ever feed. The woman
rolled angrily away, only to return in
short time more intoxicated than before.
Finally the doctor succeeded in buying
the baby for shilling.
When the child was undressed its
clothes were found to be knotsed on with
string, indicating that they had not been
taken off for weeks, at least. 1t was liter
ally a creature of skin and bone, living
skeleton.
Some months afterward when Or.
Barnado visited one of his "homes" he
found there blue-eyed chubby child,
whose winning ways were the daily JOY OF
all the inmates
81 really forget which baby this is, he
whispered to the matron, and she proudly
whispered back: why don't you re-
member She is the shilling baby!''