Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-02
WORK OF A MATRON.
Mrs. Brennan Talks Pleasantly Of Her
Duties at the Central.
BAD BOYS AND DRUNKEN WOMEN
Give Her Much More Trouble Than All the
Rest of Her Cares.
HOW SHE TREATS THE ERRING ONES

"Yes, boys, have been out to see you
mother, and she says you are dreadful ba,
boys" said the mat-on of the Central polio
station, the other afternoon, addressing I'VE
little youngsters behind the bars in tn
female department of the place. "She said,
continued the matron, 'that you took al
the money she had in the house the mornin.
you left home, and cut the tails off you
fathers coat, too"
One pair of black eyes and one pair o
blue, both dancing with smichief, and tw,
little mouths that at the mention of the coat
tail episode spread from ear to ear, belonged
to the boys addressed by the matron, ant
who were, even in their youthful de
pravity, really prepossessing. They were
respectively, about and 10 year
old and the Younger on
appealed very strongly to the lsympathie
ofthe writer, VINO. thinking a little mission
airy work Independent Of any church O
other auspices in order just at that time
said, clasping tiny brown hand that restec
on the iron grating: "Did you little fellow
really do such very terrible things ?' The re
ponses that issued from the lips OF thos
little "toughs," in their force and emphasis
''an open confession is good for the SOUL" tn,
missionary work was continued, with a re
suit that was quite shocking and yerv dis
couraging to the self-constituted home mis-
sionary.
AN EMPHATIC AvowAL.
care you boys so very, very bad?" mur
INJURED the missionary in 'please-say-you
are-not" manner.
"You BET" rang out at concert pitch.
"Well, you are not going to be bad any
more, are you?" was the last attempt al
juvenile reformation the thoroughly dis.
heartened and non- -plussed missionary made,
for the answer carried the conviction that
they certainly were going to be bad until re-
strained by something stronger than re-
nonstrance.
The little fellows were brothers and had
not been home for three weeks, SO the matron
said. They had been selling papers and
blacking shoes, and sleeping in drygoods
boxes and enjoying themselves generally,
but upon their father making complaint
they were taken to the station, and it as
their own desire that they be sent to Nor
ganZa instead OF going home.
do you have many such cases?" was
asked the matron, Mrs. Mary Brennan, who
has occupied her position since last June.
"Oh, yes; any number of them, was her
answer, "and lots of little ones who are lost
and are brought in here until inquiries are
made for them Of course, the little 'strays'
are not put in cells, but are taken upstairs
to my room. Sometimes there are two or
three in one day, and seldom a day passes
without one forlorn child remaining here
until its parents are found. take care OF
them and give them bread and butter, with
sugar on it, and do everything in my power
to make their little hearts happy while they
are in my care.
''That is the least unpleasant part of nv
work here" continued the womanly, sympa-
thetic little matron. SIN fact, it is really
pleasure for me to minister to the wants of
the little ones, but when the intoxicated
women come 10, then all my ingenuities are
taxed to quiet them and make them COM
Portable. Sometimes they are so very drunk
hat we dare not put them on the benches;
hey have to lie on the floor, and it makes
me feel so badly to see them, but there is no
lelp for it.
IT WOULDN'T WORK.
81 tried when first came in here to bring
down comtortables and pillows for the poor
lntortunates, but I soon found it was i'm
practical, and so discontinued it. When
person is really i'll 1 always try to make them
comfortable, and if they are suffering great
y remain with them until they obtain re-
ief, but if they are simply in state of in
oxlcatlon my presence, except as L give
hem little brandy and bromide, does not
,ratify them at all. In the morning, after
he effects of the liquor has worn off, then
hey like to see me, and stay with them as
much as possible, especially those who seem
oa1 " nd frrlt To- hi
here are so many of them. They promise me
that they will never drink again,
md talk beautifully to me. but they don't
'ery often keep their promises.
still, though they come in here very,
'ery frequently, 1 can never forget that
hey are women, and my sympathies are al
gays aroused. Some OF them appeal to me
nore forcibly than others, for some are
ighly educated and have in other days
een accustomed to refined society and cul-
ured homes. They. of course, in their
ober moments regret bitterly their failings,
nd their remorse is terrible to witness.
hey can't endure being left alone, but de-
ire nv presence until they have their hear
ng. Others are very much depraved, but
ill not admit it to me; they always have
ome plausible story with which they seek
D excuse their misdoings in my eyes.
I'VE have our regular patrons-some who |
re very regular, indeed-and am always |
lad when they are sent up to the Work |
ouse for 80 days, so that they won't be car |
led in here for that length of time anyway. |
is amusing sometimes, though very sad,
, see the strategy to which they will resort
get liquor from me when they are recov
ring from their intoxicated state. Some
,ign sickness, severe and terrible; others
AVA ca that nv, oo,,pa1Iad ~; @L,or,
romide, and, though [ am never, to give a
erson any unless it is absolutely necessary,
~ compelled sometimes to give them the
eneft of the doubt, for 1 would rather err
4 the humane side than be too rigid"
NEAT AS A PIN.
A journey to the upper floor of the station
ouse was then made, and the matron's
partment was visited. A pleasant room,
lie floor of which was covered with Brus-
is carpet contained two nice, clean-look-
g single beds, stand with library lamp
pom it, and numerous easy and comfortable
lairs.
'In this room," said Mrs. Brennan, "are
ept the aristocratic sinners who are met at
&c depot as they are eloping or absconding,
' an officer authorized by kilograms from
her cities to hold them here until warrants
me for them. Sometimes we have lovely
,ung ladies here, and 1 am careful not to
lrt their feelings unnecessarily. When
ave the room always lock the door, but 1
, it in just as nice way as l can.
'Then these beds are always ready for sick
,ople who are brought here, and in them
ey remain until they are removed to the
'spital. Here, you see, is full wardrobe
r any little stranger who may first see the
,ht of day in the station house, and here is
II apothecary shop. with all kinds of
edicine and surgical instruments in case
an emergency" And sure enough, one
oset was devoted to bottles-bottles great
ID bottles small-containing everything in
e list of handy remedies. In fact, every
ing about the station house bespoke the
ndliness and thoughtfulness of Chief
'own, and the matron, Mrs. Brennan, en-