The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-10-17
LOST CHILDREN.
How Waits and trays Are Cared for in a
Large CITY,


Large City,
Between three and four thousand
children get astray during year in the
city of New York, but the system of
caring for the little ones is so admir-
ably arranged that you never hear of
a child dying in the streets for lack of
food or shelter, or failing to reach its
parents or guardians, unless it has been
purposely set astray.
The place to look for stray children is
at the police building on Mulberry
street, on the top floor, which has come
20 Be known as the Sky Parlor," and
they are brought there from all parts
of the city, often as many as thirty a
day. The children range from toddlers
a year old to those six and eight years
Some of them are so little that they are
not able to speak plain, and others are
SO bewildered that they do not remem-
ber even the number of the street
where they live, or the part of the city.
1t is on fine days that the largest
number of children is registered at the
"Sly Parlor''; on rainy or very cold
days there may not be one.
Children get astray in many ways,
and the largest number is brought in
when a circus parades through the
town, for the little folks run after it,
and often run along with the crowd for
dozen blocks, not thinking that they
are getting so far away from home
They also follow hurdy-gurdy men and
organ-grinders national or other
parades, and frequently follow a crowd
when policeman is taking a prisoner
to the station-house.
Some children leave their homes ow-
ing to the cruelty of their parents or
guardians, and scores of little boys and
girls every year rIn away from homes
at points outside the city, the conductor
passing them along when they say they
have no money. But the thoughtful
conductor questions the child carefully,
and if he finds that it is running away
from home, he takes or sends it back;
or else, on arriving in the city, has it
sent to the, home of the 80
ciety for the Prevention of Cruel
ty to Children" But a number
of the waits found astray in the streets
are put there by parents and guardians,
who want to go off to Coney Island or
elsewhere for day or two. An officer
who has charge of stray children makes
this statement:
There are hundreds of parents in
New York who purposely put their
children astray in the streets. A moth
er, father, or guardian sets out for the
ferry, bound for some place out of town,
and when police station is neared, the
guardian or parent stops some one in
the street and says Il have found this
child in the street; will you take it to
the station, as have to catch the ferry
at once The child is too little to eX-
plain, and is led off by the stranger to
the station, where it is registered. This
thing" the officer continued, sis done
to such an extent that it has become a
nuisance tc the police department. OF
course when the parent or guardian re-
turns the child is reclaimed, and many
fictitious tears are shed ahd false kisses
given to the little one. e.-Harper's Young
People.
For Loan, -Tom-."Have you seen
Newcomer" Jack - 'Yes." Tom -.
"Were You struck with him?" jack
"No, was struck by Linn. l am ten
lollars out. Yankee made.