The evening world., 1893-11-04
400 FORGOTTEN CHILDREN.
One Pair CT Stockings and o
Stick Of Candy.
Only Gift, Received at ST. AGatha's
Home In Eleven Years.

land County. To he always forgotten nv
the world would blight a stronghold
Nobody ever goes to Manuel to stay
but destitute children, who comprise 90
per cent. OF the population.
There are thirteen trains a day from
New York, but the agents of the Gerry
Society and the police officers from the
District Courts who enter abandoned
and abused little folks at st. Agatha's
Home are always in a hurry to get
away. Official visitors are received from
the Comptroller's office and casual visits
are made by the unfortunate relatives of
the children. but they are all few and
far between.
For the past eleven years Sister NJ.
Ernestine. Dircctress Of the Home, and
her 400 little waits have been buried
among the hills Of Manuel. In all that
on their list OF friends. t. Mr.. John
Reid. OF Brooklyn. the patient Sisters OF
charity are Indebted for the Home and
the tifty-seven acres OF land s%urroundinp
Il. Mr.. Reid went there with his bride
in iS'2. She only lived three months. and
AZ her death the country place was aban-
Toned. Noboy cared to buy it. and Mr..
Reid gave the properly to the community
OF Sisters of Charity.
The first year OF her lonely residence
m ma N ar Directress Sister Ernestine
She received g n week from the civ
tor their support. and the task Of max.
ing the appropriation cover the expenses
sfct no TIM Tor the nursing of home
slckness mat Winter Mrs. Jenkins, the
nfst wife of Agent Jenkins, OF the
Jerry society. sent a pair OF stockings
ana a SUCK of candy to every boy and
girl in st. Agatha's Home for Destitute
Children. That was the first and oniy
gift they ever received. No ChristnIas
Gheer. no New Years books. no Thanks
s-Nihg Dinners. no Easter ~favors, no fire
crackers for a Fourth OF July celebra-
uoh, nave been sent to the children in
-, Agatha's Home. Everybody has for.
5 ore mem. on every occasion of
they have been overlooked. No TOYS no
playthings, not a doll nor a story book
no ohtistmas card. not even Il little let
S WIN a sweet thought or a good wish,
mas gone 10 Manuel in all these eleven
'ong years OF privation and anxiety.
Last Summer the Directresss, acting
IL the ADVICE or friends, sent out lO,O66
circulars containing a brief account Of
the splendid work accomplished and n
6riefer appeal for financial assistance
There Is a debt OF So, NJ on the property
ton will cost So,OoS This is an awful
load for one little woman. however,
brave and hopeful, to carry. with 400
sc,nn ef tamily and an income barely suf-
wei, the circulars were issued at an
expense OF about $500. The gentle Di.
rectress, knowing nothing about postal
economy put a . cent. stamp on each
envelope. which she sealed with her own
busy fingers. Not one reply came back;
not a penny was contributed to pay the
waited one month. two months, and
prayed increasingly that the hearts OF
me good people in New York might be
moved to generous deeds. Then she
one who could stand the physical strain
and at the same time was small enough
to travel free-and came to the city 10
Nanuet! There was no such place in and
geography, nor could the name he found
on any of the old library maps CON
suited.
Speaking OF the circulars and the visits
she made to the homes of people noted
for their charitableness and generosity,
the Directress said, with ineffab!e sweet
ness:
Ladies on whom 1 called were too
much engaged to see me. When l sent
In my address they sent back wore
Home for Destitute children, and did
not believe that there was any such
place as Manuel In existence. Some
servants gave me q few pennies. but
the total did not pay my street-ca.
With a faith that passeth understand
Ing this sweet woman, after eleven years
OF neglect and the hardest kline o.
work. will keep on praying and reduc,
ng expenses wherever a penny can bt
saved without hindering the comfort o,
the homeless and friendless 4Oo."
To show how superh!y she has man,
aged the affairs Of the home only twenty
or all the abandoned children committeL
70 her during the last eleven years have
been permitted 10 die a record that ha.
s sG paiGSlseI I! Mr oe Tebi5 or charity IN.
Comptrol!er's office, said:
in the Stlte Of New York wAere tn,
health q the children is better tina
II IL at Manuel or where the little fox!
= Are as happy; ! can't account for III,
! out there. Il may be the air, or tn
= food, or the magic OF manual and menta
training, or all combined, but the re
suits are Incompatible"
There. are three settlements H.
AGatha's Home, one for boys, one for
E girls, and one for quarantine, When d
E antine and stays there for ten days
? lie may be the picture OF health nnc
= haNs checks Ike summer roses, but ney
i quarantine for the time prescribed. Thi,
. isolation has "A double value. Aside from
setting a start in wholesome living, h,
Is drilled In lessons, kindergarten o
kitchen gardening and taught to pla!
or do housework. The result Is a min
imum OF sickness. Instead of keeping
a hous physician, medical service 4
Z only when occasion requires
This is one OF the many economical
: measures adopted by the intelligent hi
r~ectress to make ends lap over.
TIL 81 per week appropriated by IN,
city has to pay not only for food. cloth
Ing and schooling but the Industrial ed
ucation OF the child as well. Sable
OF less than one year are now in III,
home. They are "A great care, requir
Ing constant attention. Children remain
in Manuel until they are self-suppurting
e the varying from sixteen To eigh
teen years.
n In the boys department much of tn,
housework Is done by the little men
They have jumpers to put on to protec
their clothes when here are dishes T.
dry, tins to sCour, floors l.
sweep and scrub, beds to make an.
rooms or lawns To tidy IN. Even In
n ninety-nine tpddlcrs in kits and pima
r tores make themselves useful. II IN
outdoor work every boy has somethiu,
D. to DO, There are tifty-srNcn n a hal
acres OF ground to cultivate; there ar
twenty cows to milk oxen t. drive. an,
"a "A horse and wagon that goes to IN
y, depot 10 meet every tram. Winter an
:. Summer there Is wood TO saw. ana tn
wear and tear Of III" houses keen tn
boss carpenter ana MS yu-vTy apprCn
Is tees busy I'll the while.
The girls do all tn" homework In thci
settlement, taking turns OF u week il
the kitchen, laundry. H0rmitoIy, IN
lrmGry and shop Even the smalles
girls have vegetables To p,ol, busting {
do, clothes 10 manClc ana stockings I