Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-21

\ N
IL their own expense, and
VNI\f only the most unfortun-
ate of the little people
who daily applied for
admission we're accepted. SO that very many Of
the poor tots who really needed good care were
turned away.
Livery year the number Of applicants in
creased until a children's hospital became
positive necessity and steps were taken TO get
enough money to build one. The nucleus of
the building fund was fourteen black pennies
contributed by children. 1t grew and grew
until now in place Of the modest house on lath
street there stands on W street between 18th
and 18th large structure surrounded by
whole block OF grounds. which is a pretty big
ending for such q small beginning Instead
OF SIX beds in two rooms there are over eighty
cots In four great airy wards. and nurses in
neat blue and white uniforms fit around like so
many cheerful birds, taking care of the little
sufferers.
ONLY SIX IN THE COUNTRY.
There are only six Of these institutions in the
United States and in Europe they are far more
rare A Catholic priest, man widely Travelled.
told the matron. Miss Rogers. that this Chill
drens Hospital Of ours is positively unique.
and that he had found nothing like it either
In this country or the old world. Certainly
one cannot imagine more charming place: il
makes one almost wish for the chance to be i'll
and be taken to the sweet, clean rooms to be
cared for by the lovely matron. The only place
which Is repulsive and from which one wants to
get away is the gruesome clinic ROOM or as one
1.-THE children appropriately called it, the 'cyni-
cal ROOM" The rows of shining pitchers and
bowls, the drawers full of sharp, cold instru-
ments, the raised table covered with oilcloth,
on which the operations are performed, the
asphalt slab under it, and that frightfully BUSH
ness-like apparatus, the ''irriga.or." with its
yards OF rubber tubing. make sight which
gives one cold chills If only something were
out OF place. if only there were a speck of dust
on something, it would be a relief
such exact order is almost as bad as to be
laid on the table and become the focus Of the
eyes of the clinic. Yet, 80 says the matron.
the children show an amount of courage and
nerve that is quite Spartan and are easier to
manage than the average woman. Some of
them have even gone so far to find that "the
cutting things is pretty" Such love of the
beautiful should be encouraged. A child like
that would find an artistic value in the reservoir
at the head of 10th street.
After the cynical room" it is comforting to
go into the wards and talk to the little inmates
THE AUrocRAr.
They are such quaint, amusing SET There
is to begin with, the "autocrat' who manages
the other children. His name is Eddie and his
age four wears. Eddie was born to be an alder
tions of one and estimates his importance al
they are supposed to. He is the first to be in
troduced by Miss Rogers, for upon his approval
or disapproyal depends ones reception by the
others. If he puts his pudgy hand in ones
own and says: my names Eddie" ones posi-
ton is assured. The "autocrat" does not ap-
preciate the fact that he is an unfortunate little
soul-that he has no mamma and worse than no
papa, and that he is candidate for adoption
by some kind person. He orders the children
to "be tuiet an top dat noise" and tells the
matron that '.zat Sadie is been bad nden an
must be put in bed" as if he owned the estab-
lishmens. Bat there are others far more
miserable than Eddie. There is the
one little fellow who lies in bed and covers his
great blue eyes with a thin. white arm when
ever any one goes near him. He is such
frightened. pititul little fellow and seems so
afraid of all the world that one is not surprised
to learn that he was brought there almost dead
one mass OF bruises and sores, from having
been constantly beaten by drunken father.
He is simple now, poor child; from long Ill
Treatment. his mind has given way.
RESCUED FROM NEGLECT AND IGNORANCE.
The state of ignorance and neglect from which
these youngsters are ofttimes rescued is COM
ical as well as sad. The cleansing properties
of water are unknown to many of them. When
they first come within the doors they are
whisked away TO the bath room, bathed and
n
known tub liz not to be overcome. One boy,
patient for the first time stood looking at 1t in
dismay and as the water rose to the top he became
more and more terrified, and finally burst into
tears and said: II don't wanter take no swim,
ner get be drownded boo-hoo." Those who
have been inmates more than once soon learn
the formula. Sadie has paid four visits to the
hospital and can hardly be kept away. When
she came back the last time the moment she
set foot in the hall away she scampered
to the bath room. leaving her bewildered
father alone and tearing off her cap began to
pull off her socks. nor would she leave the room
until she had been properly ''scwubbed, ." as
she expressed it. Sadie is an unmanagea bic
individual, with firm determination to have
all the fun out of life that she can. and who
thereby gets herself into continual hot water,
Yet she is the most cheerful little body. and
comes triumphantly out OF all her woes and
punishments with a face wreathed in smiles
and streaked with tears. Not that the
discipline is at all severe, but it is
perfectly effectual. Children who have been
thrashed and pounded at home are punished
here only by being made to sit on a chair or,
in very bad cases, being put to bed with a
screen around the cot.
BUT FEW MANAGEABLE
But they soon come to dread these even more
than they did the beatings and generally go
away much better children than they came.
Only once has there been an ''unmana geable
II was boy and he labored under the name of
Ferdinand Rousseau. Ferdinand was mot going
to be bossed by no woman" and he set to work
to make the matron's life burden. He liked
baths, did Rousseau he thought they we're fun.
One evening when he was in his night gown.
waiting his turn to be scrubbed" the nurse
unwisely left him alone for awhile. Ferdinand
turned on the water full force, filed
the tub to the brim, and, getting two
other boys to help him, they proceeded
to have good time. ALI in their night shirts
and stockings they stood on the edge Of the tub
and jumped in. Of course there was a big
splash, but that was part of the game. They
jumped in again and again, and we're in the
very midst OF the fun when q nurse appeared.
wading and with drenched skirts, for not only
had Ferdinand and his friends wet themselves.
but the halls and the ward were one big pud-