The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-28


Msbls wsrk Psrssrmed BY the Hsuss
~ The Coed shepherd.
The House of the Good Shepherd, u
Ninth and Terraces streets, 10 one Of the
noblest institutions Of the city. Al il
pretty generally known the home con-
ducts IN orphanags, in which are over
fifty children ct present. and . refornatory
for Maynard girls, Of whom there ara
thlrty-seven in the reformatory class.
The home ID non-sectarian and endeavors
to render its inmates self-supporting BY
teaching them some handicraft.
An episode related by the mother
superior gives good idea with what the
institution must contend from without
and within. She told how q child Is
years Of age was seen to hesitate at the
gate when she came that close to the home
with her mother. 1t took some urging on
the part of the parent to persuade her
daughter to entef. She finally consented
to pass the threshold.
When leaving homo the girls mother
had told her she would take her to Seattle
where she could get her position. mas
much Is she would not behave herself at
home. They lived in one of the small
towns adjacent to the city. It was . sub
terfuge on the part Of the anxious parent
to get the child into house Of correction
While hesitating at the gate the child
said: 81 don't believe this il q private
house where I am to get work; it looks
like some other kind of . place." She
shrunk back ~ though something contrary
to her wishes would happen If she allowed
herself to be taken inside. They were
shown into the parlor.
Several days before this the mother had
called at tho homo and related the sad
story of her hayward child. She was but
Ii years of age and had been very head
strong for q year. She gradually grew
worse and used to run out at night without
her mothers or her stepfather's knowl-
edge and consent. Often the mother
would go to the room, where she slept,
thinking she was in bed, only to find her
couch empty. She would then start out
in the night to search for her daughter,
roaming through the ungraded streets of
the town and into places Of low repute in
her search.
It was in one of such places that her
mother found her, behaving degradedly
with three others, two Of whom were
minors, on one occasion. The next day
she came to Seattle and pleaded upon her
knees to the mother superior to care for
her dissolute offspring and strive to re-
claim her. She was too poor to pay any
thing for her maintenance, but besought
all the moro for her to be taken in. The
woman feared more for the eternal than
temporal welfare of her child.
The girl looked inQuiringly around tho
room. but when the mother superior en-
tered in her flowing white habit and black
headdress. she sprang to her feet and her
face was crimson in an instant. The
mother said none Of this kind of girls can
face the sisters without feeling their own
degradation. She wanted to leave instantly
and her mother had to restrain her. Then
long scene followed in which the girl
was reluctant, saucy, persistent and angry
In turns, but it concluded by ono of the
nuns taxing her by the arm and leading
her away. The poor mother was happy.
The mother of the hayward child had
signed document agreeing to permit her
to remain in the institution until she was
Of age. When she went home and told the
stepfather he wrote letter to the mother
superior saying that he would never con-
sent to such thing, but would allow her
to stay for year. The mother superior
did not answer him. A week later both
he and the mother of the girl came to the
home. They either wanted the agreement
or the girl. The mother superior refused
either at first, trying to tell them that she
would be lost If allowed her liberty.
The stepfather wanted to know why the
girl must stay until of age. The supe-
rioress told him that the child had gone
astray and could not possibly be reclaimed
in . year. She would have to be confirmed
in habits OF virtue before she would again
be morally fit to mingle in the world. He
could not see it in that light, and must
take the child-taker her, as the mother
superior said, back to her haunts of i'm
morality, knowing that she must fall again.
Seeing that such . course would not
avail. the superioress turned to other
tactics in the child's behalf. She finally
said: "Well, take her; take her with you,
and mind. do not come again with her, for
will not receive you" They did not ex-
pect this. and It rather shocked them.
They then changed their tune, and prayed
to have her kept until she was of age. The
mother superior added that young girls
are charge for q long time and are of
little help in aiding to support themselves.
and it is but justice that having had COM
fort and protection during this time, they
should stay when they are OF some utility
for q time at least.
Pain from indigestion. dyspepsia, and too