The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-15
POOR LITTLE ONES.
Becky Sharp Visits the Topeka
Orphans Home.
SOME SAD AND PRETTY SIGHTS

Are IntermtnSied There-Hn0smuch
We Have Done 1t Unto the Least
of These, We Have Dome 1t Unto Me.
woman say 81 do hope that in the rush
, for office and the loss of place consequent
upon a change in administration, there
is one person vino will not be deposed;
and that person is Mrs. L. E. Thorpe,
Topeka's police matron. Talk about lit
tie sisters of the poor, why Mrs. Thorpe
has been little mother to Topeka's poor
ever since she came into the office"
And having been with Mrs. Thorpe on
some of her noble missionary work I
could readily agree with her But alas
for the poor and unfortunate, the po-
! lice commissioners of Topeka, who have
not been on the rounds with her, and
who apparently don't know there are
any suffering poor, have seen fit to
abolish her work.
And this reminds me of another wo-
man whom I have found in Topeka, be-
ing almost literally a mother to some of
| the most deserving poor, the little
motherless waits at the Orphans home,
and it makes me glad to think no IN
| thinking police commissioners can
abolish her office.
1t was only last week I met her, out
at the Orphans home on Fillmore
street, but even the most casual observer
would not require long to discover that
Miss Jennie Wall is possessed to large
degree of the mother instinct that is in
herent in every WON ans heart.
One afternoon | called at the building
on the northeast corner of Third and
Fillmore streets. Nineteen children
who were playing around the grounds
| answered to the supper call at $50 p. NJ.
and being marshalled in the play room,
marched in to a supper of bread, butter,
| fruit. rice, milk and tea.
! When they were all seated they re-
peated in concert the following grace:
'.Father. help each little child,
Make truthful. good. and mild,
Kind, Obedient, modest. meek,
Mindful of the words speak;
What is right may we pursue,
What is wrong refuse to do;
What is error fAShun,
This we ask for everyone.
Amen"
| While Miss Cooper, who is the ma
| irons assistant waited on them, Miss
| Wall, the matron, showed me about the
building.
The house is known to Topeka people
as the former residence property of Mr.
and Mrs. A. 7. Rodgers, and has large,
sunny, well ventilated rooms. The par
| Tor floor Is covered with an ingram car
pet in a tasteful pattern of brown and
some rugs in harmonizing shade. The
| furniture of the room is substantial; oak
chairs and settee and a large library
| table of the same.
| A few pictures and some scripture
notices hang on the walls
The back parlor has been converted
into girls dormitory. Miss Wall tells
me that two of the neat looking beds
are occupied by women assistants about
the institution.
| When the little folks had finished sup
per Miss Wall had hers, and just before
Z o'clock. the bedtime of the smaller
children, all gathered in the play room
and repeated in unison the Lords prayer
Never have | heard the words of the
Lords prayer sound so significant. Then
the little voices rose in a song before the
younger boys of this family are sent up
stairs to their dormitory just above the
playroom. There are seven of them
and they are accompanied by larger
boy, boy of twelve with an interesting
face, and who, poor fellow, walks with
the aid of crutch, having had one leg
amputated above the knee.
As followed Miss Wall upstairs to
watch the turning in process, asked
about him.
Her face lighted up.
ssOh, he is just the dearest boy" she
said, ''how l wish I could educate him
His name ia Earl Samenoy. and he has
neither father nor mother. He has beer
here for several years. Some time ago :
tNortonyille family adopted him, but JUS