New-York tribune., 1896-05-03
A PROFESSIONAL SYMPATHIZER.
SOME EPISODES IN THE EXPERIENCE OF
4 NEW GRAND CENTRAL FUNCTIONARY

SOME EPISODES IN THE EXPERIENCE OF
A NEW GRAND CENTRAL FUNCTIONARY.
There is probably better place for seeing hu-
man nature In all its varying aspects than the walt
ing groom Of grs railroad station. where the lncom-
ing ira ms hourly deposit their animated freight or all
ages sexes and conditions So manywaf' ana siriys'
fororn personalities and unforunatcs with no
definite destination arrive at the Grand Central
Station from time 10 time that few months ago
the mana cement decided TO employ a person TO
look out for SUCH a woman competent to give ad-
vice and arrange for substantial aid where 1t was
needed The wait.ng-w had their own prov
ince and were fully preoccupied. the scrub-women
had their hands full; plainly there was need OF
person of Judgment and discrimination who should
be at leisure to attend this class of passengers
Reserve a room in your own home where the
frisndless or the inexperienced may find safe
shelter for night or two" was the direction when
the Office was created. and many time has that
room been occupied and the new functionary has
found much need for the exercise Of her pecul-
lar duties that an assistant has recently been en-
gagged TO work under her supervision These women
DO not meet the LEGAL trains. 1t Is judged that
travellers from nearby places Will know what 10 do
with themselves: but every train from a distance
is met ard all who seem bewildered or nger In
the. waiting-room approached on the subject OF
their needs. The trains coming in after O'Clock
in the evening require especial care
II Will give you instance of the need Of my
Office" said the supervisor. ut Is scarcely
TWO weeks since l observed young girl in the
wa.ting-room looking much perplexed and plainly
unhappy She had come in the 4 o'clock train
and had sat in there for nearly hour. She was
well dressed and pretty. and. though she walled
she did not have the appearance OF expecting any
one come for her. Presently when there was no
one In the she came across to where sat
and asked II ! knew where she could get a fur-
nlshed room in a respectable house; that she could
afford to pay much for 1t. but wanted such
for few days Her voice and manner IN
dicated refinement and education Tears were In
her eyes as spoke to me, and when explained
that l could not help her unless she told me her
need and what resources she had to depend upon
she admitted having run away from her nome, IN
anS S nx YHn after some
ton Induced her her to tell that she had had s,epmoheTr
SO she had come away and intended ns to get work S
never worked and had not. been trained to do any:
thing OF practical value. In ne next haif hour !
had an and % placing pen and paper par Before
her begged her to write to her stepmother. telling
tance rendered possible her mother and a friend
cone S was nnsuabe and f that young
girl went back home, and don, think Will run
away again.
you another case and You can judge. My assistant
looks after the morning trans. On my arrival one
to R and he f had sd m
1t was elderly woman whose face and physique
waist down. Being she ssd U ,ha she
had no money had come from Ohio and d, was sOng
which sailed that day Her train had M brought her
IN M me q, T m me her sss s s har % S but nrs s0 bS
missed her passage. ! sent cut for meal for her
a. ss nsR % SS tho s : @
not not leave .S fora for week An address @ was obtained
OF cab to take her to that address. Sending
one Of our red cap boys with her. She was lifted
may, at 10 o'clock that night the cab came back
place the 1na e deene
70 take her, saying that a hospital Where she might
ing the word hospital the woman, perfectly calm
before before in sRte Of her Plight, became excited and
Again consulted with the superintendent but we
could see no way ou, OF the dhicuty Here she
sometimes. and Absolutely an b s"0 men Tei
@ ons hal he d saa her 4 a had
swerng promptly enough NO. determined to find
s any S" one 'ns Could b f1 Sd o
ship helpless creature off in that destitute fash:
board her steamer successfully. w." 0''' anu
Going out to the cab. ] told her firmly that. much
there by force because @ there was no one willing
on the first e., ocr Just dSwn the street for 80 cents
ing that hrm and hearing me give the order rider
for a policeman to be called as she would not 20
IL
skirt containing N25 am a gold watch and chain
! was indignant The cabman was not paid the
red cap boy was not paid. but we arranged for the
payment OF her room rent and the necessary AT
tentons she had while waiting for her steamer
People lose their wives or husbands here con-
veniently sometimes-people of all ranks and sta
tions The building is very large and there are so
many departments that Il Is an easy matter The
case OF a creduous Irishwoman from somewhere
near Buffalo interested me. She fingered about here
for nearly week. hoping TO Ahl tho husband who
had gone out Of one of the waiting rooms telling
her to wait for him. She had never been In a big
city. had money and infinite faith IN his promise
She came TO me after he had been gone from IL
O'Clock 20 In the afternoon, and every day after
ward she regularly searched oil the waiting places
hoping to find him. We got her a lodging at night
In the police sub-station and gave her meals in the
daytime. After five days we sent her TO her Old
home, but she insisted that her old man must have
got drunk and met with harm. ne would have
come for her.
we have children of all nationalities sent in per-
fectly irresponsible fashion to distant destinations
and deaf mutes who can't even write and whose
needs we have TO guess at best we can. Not
long since dear little boy afflicted came walk
Ing up the platform, and after trying In every way
to discover his destination II occurred to me to in
quire at the deaf mute institutions in the city as
TO whether pupil OF his description was expected
In that way we got him into the right place. for
certain institution was expecting him. but the
authorities did not know when he coming"