The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-19

living in one OF those squalid rows not
far from the foot OF the Capitol grounds
And as | approached the door l marked
| the number of dirty children playing in
the streets. the old-young girls who were
sitting on the steps with shirt waist and
necktie setting off hard kind OF lJrettiness
A TYPICAL CASE.
knocked at the door, as the bell handle
| pulled quite out of its socket when laid
| my hand upon il. The door was soon
| thrown open and a stout young woman in
a Mother Hubbard wrapper stood before
me. Sue had short hair and was che W.
| ing gum. S he looked me over with crit
| ical stare and gave me n decidedly un-
pleasant sensation.
| When gave her the name OF the woman
/ was in search of she bawled upstairs
that there was a lady to see NAV"
At this another girl, or young woman,
| came down stairs and l was told that
NAV" was not at home. | asked them
/ if they knew anything about the advertise
ment to ca re for child that their mother
! had answered and they assured me they
/ did and escorted me into the parlcr. 1t
was n gaudy, dirty room, permeated with
low thinking. 1t made me shiver to sit
there. though couldn't have said why.
After a little talk with the Oldest girl
learned that the woman had two children
already in charge, and these were brought
in for my inspection. They were poor.
! scra why, wild-eyed looking babes. that
! cried mserahly. l asked her what the
board would be. and was told SO. Then
| i outlined my desire to &c rid of the child,
and asked her what she could do to help me.
After little thought she said she could
| take the Child and run the risk of finding
| it a home If | paid her, say, $50 in ad-
vance. If paid her that much money she
| would take the child quite off my hands.
AS she thought about 1t she doubtless
thought of some probable home for the
! child. for she warmed to the idea and
pressed me to say when l would close the
| bargain.
without any definite assertion I left her
and walked on up through the Capitol
grounds, wondering what would be the
| fate of a child left in that terrible home.
According to their ideas. not badly treated,
perhaps, but what difference in ideals
! there Is
MISS LULU'S BABY.
| had a curious experience at my next
| call. Tie woman whom l addressed next
had signed herself Miss Lulu and when
| l found myself before very pleasant
! residence in good neigbborhood l didn't
understand the situation.
| Tie door was opened by a neat little
colored girl who appeared not to know who
| Miss Lulu was, but she went upstairs to
find out and very pretty little mother
| with her baby in her arms came down to
the parlor. And such baby as it was.
! Bright eyed, kicking, and happy it lay
| sweetly in its mothers arms
| The mother explained that she. had her
! own baby to take care of, had big car
| rage for it, nice little nurse girl. and
| thought she might Just as well take care
| OF two babies as one. Her husband didn't
! object and she thought she would enjoy it
very much.
| Your signature misled me. thought
! you were not married. said gravely.
The little woman blushed scarlet and
| confessed that that was Just Il silly caprice
! of hers. Then she told me her name. and
| 1 discovered that her husband is a promi-
nent patent attorney. When ] told her
/ wanted to give the child I had up, and
never see it again. her eyes filled up, and
she pressed her own baby to her breast,
/ But she suggested brightly that a good
home could easily be found. and that ]
should bring her the baby until that time.
| She woulddisinterest her doctor-a woman
| and they would soon get it a good home
| My mythical baby's chances appeared to
| be looking up.
The last call ] made was in quite a
| different quarter of the city. 1t was
over on Virginia avenue. facing the rail-
/ road tracks. Here found a dingy dark
| and quiet house. shut up as though fungi
expected 10 grow tleTe Hsleau Oh human
beings.
The woman who came to the door was
not a hardened looking creature but q
slatten and n trickster. could see at
glance. 1 had a very short and business
! like talk with her. told her what 1
wanted and asked her to name her price
! The woman hesi.ated and appeared to
be neutrality-suspicious.. Presently she said
she could take the baby entirely Off nv
hands for 500.
"And what will you do with it?'
! asked.
''Tll keep it myself, perhaps, or may
get it good home. But what ever do I
shall always see that it is well treated.''
do you take care of babies for living?"
Sometimes do" she said, 'but have
! another business. I am medium
TOLD HER FORTUNE.
''In-deedr' said /. well, won't YOU
tell my fortune?''
proceeded to do so. listened to a story
which is very hackneyed and which may be
! read over and over again in police news.
And became finally ware that this was the
picture this woman had ID her mind of me.
So rose to leave her after telling her she
had marvellous insight.
Bring the baby any night in a closed
carriage" said the woman, following me
up, land the money in my hand Is all
ask from you"
l walked from that woman's house to
police court. 1 was in hurry to find out
IL there was no law against such traffic.
Andif mother could not be restrained from
entering into such compact, but found
| that there is absolutely no law in the Dis
| trict which can reach such cases.
But" pointed out to the prosecuting