The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-04
: FAMOUS CRADLE.
II Has Rocked 3I.O29 babies in Its
Tventy-Nine ears.


New York. Dee. S.-Just within the door
way Of a pile of stately New York build
mss that cover almost an entire block
stands cosy little old-fashioned cradle
of wicker work with snow white coveriet
ana plump little pillows, that would bring
poacefulness and rest TO the most pugna-
cious, sleep-defying yougster.
II is the famous crib Of the New York
Founding Asylum. in which every hapless
infant brought there must be placed by
its unhappy mother. or some other person.
as a formal act OF abandonment before
the institution Will assume the response
bffity of its future care and welfare.
Il is now rather shaky and feeble, from
old age and constant use, and it would
have been consigned long ago 10 the lum-
Der room OF an ordinary household. But
il has a record that makes H. not only a
notable object of interest, but cndears it
as well to the hearts of the self-sacriiic-
ing women. whose lives have been devoted
10 the helpless babes for whom this quaint
lutle basket of wicker-work has stood
silent sponsor through so many years.
From the opening of the asylum on Oct
. 1863 up to Nov. TO- this year every one
of the 81. G29 infants received and cared for
curing Ludl l1i4btA mas ffNN4A t'ti'I''+'t+ 49,
an occupant of the same identical CRIB.
1t has been patched and repaired and re-
painted TO conceal the traces of time. and
still does duty at the same Old stand.
seemingly as clipper and cheerful as when
1t first started in the business.
The appearance of this crib marked an
era in the charitable work of the great
METROPOLIS A peculiarly heartless phase
of mans inhumanity TO man" ceased
no Ire Of
the asylum, stretched the broad mantle
of Christian charity until it also covered
these luckless innocents
The first home OF the foundlings was
in very limited quarters at No. II East
Twelfth street, and the opening day was
sfgnalized by the installation of the now
famous crib IL was a gift from Mrs.
Pearl L. Thebaud a truly charitable wo-
man of wealth and social position, who
has ever since been a staunch friend of
the institution. The crib was brand new
then. of the latest fashionable design. and
would not have been out of place in the
most aristocratic nursery on Fifth avenue
But circumstances and Sister Irene willed
Otherwise. Instead Of an easy existence
as a resting place for youngsters clad in
purple and fine linen, this costly crib
laintily furnished as 1t was, stood for
many years just outside the front door of
the asylum ready to welcome in its warm
embrace the little castaways silently de
posted there by unknown hands.
This was a trying period in the career
of this erstwhle modish crib, posing as
the official receptacle of deserted mites
of humanity. The summers sun ana
winters storms played havoc with its clas-
sic contour. II became weather-beaten ana /
began 20 age rapidly, when fortunately
the asylum authorities deemed it advis- /
able, for certain reasons, to surround the !
abandonment of infants with more formal |
ity. The crib was brought within doors
thus compelling the person who wished to /
child to summon an attend
ant, who was always in waiting to receive |
it, One benefit of the change was that