The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-12

soon as he learned his unfaithful spouse
could not land In this country?
"Onc strange feature to people are
the babies born under the shadow OF
the bureau itself. There have been cases
where reputable women, accompanied
by husbands. and other children. have
given birth to children while waiting to
be sent back To Europe. In such a case
the family is held until the woman is
able 10 travel again, but the baby, al
though IL may be born In the Long Is
land City hospital or on Ellis island. is
not a cirizen of this country because
the mother has not been admitted to
the country.
The most interesting cases to me are
the many children travelling alone un.
protected but by friendship and the
kindnesses of strangers. / think the one
case that stands out in all my expert
ence Is that of baby boy just able to
toddle and patter little who arrived
without our being able to secure any
trace OF his destination OF previous To-
cation in Europe. His mother haa fall.
en- down stairs on the steamer. broken
her neck and died instantly. Nothing
could be found 10 give any clew to her
destination. The baby was with me In
Castle Garden Tor three months, and
all we knew was his last name. We
grew TO love the child, and he persisted
In calling ME mamma. Every one took
to the boy, and his strange condition. a
little Mr.. Nobody OF Nowhere. gained
him much sympathy. Finally. after
advertising. man wrote from Kansas
that the boy was his nephew. and his
sister the baby's mother, had been ON
the way To Kansas.
documents arrived from Europe To
prove the mans story, and the child
was nnaily sent on To him. but il was
a very sorrowful child that cried and
struggled To stay with US in Castle
Garden. l remember one baby In arms
that arrived bound for Chicago travel
ing only under the guide OF tag.
There are just as good chances in this
country for immigrant girls as ever.
But the race of domestic servants has
passed away. No girls really want to
do housework. They would rather go into
stores or shops at Sc a week than have
home and Sl4 a month. They seem
now TO look down on domestic service
although my experience has been that
girl with SS week in store is not
so well of as domestic with only S6 a
month.
Every safeguard is thrown about
girls and women in this bureau. No
girl is permitted To go into the city
unless we know where she Is going or
unless she insists. and we have no pow-
er. once admitted. to detain her after
telling her OF the pitfalls into which she
may fall. The missionaries here do a
great work in protecting girls and wom-
en-. Their work is thorough and effec-
tive, and only one who knows its i'm
portance in helping newly arrived women
and girls can understand its value.
II do not think many girls are brought
here now in the steerage for immoral
purposes. Under the regular arrange
ments every girl Is protected IL she de-
sires II for year after landing. If she
Of her own volition leaves places found
for her by the labor bureau without
notifying the bureau and gets into
trouble. that is her own fault The
government has provided every safe
guard wisdom and experience can sug-
gest, and / faithfully try to carry out
every provision so made and any that
common sense and womanly sympathy
dictate.
But IL is always an ever pressing
stream OF new women with new stories.
and no sooner do I wonder What will
become OF that woman than another
takes her place, and the first drops out
of sight KATE MGUIRK.