Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-11

From the opening Of the asylum on octo-
Der II, 1859, up to November 10 OF this
year, every one Of the $1,000 infants re-
ceived and cared for during that period has
been temporarily IN occupant Of the same
Identical crib. 1t has been patched and
repaired and repainted to conceal the traces
Of time and still does duty at the same old
stand, seemingly as clipper and cheerful
20 when it FIRST started in business.
The appearance Of this crib marked an
era In the charitable work Of the great me-
tropolis. A peculiarly heartless phase Of
mans inhumanity to man" ceased when
good Sister Irene, the foundress Of the
asylum. stretched the broad mantle of Chris
tian charity until 1t also covered these luck
| less innocent.
| very limited quarters at No. II East Twelfth
street and the opening day was signalized
by the installation Of the now famous crib.
1t was a gift from Mrs. Paul L. Thebaud,
q truly charitable woman 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 fashion
able design and would not have been out
| Of place in the most aristocratic nursery on
Fifth avenue. But circumstances and Sis
ter Irene wllled otherwise. Instead OF an
easy existence as a resting place for young
sters clad in purple and fine linen, this
costly crib, daintily furnished as it was.
stood for many years Just outside the front
door of the asylum. ready to welcome in
It's warm embrace the little castaways 81
lsntly deposited there by unknown hands.
This was q trying period In the career
Of this erstwhile mod!sh crib. posing as
the official receptacle Of deserted mites OF
humanity. The summers sun and winters
storms played havoc with its classic con-
tour. It became weather beaten and began
to age rapidly. when fortunately the asylum
authorities deemed 1t advisable. for certain
reasons, to surround the abandonment Of in-
fants with more formality. The crib was
brought within doors, thus compelling the
person III wished to surrender q child to
summon an attendant, who was always in
waiting to receive 1t. One benefit Of the
change was that many a desperate mother,
whose self obstruction might otherwise have
quickly followed the abandonment of her
unfortunate infant, has been gently de-
tanned, kindly reasoned with and. finding q
sympathetic listener to her sad story, has
allowed herself to be helped back to a life
Of quiet resignation. II not happiness.
1t seems strange how cheerful the old
cradle looks after listening, through so
many years, to countless tales OF woman's
woe, and the snowy coverlet and the plump
little pillows show no signs of the myriad
tears OF anguish dropped upon them from
| the eyes Of heart-broken mothers as they
pressed passionate kisses Of farewell upon
the innocent faces Of the ill-starred little
ones from whom they were about to part
forever.
1t is interesting to note that the found
ling crib" Of today had Its prototype al
far back as 1898. when the great hospital
OF Santo Spirito in Rome was rebuilt. At
that time a turning box was fixed in an
opening Of the wall In a retired part OF the
building. in which the abandoned child
could be placed secretly at night. A bell
was rung at the same time and a watch
man on duty within the building turned
the box and took out the infant. which was
cared for and educated and afterwards ap-
prenticed to some trade or profession.