New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-18
BABIES TO ADOPT.
ENGAGING MITES AT MISSION OF Chill
DREN'S AID SOCIETY-A HOUSE
WARMING YESTERDAY

They had a housewarmlng yesterday afternoon at
the Babies Mission which the Chidrens Aid Society
has opened in the old Min house. at No. 442 West
TWenty-third-st. Snowy muslin curtains huttered
at the windows; fourteen wee cribs stood side by
side in the big. airy dormitory eight tiny chairs
were drawn up TO eight oatmeal bowls at a kinder
garten table in the hall bedroom that now makes
a dining for the Liliputian inmates, and
eleven baby forms toddIed and rolled and chuckled
and jabbered mysteries in the stately apartments
where lived for forty years the three maiden
daughters Of the late George Min.
When Miss Susan Min the last of the sisters
died. part of the Min fortune went. with the
house. to the Childrens Aid Society, which
thought seriously at first of turning the place into
a boys lodging house.
But. mercy" said Mrs. D. L. Covill the super
intenGent. who is also State agent for the Chill
drens Aid Society, the Tribune reporter yester-
day. what would the neighbors have said to a
squad of boys hanging and honering around this
quiet neighborhood? Now they don't mind the
babies one Bit
There were red headed babies. black headed ba-
bies and tow headed babies. babies built on al
dermanic lines and babies whose poor little
wishbones stuck out hungrily-these were the
new babies. who hadn't been In the mission
long enough TO pick up. Mostly. the babies
come through correspondence but occasionally a
mother brings her child the front door and asks
to have It admitted. Not long ago a woman thrust
a child into the arms of the servant who came to
the door. with; Here's this young for you.
Take her. and pound her if she don't mind you
Upon examination the little things body was FOUND
| to be covered with great and welts. At the
hospital, where she was examined, they said she
must have been literally pounded. The spine had
been affected by the brutal treatment she had re-
! ceiVed, but with good food and hot baths 1t Is
| thought she Will recover One very engaging mite,
| who smiles at every and everything, is the
| four-months baby of a ffteen-year-Old mother.
| This mission Is more a temporary home Tor the
! little ones, until a permanent home can be rouhu
! for them, than infant asylum" continued Mrs
Cov1l. When the cards for the hOIIseWarnlng were
| either orphans deserted; there are only
eleven, and by January think there will be an en-
tirely set of babies here. homes have Deerl
| found for five out of the eleven. Only chldTen
| children last March, but during the summer they
were all taken TO farm at Victor, Ontario County,
| n. Y. Many Of them come to us in very poor con
| dition. but almost invariably pick up under the
good food and healthy conditions You would De
! surprised to the class OF people who adopt
these children-millionaires bankers, physicians.
literary people. Every home is investigated before
| a child is allowed to go into It, I talk with the
! merchants, clergymen and physicians OF the place
about the people who want the child. besides visit
ing the latter's home and II possible. taking a
meal in It You can size up people capitalIy oy
/ breaking bread with them"
The Min house is admirably arranged Tor us
present purpose. On the first floor playroom
and dormitory for the smallest tots, with the su-
perintendent's room and spare room above, and q
large GOrmitOry. with nurses room attached, oCcu-
pying the top floor. Besides Mrs. COvfn there are
three nurses, housekeeper and a laundresS. The
things gO-carts and outdoor garments.
! Mrs William Church Osborn, Mrs D. Wills
James Mrs. Charles L. Whitehead, Mrs. J. Ken
nedy Tod Mrs. William Douglas Sloane. Mrs. Ar
Loring Brace received yesterday, assisted by Mrs
CoVill.