Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-18
LIGHTS AND SHADES
Life as Daily Observed at the
Immigrant Office.
CHEERFUL FOLKS THESE
EXCEPT IN ONE DIVISION YOUR
BLUES COULD BE CURED.
Types of Women and Children and the
Observations of a Gate
keeper.
CHEERFUL FOLKS THESE


Not many days ago a sad little paragraph
in the newspapers informed any one who
might care to read that a young Syrian girl
who had been refused admission to this
country through New York had been de-
tected while trying to smuggle through
Canada. and in her despair at the double
disappointment had committed suicide.
Twice she had reached the borders of the
promised land and death seemed prefera-
BILE to turning back to the old home she had
left, probably with a boast of the good for
tune which would be hers as soon as she
had crossed the ocean. They are proud,
these peasants who crowd In droves to
America. and to return home and confess
failure is more bitter to them than any one
who does not know them can well imagine
There are not many stories like this of the
Syrian girl. but the story of The excluded
immigrant Is among the saddest of all sad
tales: Little Is written about it. for few
Could 90 lt justice. even among those whose
fancy leads them to such topics. Writers
who wish to be pathetic chose the landing
OF the immigrant, and dlate on the sor-
row OF it; which. to any one who knows
them. is hardly convincing. For the immi-
grant IS happy soul. at least on his ar
rival What comes after is quite another
story.
A trip to one Of the huge buildings where
the poor of the old world first make ac-
with the promise of the is
likely TO cure, rather than to induce, q fit
OF the blues. Avoid the excluded divi-
sion, and one can spend very cheerful
day among the brand new Americans Open
the door where wait the newly arrived who
nave not money or friends and tragedy
takes the center of the stage. but over the
long line of steerage folk which files up the
stairs and past the doctors the goddess of
nope reigns supreme There is hardly
face without a smile, unless care and age
nave so hardened the lines that smile has
no idea Of how to make itself at home
They have come from countries in which
the emigrantS are treated like cattle, where
the proverbial two ends of life were forever
gaping widely, and in few hours they will
stand In the streets on which, so rumor
says. gold may be picked up-maybe that is
only figure of speech but again maybe
1t is really going to prove true
Then, If the gold story is too hard to be
lieve, it Is more than likely that for at least
third of them their hearts dearests are
waiting. No wonder that the old woman
whose back bends almost double under the
load of her great bundle feels it light and
walks swiftly. for the son of her love may
be almost within reach, or a pretty and
gorgeous arrayed young woman will soon
be weeping over her and calling her mother.
Every Race Under Heaven.
The long line exhibits specimens of every
race under heaven. or so it seems to the on
locker. Hard times. government injustice
ambition or ill-luck have thrown them all
together. and then spread them out in a
never ending file for the keen eyes of blue
coated. god-laced men. They climb I'D the
stairs. kept in line by iron fences and pass
first one physician and then another and
then Il kindly woman who will see that the
delicate are not too rudely jostled. 1t is all
very friendly and encouraging, except when
the doctor lays a firm hand on some shout
der and peers into the face through appall-
ngly sharp glasses. He turns up the lid
of an eye-all right. it is only the common
or garden sty. and is not likely to pauperize
the possessor. and the line moves on again.
Another is halted. Why, my friend that
scar on your forehead? 1t is obviously
merely combination of unsteady sea-egs
and sharp bit of furniture, so the man is
passed on and he breathes again. An old
woman-very. very od-is stopped and
made to sit down with few delicate look
ing women There is no reason why these
should be weared with the long waiting
They will pass out quietly by and by and
so the doctor explains to the rather fright
ened old soul. who thereupon subsidies and
looks superior
A bright-eyed gatekeeper discourses in
friendly fashion about what he sees He
is young. and his accent does not denote
that his training has included college edu-
cation, but shrewd observation and common
sense thank the powers. may be learned
for less than college fees You'd have to
build school house day" observes this
dignitary. for the children alone that
comes in here And so indeed it seems.
the left of you-and such children. None of
them are crying and hundreds are filing
through the iron ratings. Not only are they
uniformly of q cheerful mind, but they are
helping, with much enthusiasm. TO carry
the baggage. Little tots. hardly six years
old, plod away with heavy baskets.
Sacks of Clothes.
Two of them together stagger under a
great sack-one of the meal sacks which
are convenient for the carrying of baggage,
If you don't happen to be possessed of a
trunk. Several of them, in childish fash
Ion. walk straight ahead without paying
the least attention to what is happening,
and never notice that their mother has been
put IN the little room to wait until the line
passes. Then arises a maternal shrek for
the kinder and the word Is passed down
the line and various officials disentangie
from the general the particular
kinder" who seem unattached to any
grown-uD folk this is something like look
ing for a needle in a hay stack to the I'M
initiated. but the officials seem to have a
marvellous system of their OWN. and then
the reunited family displays much affec-
ton and waits patiently for their turn to
go out
At the desks past which the immigrant