The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-09

him IN the e0s0L9Smytn anQsOtnolss
counties In Southwest Virginia. Through
this society they areSto be place in new
homes. where they may be given SUR
roundings and opp ortunities in life which
would. Of course, have been impossible
IN either the poorhouses OF the counties
or the destitute homes from witch they
wore taken SO
Five Of the Children n DR.. Maybee's
care were placed IN his custody by the
courts, while the others were voluntarily
given by parents whose circumstances
are such that they realized they could
not give them the advantages this oppor-
tunity offered
'.It Is our purpose" said DR.. Mayhee
last night, as he stoodsin the railway sta
ton with q three-yeaT- old youngster in
each arm, ''to empty the poor-houses Of
the State of children, and this is my first
installment. We estimate that there are
300 children In these places who Should
;be placed in good homes, and we are go
Ing to make the greatest effort ever put
forth In Virginia to accomplish this
work. =
a PATHETIC CsPROCEssION.
When the children had been gotten ou.
OF the car and counted. to be sure none
were missing, they We're led by DR.: May
bee. who carried two, into the waiting
room and there arranged themselves on
the big benches before tlls!large open log.
fire. The professions, as it filed in. was
pathetic. One little sister six years old.
carried a. little dirty-fac brother, two
years her junior. and only with great
effort kept his limp toes from dra gging on
the floor.
Just behind her came David Crockett,
nine years old, carrying William A1cKin-
ley. his younger brother by five years.
William Mckinley was asleep until David
Crockett let him fall in his effort to get
him on a high seat in the waiting-room.
Rachel, Jennie and Maggie were three
little yellow-haired girls, sisters. whose
parents. though inmates of the aims
house from which they came. had fought
hard to prevent the courts disposing of
their children. They are three, SIX and
eight years or age, and are bright as
youngsters we'll can be. Rachel said. and
it was vo,1ched for by David Crockett
who comes from the same place, that
they laid out night before last to keep
the sheriff from finding them. Mazzie
and Pearl were in the party. They are
four and seven years Of age, and have
dark hair and big brown eyes. .They
are fine children said DR.. Maybee Tex
cept Mazzie, who is young yet, being only
four years old, will chew and smoke. =
This seemed to tickle A1azzie greatly,
and to show her appreciation of the
recognition. she turned a somersault
which brought a. disappearing look from
Pearl. her oldest sister
JIE. FELT HIS YEARS.
Alexander. nine years old, a big-headed
boy, with a manly carriage. had an air
of general supervision over the party, and
seemed to think he was DR.. Maybee's as
sistant in the good work rather than one
OF the party. While he took in the Byrd
Street Station, he talked very familiarly
of the county officials. at his home. call
ing them by name. and netraying his boy
ish admiration for some deputy of the
County Sheriff. Conspicuous in the group,
was a twclve-year-old girl, we'll grown
for her age, and really beautiful. Dressed
very well, her bearing was quiet and most
ladylike. while she gent tly Interested her:
self In the welfare ssthc younger child
rem in the party. one OF whom. a boy
three years old, she had held IN her arms
the greater part Of the day.. She was
given into the care Of DR.. =Maybee, by her
mother, who resides in Roaroke a home
has already been secured for her and to-
day she will enter it.
ATTRACT MUCH ATTENTION.
As.during the day Of travel from the
Southwestern end of the State they had
attracted much attention, the youngsters,
while awaiting a carriage in the station,
had many persons to gather around
them and were a source of amusement
and interest to all. After five or ten
minutes stay at the depot the station
master announced the carriage in wait
ing. and the order for hats on was given.
Out they trudged as they had entered.
to be packed away i'll this big black
glass windowed wagon. something else
new for them, on this wonderful night
At the Belle Bryan Nursery, on Nine
teenth and Grace Streets, was the first
stop. Here beds were found for three
boys and three girls, and by the hand OF
an old celored .''aunty" they were soon
tucked away between snow white sheets.
Two others were taken to a home in the
vicinity to spend the night, while the
remaining two were taken by DR.. Maybee
to his own home.
To-day the programme is for them all
TO have their pictures taken. Within
week homes will probably have been
found for each one of them, for more
..likely lot'' of children has never been
at the disposal of the society.