New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-23
THE EAST SIDE BABY.
Odds against It-TouchiHg Tales
by Tenement Nurse.

Yiddsh boys, aged about ten. sauntering
along. each with baby brother-or perhaps sister
in his arms. To them came running another boy.
wild-eyed and painting
key lie gasped samny'-Tkey'-
's-sammy-'Billy' HaIIoran's a-connin quick. an
ne says he-he's goin TO give you both bust in
the eye,"
"Ikey' and Sammy Immediately broke and ran
FOR the nearest object Offering a refuge whicl
proved TO be high board fence. and endeavored 10
swarm up its smooth surface. Without the babies
they could have done IT, but neither was disposed 70
desert his charge Grasping their burdens firmly
they pulled and struggled while the infants. in
the least disturbed by the touncing. continued 70
regard life inpassiveIy out OF their solemn. IN
winking black eyes. Fortunately when Billy came
along a red haired giant OF sixteen smoking the
stub Of cigarette. he turned out TO be less bel
igerent than the excited courier had reported him,
or else it in accord with his notion OF fair
ness 70 attack boy in charge OF a baby. Anyway,
he passed peacefully on. and ''Ikey' and SAMMY,
relieved. resumed their stroll
Nowhere else but on the East Side will you
small boys taking OF their baby relatives and
not ashamed Of IT, A lad OF the so-called better
classes would consider il indigrity II he
asked 10 perform the duties Of nursenaid, but 10
many Of these OF poverty IL is d mere matter
OF course. There are not only little mothers on
the East Side, there plenty OF little fathers
too. One OF the bright spots in the dirt, the dis
ease, the general hOpeIessless-viewing it from
economic standpoint-of child life the East Side
older children, the matter-of-fact way in which
they take UP the business of ''minding'' the little
brothers and sisters who in most Of these families
come along so rapidly.
That adjective neglected Is not intended to
feet upon the parents amcng the poor. There Is
certain district in the lower East Side who
has strong ideas upon this subject. The poor love
their babies, she declared one day; they welcome
them warmly and cherish them as passonately-
allowing for the stress of hard couditions-as the
rich do theirs; sometimes more II Is natural they
should, for while wealthy people have plenty OF
outside diversions-cIubs. horses. balls and par
ties foreign traveI-the decent poor have really
little happiness in life except they find it IN their
children OF course there the saloon, but plenty
Of them do not care for the saloon. If you mean
that the city neglects babies It certainly does
II herds them 10 dirty tenements and makes them
breathe poison instead of air. But the parents "a
a cIass-of course there are exceptions-love their
babies and do the best they know how for them
Il very wise best il is distorted by ignorance
and restricted by poverty; but it is not lacking in
affection"
WHEN THE TWINS CAME
This nurse is fond Of telling as a typical case Of
an Italian couple down in E1izabeth-st TO whom
twins were born Just at a time when i'll luck had
struck them all in heap The man worked IN
factory. got overheated one day, leaned over
ventilator TO cool on. took pneumonia and nearly
died When he was we'll enough 10 work again ne
found that his place in the factory had been hled
and there was foreman, who, not knowing
him. refused give him a reference He traEnpeo
the streets for days without finding WORK ana 51S
along An outside branch Of one Of the lying-in
Ee5 Io-ff1e 10 do with the case but I went in 70
see josephine because 1 was fond Of her, | sha.
never forget the face Of JOY with Wnich Ple'ro met
NE the morning after the twins we're born -
" We hava Two paoy- We aaNa ~ 80 % bsIa
EpsstiS ~ I1sIT There h. Vas. out Of work. and
rvya
welcome Josephine JOY was more cnastersa, 9TI
fsrian point Of view IL vas all criminal; but any
how Pistro found work and they goI a9IS S SOM ne
babies bv giving them overripe bananas 70 suck az
were six years OLD they WIe II . 60 Ss1 n
curvature Of the spine BY having 20 [o f- 81 Cir
cumstances. and because the parents alon Ano"
THE parents didn't know any better"-that IS the
secret OF much Of the suffering among me oaulSs
ne rs-sTfS Who DO not care. the Indifferent par
ents the cruel PARENTS there Is me larns' -b,
fhere is the ulother-but much less frequently-
EIas - ro,-ertv the relentless grip Of conditions
A traEical side Of East Side baby NE - tlaL so
Inc care Of children too young 10 look after them
properly. while the mothers go out 10 Wor g ~
--si for q long time in connection with OF
b isfjr1Ittons near T5npkins square could tell
YOU reams about neglected oaoleS-hesiee'eu per
force by their hard worked mothers
The other day she came mo I1e nurssrS - -
In Sickly baby or rev months OF siSt
.t577,aren+iv and leading a shy little fodder III
torn pinafOTe.
DESERTED BY THEIR FATHER
IT found these children she said. in tenement
in First-st the baby lying in dirty. tumbled bed
th- little girl playing the floor They were
alone but the ueiEh5ors told where the mother
worked so I hunted uD. I asked her where
her husband was Sure she said, cheerfully, he
I1ikes % rambie away wild himself He's been
zone six months now asked her II the baby
STAYED in bed all day Phwat can 1 do she IN
quired .Anuies too little lift him an wouldn't
trust him wild the Iokes of the ueighbor children
on the strate' I found that before going 10 work
in the morning she would MI several bottles with
milk and tell Annie feed the baby through the
dav OF course. every time he cried Annie knew