Evening star., 1905-08-27
NoBoDY's CHILDREN.
A Chat With DR.. Barnardo, Famous
Foster Father Of England's Waits.

roster aCQcr OIL EuS1duu WILLS
From the London News.
Next week DR.. Barnardo, the famous fos-
ter-father of the nations wallis. reaches
the sixtieth year Of his age and the fortieth
of the great institution which his kindly
nature founded in 1866 and which his tire
less energy has kept going until 1t has
reached the magnitude at which 1t stands
today birthday present is wanted. Who
will not help?
AS has already been announced. DR.. Bar
nardos friends want to make him the sort
Of birthday present which they know he
will most appreciate. one not for himself.
but for his homes. They appealing to
the nation for E120.OOO to help the work
along: and they are keen on having it by
July Is. The time Is short. But England
can respond quickly once 1t really under
stands the need
Rarely has such a birthday present been
go we'll deserved Few men have ever had
so splendid testimonial written OF them
as that which appears in the appeal signed
by the Duke of Argyll and other noble
men, and the leaders of the churches, Of
society, Of literature and others. This
man has rendered services Infinitely greater
and more lasting than most of the exploits
which are rewarded with national grants,
by parliamentary votes of thanks, or by
titular honors. His has been a lifelong
campaign against foes who are continually
modified for war" What nobler title
could man have than that by which DR..
Barnardo is known-the foSter-father of
the fatherless. the father of nobody's chill
dren!
Up to date DR.. Barnardo is responsible for
a huge family, numbering S.4S2 all OF
them waits, and no fewer than !, 100 OF
them babies Of less than three years, while
a large number were cripples. They had
been gathered from the streets and the
sums of every part of England. and every
\ Ix,t itt,to
and starving In the midst of wealthy Eng
land. In the thirty-nne years that he
has been engaged In this work DR.. Barnar-
dos homes have rescued no fewer than
10000 Of these poor waits: what would
have become OF them but for this institu-
tion. and what has become of them as the
result Of 1t?
One story will Illustrate that very simply
and clearly for you.' said DR.. Barnardo
last night to me, writes one Of our repre-
sentatiyes. Eighteen months or SO ago
lad was brought before the magistrates In
d western town. l may as we'll give yoi
the name-it was Falmouth. He was
charged with vagrancy. sleeping out. and
having no visible mean of subsistence. This
was the third time he had been SO charged,
and he was only about sixteen years or
age The magistrates did not know what TO
do with him. Being kind-hearted, they did
not like to send him to prison What else
could they do? Then sent him to the
workhouse for a while But when the time
was UP he was turned adrift again and was
very soon once more before the bench. But
this time he was charged with attempting
to commit suicide. They asked him why
he had dared to think OF doing SO dreadful
thing. Poor chap. He stood up and re-
piled in a broken voice: No one cares
whether l starve or not. No one will give
me work. l am starving. l thought l had
better end it Then they thought of me-
When the lad reached me spoke some
what roughly to him just to test him.
What good can 1 do you? l said you're
lazy: you won't work Won't I?' he re-
piled. You try me. sir
well we sent him to labor home
and soon he was reported to me as Indus
triou3, decent and honest He went to
Canada And here is letter which says
of him: He is a fine young fellow. doing
well, and greatly respected
There you have 1t in a nutshell Eighteen
months ago he was starving and attempt
ing suicide, and no one would give him
work Now he is greatly respected What
may he not become now? Here is a letter
which shows the most likely possibility. It
IA from one who was a similar lad.
The letter was one Of simple news from
an old boy, who related how he was doing
this year with his farm Of go acres.