The Washington herald., 1911-08-27
"GUARDIAN ANGEL OF TRAVELLING WOMEN"
is TITLE OF MATRON AT UNION STATION

declared her intention of handling the
railroad people for having men about
who would sei:d an unprotected girl to
place where she would be robbed. She
seemed like one distracted until / sug-
gested to the porter that he have her
get her bag and search it. Though she
was indignant at the suestion that she
could be mistaken about such q thing,
she did this, and there was her purse in
the bag. You cannot bring that
doll carriage in here. little girl; no play
things are allowed" The child left 1t
just outside the entrance.
No Playthfngs Allowed.
THAT seems rather hard, doesn't it?"
was suggested.
1T is a rule, and that's all I have to
do with it, though, like most rules, there
is reason for it You see, this is a place
to rest, and so many women who travel
are nervous and have headaches, and If
we allowed lot of children to play with
things like that we would have. to let
them in on roller skates, and you can
see how quiet it would be. We cannot
bar one kind of a plaything and allow
another. so the rule is not to have any
playthings brought in, for this is a COR
ner set apart for women to rest, and
there is plenty of room besides. There is
a rule prohibiting people frcm eating in
this room. If any one wants to eat any
thing they have to leave the room; they
are not allowed to bring it in this room.
And, as If to illustrate a tale, a col
ored woman here started to pass in with
a large paper bag full OF bananas. She
was stopped and informed why she was
not eligible to a seat in the special cor
ner.
Wall, what do yuh know about dat!'
exclaimed the woman with the fruit.
'Ah s'pose folks don eat any noah, hey?
Anyhow, 1 amt a-gwine t eat 1t. Abs
jest a-takin' it home, dat's all"
You have charge of children who are
tagged through. l suppose?'
''Oh, yes all children who are in charge
of the conductors are brought to me. l
had a dear little fellow the other day
who had to wait over the whole day on
his way to Pittsburg. If l remember right
He was a lovely little boy, but they are
not all so easy to manage, l can tell
you. They are lots of company when
they are good. and 1 like to have them"
Can Always Tell Brides.
do you get many runaway girls"
None of them. They are captured be-
fore they get as far as this. l have moth
ing to do with any part of the station
but this room. But l can tell a bride in
stantly. Why? 1 don't know, but I can
Not long ago I was standing here and
along came a girl l knew. She was all
alone. but instinctvely knew. and when
she came to me l said: Alice, were you
married to-day She stood and looked
at me in amazement. and then she blaZed
out and denied it. But presently l saw
her with her husband Ieaving the station.
Some time after that l met her. and she
asked me why asked her that. I didn't
tell you l had been married No: you
didn't have to tell me- l said, but l
knew
In the fall the chaperons come in to
wait for their young lady students, and
l can tell a student as soon as l see'her.
They have an air of expectation about
them that is an unfailing mark of a stu
dent. And it doesn't take me any time to
get the right students with the right
Chaperons. 1 can also spot a chaperon
as soon as I see her come in
Mrs. Hughes" said the deaconess,
Mrs. - will not be on tonight. be-
cause there is to be a wedding in the
family. Isn't that lovely?"
There" exclaimed the matron when
the young deaconess had gone, you see