The menace., 1914-09-05


telling Of what ne saw In anc
around q House Of the Good
Shepherd Laundry down in West
Virginia, and IL appealed 20 me
20 sirongly that ] have decided "a
contribute some statements, part
oi what / actually saw and "a.
Pcrienced In one Of those 10.
called charitable institutions out
here in Montana.
] am now just past fifteen years
old. ] have lived here nearly all
my life with my foster parents
who adopted me when I was a
baby. November l6. 1913. / went
from my home in Kalispell, Mon
tana, 10 the House Of the Good
Shepherd in Il, Montana,
accompanied by a deputy "hu.
name" officer, who had assured
my foster parents and myself
that I would have the best Of
schooling and everything = girl
Of my age--then fourteen
needed. He told us that the
schooling would be very much
better than | had been used 90 in
the public schools. Believing he
was giving us the straight Of il,
for be was in position TO know,
having been appointed several
years in that position, consent
was given that / should 20.
All went well until we reached
the entrance of the House Of the
Good Shepherd when the 'hu-
name" officer left me suddenly
with the excuse that he had 10
catch q car back down town, leav-
ing me 20 introduce myself 20
those in charge. Naturally, ] be-
gan to feel suspicious, but there
| was, alone, and no place else to
60, as l thought, among strangers
and no money with which TO re-
turn home, so / went in.
That night / was tired and felt
i'll. The next morning was
routed out early and after a scant
breakfast, hardly worthy Of the
name, l was given a scrubbing
outfit and told to get busy on the
cement floors. / told the nun in
charge then and there that l had
come with the understanding that
! was TO be in school and that the
county from which ! came would
pay my way, but that / would
not mind helping with lighter
work outside of the regular school
hours. She then commanded me
to go to work, speaking very
harshly and insultingly. / still
refused and resisted. They over
powered me, Of course, and took
me up to the top story and locked
me in a cement cell, Just like a
prison, where / was left for four
days and four nights, with two
very small skylights for light and
ventilation, bread and water for
food twice a day, and loose straw
on the floor of concrete for bed
The morning Of the fifth day
they let me out, or rather helped
me out, for / was too weak TO
stand or walk without support.
All at once felt numb and faint.
They brought what thought was
just clear water; il was very
strong with something | did not
know what, but whatever II was
it put me to sleep for a day.
After all that TO start with, /
had no ambition for anything,
just felt as though / had always
lived there and never had any
friends in my life. i soon found
myself scrubbing floors by the
hour and working in the laundry.
There were one hundred and six
teen girls in the place from about
six to eighteen years of age, all
had to work at some kind of work
in and around the laundry twelve
to thirteen hours every day ex-
eept Sunday, on mostly warmed
over food and hash, all of which
had every indication of being
eome-backs from other tables.
The girls of my age and under
the same physical conditions were
never given any consideration at
those times, as my foster mother
had taught me, ! should not get
my feet wet or have my hands in
cold water, but had to help con-
tinuously 10 wash the dirty, filthy
clothes mostly from hospitals and
sick-rooms.
There were three priests at the
house regularly all the time /
was there. Two other girls about
my age. and ! had to get up at
Eve o'clock every morning. We
each had a priests bedroom TO
take care Of before work in the
laundry We had to M In kafora