The Washington times., 1920-01-11
ORPHAN WA|F
GRAVES HOME
Army officers Seek Happiness
for Thirteen Year-0ld Boy
Pet of Soldiers.

La there a Washington home which
needs the cheer and comforts OF a
hoy? There is an opportunity ioi
Some Washingtonian to adopt
bright. blue-eyed youngster, about
thirteen years old. who promises 10
enliyen any home and quicken the
heart OF a childless man or woman.
The lad today is the mascot OF the
soldiers at Fort Myer. He was iouha
ragged and cold and half starved ias'
wednesday night asleep on the ooor
sten of the nurses home at Fort
Myer. l., o,inea
And today, he said, as he wiped
awav n tear with the sleeve OF ms
Jacket: my guardian angel at ias'
has come to help me. And' gee tno
soIdiers and nurses have been nne TO
me. 1 never knew people cou'd pe SO
kind. It is the first time l ever was
treated so nice. / love the soldiers
and nurses, and am praying for"theh
for treating me so good'
The little urchin. who knows not
III. Kindness of a mother or father
ran away from an orphanage near
Philadelphia nine months ago De
cause he claims he was ill-treated
and thrashed at the slightest provo
cation. He says he walked TO WASH
ineton because II had hearo 50
much about it."
Lester managed to eke out enough
money from selling newspapers mere
10 get food. He says he eslept IN
empty store boxes, doorways' IN the
corridors of office bui'dingsZany
place where he could lay ms head IN
shelter.
Asleep On Doorstep.
1t was shortly after O'CLOCK las'
"Wednesday night that Lester was
found asleep on the doorstep or th'
Nurses Home at Fort Myer. he was
tenderly carried into the reservation
hospital, where it was found ne was
nearly frozen. ..s
His clothes were in tatters. Ana tn'
shoes he wore were worn out-hls
little feet practically being on the
ground. o.
"When did you have anything TO
cat Iester?" asked Miss Gertrude
Weaver, in charge OF tho nurses
Home, after the lad had told MS
name.
cakes l bought from money earned
from selling newspapers"
not. Slcduth6 hSos 80
coming, and Lester ate-he ate
ravishingly. He ate 80 much OF the
good food that he became sick ana
had to be removed to the hospital.
The boy was starved.
Clothing Provided.
hut on Thursday. Lester was up
and about. Clothing was provided Tor
him, and Col. j. A. Fise. in charge OF
the hospital, urged an investigation
of his case. and Miss Weaver and
Red Cross officials are now trying to
find the boy home.
The lad has had the freedom OF the
grounds and has ingratiated himself
into the good will OF many OF the
soldiers. They want to Keep him.
They want to be his guardian angel,
but Colonel Else thinks 1t better that
the boy be given a home.
Lester was told that he could re-
main awhile at the Government res
ervatiop II he was good boy. you
know what a good boy should do,
don't you, Lester" asked Miss
Weaver.
"Oh, yes, a good boy shouldn't stay
out late at night" said the lad.
Lester likes his new home SO well
,that he does not want to leave. Tears
well in his pretty blue eyes as he
thinks Of the prospect of going back
TO the orphanage. please" he
begged, "don't send me back there"
Lester said he never heard Of his
parents. He believes he Is an orphan.
He said he was an inmate of the
orphanage for eleven years.
Kept In Orphanage.
II never saw my mother or father
and do not know who they were,"
said Lester" All I know is that ]
was kept in the orphanage ell these
years and wanted to get away from
the whippings. That's why / ran
away.
"On wednesday afternoon while ]
was selling newspapers a woman de-
tectivA took me and said I was ar
rested. broke away from her and
ran--ran until / could not hold my
breath. Then j stopped. I walked
all the way to Fort Myer. / thought
tho nurses home was an office build
ing. ] sat down to rest-I was so
tired. But I must have fell asleep"
II was while Lester was curled
up on the doorstep that one Lof the
nurses saw him. Since his recovery
and provision Of clothes and kindly
attention, Lester has been doing old
Jobs in the mess hall.
IL anyone would like to adopt this
boy, who Is a bright, clever lad, let
him get in touch with the Alexandria
division Of the American Red Cross
or Colonel Else at Fort Myer.