Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-16
Given a Chance

extremely cold winter, three children
we're found standing on the curbstone
patiently waiting the coming of
mother who had left them ostensibly
to buy candy The three little boys
we're cold and tired, and no one knew
lust how long they had stood in that
one spot watching for a mother who
had forgotten to return. They were
poorly clad and the youngest aged six
was quite blue with cold.
A representative of the overseers Of
the poor first noticed the three little
boys and stopped to speak to them.
They told her that mother had gone,
to buy candy for them and that she
had been gone an awful long while.
Other people had noticed the children
standing there and by gathering lit
tie information here and a little more
there it was discovered that the chill
dren had undoubtedly been waiting a
very long time indeed. They were
taken care of for the night and the
next morning sufficient clues were
found to fully establish ihe fact that
the delinquent mother was on her
way to Canada and that she had
Voluntarily abandoned her children.
Until .. comprehensive investiga-
ton of the case should be made, the
little fellows were placed in temper
airy homes by the town authorities.
As the history of the case was dis
closed, ii was evident that there was
no one person who could be made
responsible for the care of the chill
dren The mother had been legally
married to the father of the boys.
They lived on farm which the faith
er had purchased; he tried to Guilt
vate this farm himself but because OF
laziness and utter lack of ambition,
he had made no progress whatever.
People who knew him said that he
was illiterate of simple mind and ad-
dicted to the use of alcohol. The wo-
man was said to be coarse, illiterate'
bad tempered and knew nothing
about keeping a house. The couple
were always. quarreling. The house
in which they lived was nothing more
than a shack. The whole place was
indescribably dirty. The children had
no clothes to speak of and even IN
the winter time they went barefoot
ed
Just what the mothers original
plan was no one knows, but she left
her children standing on the sidewalk
and has never been heard from since.
As the arrangement which the town
Lad made for the care of the children
Was but temporary one and not at
all satisfactory. the branch ONCE OF
The New England Home for Little
Wanderers was asked to take charge
Of the. waits. They proved to De
bright, normal boys; the eldest, ten
Years of age, was just beginning TO
so to school when his mother took
MIN to Canada so he naturally was
backward, but he was found to be
responsive to training. of good dis
position and a fairly easy child 10
manage. The eight year old boy was
Wen and strong, very much inclined
10 be mischievous; the youngest, 1T
lie six-year old Tommie. was the
most attractive and he was also by
nature the spokesman of the family
When the social worker tried to gain
Information from the boys, 1t was
tommie who eagerly answered all
ner questions. His language was
more expressive. than elegant ana
showed strongly the status OF the
nome environment.
In course. of time good homes were
found for all the boys. They will un-
aoubtedly be legally adopted as they
are responding readily to the innu-
chce of the Christian families In
Which they have been placed. The
AND woman who is caring for little
iommie says that when she first be-
san to do little things for the boys
comfort he would look at-her IN a
puzzled way that was quite pathetic'
tut instance, she said that wnen sne
tucked him into his little bed ana
Kissed him goodnight, he said my
mother never did that" But, Tom
ME as we'll as his brothers. Is learn
ing that there are such things In lie
aslove, gentle manners and Kindness
VI heart, and in the course OF time
under the influence Of the new con-
uluons their old surroundings VIII
seem but an ugly dream.
This is. but one of hundreds of
eases where destitute, homeless emil
N.en have been given. through the
New England Home for Little wan
0srers. fair chance to overcome the
Ie1ects Of. early environment