Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1908 — Monnett Children’s Home. [ARTICLE]

Monnett Children’s Home.

Mrs. Etta B. Wilson, Superintendent at the Monnett Children’s' Home, wrote the following article, which was printed in the Deaconess Advocate, along with a picture of the home. It tells of the motherly love and sacrifice that she and others are making. Was not the cause worthy of the support Rensselaer gave it? “We have recently added to our flock four little ones, three boys and a girl, all under four years of age. The two oldest boys are motherless, but their father pays for their care. Sadie, two years old, is a little woman with a burdened, careworn face and a most motherly little soul. She plays she is mamma "to all the (family from Mother Wilson down to the kittens. She has neither friends or support and we are to find her a permanent home if we think advisable. Then last and least the little toddler who came to us with no history at all and no name except “Tony,” but who needed no letter of recommendation but his own sweet little self to admit him to the inner sanctuary of the Monnett Children’s Home. Ciinning and soft and lovable, we one and all do him homage; and worst, Of all—wq call him Teddy B©ar! He looks Just like one of those soft brown ones that the children can’t help hugging; but that wasn’t how he got the name. Evey time the -table is being set he gets around behind bls chair and begins to jog back and forth from one little foot to the other, for all the world like a bear dancing; and then he sings, “Shupper, shupper; shupper, shupper!’ till he can’t say it any more. The poor little man has been hardly used and has many deep scars which look as if they had been caused by burns. I “The Home pocket-book and cupboard are never bare any more. We have eggs to eat, eggs to ‘set,’ and eggs to sell, Among recent donations are $14.05 from “The Ladies’ Sew Club” who gave a market-day benefit for the Home and five dollars left in an unmarked envelope on Easter morning. “The chicken shower still continues to sprinkle an occasional hen or dollar; hens at this date counting up to ninety and dollars to $l3O, and the incubator is “sitting” in the basement with 320 eggs “for better, for worse.” One of the donations of the chicken shower and very much appreciated was a fifty per cent discount from the Reliable Incubator Company of Quincy, 111.,., whch made it possible for us to have one of the best incubators on the market. “The Ladies’ Sew Club also gavd us a Sew Shower of needles, thread, buttons, darning cotton, cloth, etc., bringing us a supply of these articles which will last these many days. One week the lady friends of the town organized themselves into a ‘calling club’ and came to call on us by streets. Those living on one street came on one day and so on throughout the week.” \