, 1860-02-29
A Halliday in tie Poor House.

Jumping into buggy on Monday afternoon,
with friend Hansen, County Agent, we were
soon making good time on the Milwaukee plank
road, for the County House. distant about ten
miles west By north Of the city. We found be-
tween three and four hundred inmates there,
under the good cars Of Mr. and Mrs. Chase,
keeper aud matron.
The physician was there and went over the
rooms with US. As a general thing, the place
looked tidy aud comfortable. The alms-house
building was Eot constructed on good princl-
ples, for hall should have opened ventilation
from one end Of the house to the other of
brick. four stories high. Another building is
much needed to aid in classifying inmates to
greater profit aui comfort.
A work shop should also be provided, as all
cannot be occupied in the household duties,
much as there is to be done in providing for SO
many, and idlcness promotes discomfort md
vice.
Several persons there were objects Of interest
to u.s. One, IN old woman, much attached to
children, is aged 50. She adopt every new.
conner as her own. An old German (75) WAS ut
the burning Of Moscow. and fought at the bat
Ties Of Aus!e1litz, Marengo and Leipsic. He had
several firrers frozen off in that peri1ous re.
treat from Moscow; aud he seems quite enthu-
siastic in praise of tue Emperor, and proud Of
his having belonged to the grand army" lie
deserves the attention Of our Minister at st.
Cloud, in view of pension for q worthy SOL
der, who boldly faced the enemy at the can.
mons mouth, aud who yet, after all, must fall
before the great enemy death, in the Poor
House. far away from the field Of battle!
The next visit was to the upper story Of the
CLidren's School Room. Here. some forty
boys and girls were ranged in classes, under the
fear Of old Mr.. Wilson's three feet birchcn rod
| though the smiling taces seem to Indicate any
thing but terrorsuudcr the. pedagogue's imperi-
Gus sway. Three months patient labor mad
made several tolcraole readers, whose first les
son began then with i. =. c. a little fellow,
| on1y four years old, bright child, Swedish
orphan, las learned to read. If some kind
| hearted gentleman wants to do good act, let
him 20 out md get that little genius, and be
will sec some day what nun be will make. He
deserves good chance 10 lite; let him have it.
Last, We descended into the insane depart
mcnt, Here VIC found forty.fiye inmntcs, mostly
females spent an hour hearing the yagaries
Of each one, s0me amusing, but many painful
exhibitions. One mau expects to be crucided,
another il a1ways trying to detect poison in his
food Que woman was singing Justify, and only
stopped while TO entertain US with her good
opinion Of clergymen md physicians. One had
her room fantas.ically decorated with pictures
and alt sorts Of funny things Another was
laced in straight Jacket and kept walking VI
and down the cell With uuceasinK assiduity
Just as VIC were leaving this part oil the house
VIC saw one female, we had passed By on frs
entering. She 1esembled some one We had seer
before, and On addressing her, she spoke ant
: called us BY name. It was a respectable, poo
, -~naan who had been aided By us in the Cit,
Mission scarce -. -. .svs aco.' She was rationa
now but not cured. She has three interess..::1;;
children, and it Is hoped her alteration of mind
which developed itself iu IN attempt to injur
one of her children, under fear that some on
was pursuing her to take her life, will not tax
,, permanent hol1 upon her.
THIS unexpected meeting filed the writer
mind with sadness, as he joined his friend i
the carriage at the door, when We wended on
way to town, and talked over the yicissitudes {
L life. aud the best means to alleviate the ills
!, suffering humanity. E. B. F.