The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-06-20


more of the stronger ones engaged at
some light work in the garden, others
are at the barndoing the morning work
there. A large red boot near the gate
reminds US we nave shoemaker who
will do making or repairing In the best
style, and the tap, tap of his hammer
in Wonder building assures us he is at
work. Four or five others are start
ing in another direction with lot of
carpenters tools, to make some re-
pairs somewhere. One is at work in
the kitchen, another in the dining
room, and a third sweeping in the
halls. while old Chris, broken
down. but good natured and CHEEKY,
is peeling potatoes for dinner. Char
lie, industrious and ingenious as two
or three of some well men I've known,
is. at work with brick, trowel, and
paint, constructing ornamental flow
err beds in the front yard. He has so
arranged the painted bricks SO as to
represent the different corps badges,
and Just now is at work upon fine
eagle; all voluntary, he assures us.
Some of the younger ones with din
ner and books are starting to school,
while F" Uncle Alex with hair and
beard that must have felt the fr0sts OF
sixty antumns to have made it SO
white, is busting hither and thither
as though both heart and hands were
full of business; and although we
know he is general Ward master, and
sort of general presence everywhere
where anything is needed, yet we
sometimes wonder if even all this can
keep men so busy. Others whose
names cannot recall are equally
busy, some with the sick, others do
ing errands or whatever their strength
will permit. But we had almost
| forgotten black Tom who is
superintending the repairing of a
cistern in the back yard. He is
| fifty-one years old, and has lest one
arm, but he has a discharge that is
worth forty arms, If 2 man had so
many to lose. 1t tells you that he
lost it during that fearful fight at Pc
tersburg while saving the flag after
the color bearer, and three others who
attempted its rescue, had been shot
down Query the rebels of
two years ago, now such warm friends
! on of the soldiers, talk so c0mpla-
Gently of our brave soldiers" Iwon-
der il they include Tom and his two
brothers, each of whom lost an arm in
the service0 We would speak of
/ others here, whose crippled forms tell
palmer than any discharge how they
4 fought ike brave men and we'll, = but
space forbids. Every scar they bear
/ is badge of which they who bear
them may well be proud. If ever we
felt like bowling our head before NOR
tai man it is in the presence of these
men, the nobility of America. But
these arms, and limbs, and eyes that
are gone, this helplessness that has
come upon them, shall not be with
out reward, For, a hundred years
/ from now, when we and all that We
! have done shall be forgotten the
deeds Of thaso -hrave men shall be
told as the story Of american hero
| ism. ss NJ ge
But my letter grows long, the re-
mainder saalla Be brief. 20 There
are. at present. sixty FIVE inmates
Of the Soldiers Home; the buildings
| will perhaps accommodate hundred
About score Of the number here are
over so years Of age: seven are con
fined to rooms by reason of sickness
and only twelve of the IS are at pre-
sent drawing pensions Many o.
them have been taken from the poal
houses Of the land, and were 1t not fol
this provision many others might bt
there The farm contains 56 acres
mostly under cultivation Only TIVE
men outside. of the institution are EN-
ployed upon the place, a carpenter just
now to do permanent repairing, and {
man to do. the heavy blowing Til,
J soldiers edo the remainder, and the,
do it with, a pride and pleasure tina
shows how well they appreciate what
has been done, for them. They
4 have planted FIVE acres of small
I garden besides corn, potatoes, etc
In addition to. the fruit and orna.
mental trees already here, a frienc
donated this spring one Thousand
fruitand one hundred shade trees
By the time the. necessary building
and repairing is done, they hope to b
able ito make the Institution nearl!
self sustaining. DR.. Wishard, the su
{ perintendent, is christian gentleman
and soldier. j believe God. through
all the war, has been preparing him t
III take DUST this place. For any maj
t who can fill the positions, of Surgeon
Steward, Superintendent, and farmer
. as he does, who can run all that vas
3 machinery with SO little friction, an,
5 without any of the restraint or for
n1alitY of red tape" is rarity. Ma
: God spare him and his good lady jus
: as long as the Soldiers Home lasts
e just oVer-the way In that little whit
e cottage, is the children's Home; tn
/, orphans whose fathers fell fghtin
vi for the dear old Flag Miss Easel,
good woman who has seen mucl
r Of life, is their mother and teacher
e Months ago, as. she stood BY the lionel