Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-10-21


The new house was built to accommo-
date 800 children, namely l40 orphan
girls above seven years of age, so orphan
boys above seven. and 80 male and female
infant orphans.
This building cost over { Is, 900, and
Mr.. Muller transferred his orphans to i,
from the four houses in Wilson Street in
June, in 1889 The size and accommoda-
tion of the house may be estimated when
it is stated that it contains about 500
large windows, lighting work-rooms, school.
rooms, play-rooms, dormitories, &c. There
are also connected with it large open
play-e round with swings, jumping boards
&c. for the children.
Since the opening of this new orphan
house at Ashley Down in 1S49, the prog
ress of Mr.. Muler's work is one of the
most extraordinary romances that ever was
written. 1t was remarkable that he should
have been supplied with the means of
building the first large house at Ashley
| Down, considering that he never asked
any man for help, but what followed was
| still more remarkable.
He had not had possession of the new
house long before he had it filled to its
utmost capacity with children. 1t was
wonderful to see three hundred orphan.
amply provided for in such a noble house
through the instrumentalty of one man.
simple minded man who prayed for
help when he needed it, and believed that
his need would be supplied. As soon as
his new house was full, Mr.. Muller found
that he had to turn away from his doors
many orphans who were Just worthy of
admission as those he had under his care.
He had a great responsibility, for 800
children is no small family, but the in-
suficiency of his house gave him great
anxiety.
When Father Mathew set out on his
great crusade against intemperance, he
made use of the memorable words; - Here
goes, in the name of God" Mr. Muller,
on finding the house containing his 300
children too small, resolved to build
another, saying that it was Gods work,
and not his. He made his second house
larger than his first, and soon filled it
with 400 more children, making a total Of
700. Still the orphans came to his doors
and, in spite of the warnings of people,
who said the institution was already too
large, he resolved to build third house,
larger than either of the other two, for
the accommodation of 450 more orphans.
This also he soon filled, thus increasing
his family to 1850.
Number One. Number Two. and Num-
Der Three as the houses are called. have
been in full operation for some years
and as the three proved inadequate, Mr.
Muller resolved to build two more houses,
Number Four and Number Five, so that
he might increase his family TO upwards Of
1000! And these two new houses are
now almost completed and in few months
will be fully occupied When Mr.. Muller
bad forty orphans, people said he had too
many what will they say now to his
2,000? The objectors have disappeared,
and the institution Is accepted as 4 great
fact. Success has made 1t so and now,
when Mr. Muller's needs are greater than
ever, he never has to complain of poverty.
He counts his balances by thousands sterl-
ing, and continues to extend his " city till
people wonder where it will end The
sum expended on the buildings in which
the orphans are lodged amounts to about
100000, large sum when it is reInem-
bered that all this has been contributed
without the name of any donor being pub
lished.
The total sum which Mr. Muller has
received for the orphans, since he opened
his house for them in 1886, is upwards of
G2o0.000 The lettcr-box of his humble
house. which is at u Paul Street, Bristol
flor Mr.. Muller does not reside in the in
stitution, although he spends the greater
part of the day there,) is as valuable as
the cap Of Fortunatus. Passers-by drop
IN all sorts Of jewelry, and cash, and bank
notes without stint 1t is no uncommon
thing for him TO acknowledge in his . Mar
rative," which he publishes annually. a
penny from an errand-boy or domestic SER
want, and in the same line thousand
pounds from " A B. or some other equal
ly unpersonal individual. He has often
received gifts of $500. $1,000, $4,000
$4,000. 1000. up to 5000 at one time,
/ and these vast sums are all anonymous so
far as the public are concerned. Last yea
| from May, 1867, TO May, 1862 the ex-
penses connected with the orphans were
nearly 934 900, OF this. about 913,-
| 900, was the current expenses in connec-
ton with the orphans, and the chief part
of the remainder was III providing new
buildings. The cost of each orphan dur
ing the year was e12 los, inclusive of
every expense without exception. The
general expenses for the previous year were
upwards of f27,000.
What becomes of the children when
they grow up? The girls remain in the
institution till they are able to 60 to SER
vice. Mr.. Muller keeps them till they are
sufficiently qualified for situation. and
especially till their constitution is suffi-
ciently established. They generally re-
main under his care till they are over
eighteen years Of age. If there happen to
be any who are unit, on account of deli
| cate health, for domestic service, they are
apprenticed to some light business. The
girls are greatly in demand as servants,
and their thorough training fits them ad-
mirably for such position. Many of the
girls now in the institution have been un-
der Mr.. Muller's charge for over seven.
teen years. They are instructed in read
ing, writing, arithmetic, English grammar.
geography, English history, little of uni.
versal history, all kinds of useful needle
work and household work.
The boys are generally apprenticed be-
tween fourteen and fifteen years old, but
in each ease Mr.. Muller regards the well
fare of the individual orphan, without hav-
ing any fixed rule. They have a free
choice of trade, but when once they have
chosen they are not permitted 10 change.
Boys, as we as girls, have an outfit pro-
vided, and any other expenses that may be
| connected with their apprenticeship are
n