Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-05-28
Mr.. Amderson's Column.
About our Infrmary.
NuMRER ONE.

intellect, and In moras,-and ! saw them In
contrast with some choice Christian spirits,
whose presence made the poverty about me
more plainly to be seen.
| suppose a good many persons in our
county have never been there, and so want
to write little of what saw, that such peo-
pie may have an idea Of what our county is
land might be) doing for these unfortunates
who become dependent on public bcneficence.
Even TO persons who have visited this insttu-
ton, second look may not prove uninterest-
ing.
l was introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Curtis
who have charge Of the Infirmary by my
friend Mr.. Newton, who is an officer there, and
whose near residence makes him familiar with
its interesting features. My curiosity led me
at once to ask for view of everything that
was to be seen.
We went into the department of the females.
guided by Mrs. Curtis. My first impression
was as TO the number Of old women there, and
my next was of the feebleness of body aud
of mind which they showed There were
few nice old ladies there who returned my re-
spectful salutation with grace and modesty.
But even in some of these discovered pain
ful ALTERATION of mind
prettily arranged room was shown to us,
and we got courteous reception from its in.
mate, but we were flooded with words of COM
plant in regard to a lost property which has
the uppermost place in the mind of the unfor-
tunate occupant. One old women sits in
char and gazes at you, with motionless face
| am told she has neither smiled or spoken
for six months. A girl with red nose, and
sucking red rag, gazed vacantly at us from a
corner. One old woman ratified on so fast that
| could scarcely get the thread of her ideas,
Qf there was oneO and though she was now
quite amiable, l was told that she was liable
| to paroXysms of rage when she would vie with
a London fshwoman in the horrible use of
| language. Another was pointed out who had
| been the death of her husband, (here are wO-
men out of that place of whom that might be
said) and she looked as if she was capable of
being the death of people besides.
| But of course | can't take up the different
| unfortunate women whom l saw and ptied
am told there are some ninety-five inmates,
and about half of these are women. God help
them, poor souls.
We went among the men, and my sick heart
| found no relief here. Poor, broken down, sad
| faced creatures; some shaking with palsy,
crouching with humiliation and nearly all
with the light of hope gone out forever Oh,
what an awful thing it must be only to sit, and
look out of dim eyes, waiting for hopeless
DEATH
But the saddcst thing had yet seen was the
children There were some eighteen of them
though the usual number is greater, ranging
| from one year old to fifteen. Most of them
go to school, but they are mixed more or less
with the older inmates, and subject to the evil
that would naturally come of such contact.
What the future of such training must be it
is not hard to determine-a future pregnant
| with evil to them and to the state
Some day want to speak of this matter OF
pauper children at greater length than l can
here. But of one cheerful fact | became con-
vinced, that SO far us it is possible, with no
school on the place, nor rschool-room, no reg
ular nurs,s other than paupers,-no appropri-
aions for their special training these poor lit
tie waits were being cared for as well as could
be. They looked fat enough and happy enough
always has, and the old look that will make
ones heart bleed at thought of what it by and
by will grow into. The little Arabs of civilized
society become moral lshmaelites by and bye
unless they are tanned through christian educa.
lion.
saw the VIII ole family at dinner. The di
ming hall is large. long ON with two tiers
OF tables, on both sides of which sit the in
mates, while active walters ply them with sub
stantial and wholesome food. If these poor
people are every day led as ON the day when
was there, they certainly need not complain
and since they did not seem to view their tood
as something uncommon, judge they are
You can generally tell if poor people are
eating some dish that they are unaccustomeC
to, by the way they eat; just as y on can tell i
people are accustomed to having blessing
asked at the table, by the way the children ac
when we ministers come and are asked tout OF
courtesy to say grace at dinner or ten.
The dinner led ME to the kitchen, and to al
admiring view of the neatness and cleanncs
of all that saw there. There is good house
keeping there, and the mystery of it is how i
is secured with paupers for help. Our county
does good thing in its care for its poor, ant
one can get pleasant imp ession of "benight
ed Ashtabula," by going to see how.
Close to the kitchen, and with the benefit o
hot water pipes from the range, is the bath
room. with its two iron bathing tubs. Thi
and the laundry (Which is in an adjacent build
ing) are well worth studying for their con
venient arrangement, and their adaptability 70
their purposes.
3 Eut of all these things must not go into
{ detail since | believe it will be better for ou
good people of the county to go and see TO
themselves the admirable arrangement that i
made at this Infirmary. 1t is an honor to ou
county,-I should judge model ams-house, =
and our people ought to see and be familia
, with it.
! The Objectionable feature of the place i
, now being done away. Some month
! ago rode through the yard, and / said to tn
friend who was with ME,
"Why, with such nice building and sucl
pleasant natural surroundings, don't the peopl
, tear down those hOrrid out buildings. an
complete what has been so well begun. VIII
, not tear down the barns and build greater
: and newerw
9 This is now being done. A large octagonn
= = barn is in process of erection, which is a curl
+ osity in its way Each of the eight eide