Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-10-07
A BEAUTIFUL CHARITY.

The story is briefly this: About a
dozen years ago, a woman going through
the vile purlieus of a neighboring city,
was especially hurt and touched by the
sight of some little folks who were sick
in a cellar full of heat and stencil, where
a whole family lived, and fought, and
ate-when they had anything to eat.
She had perhaps, not enough pity for
the grown people; they could turn their
strong wits, and big bones, and big vol
ces. to some better use than drunken
ness, or any other sort of beastliness;
but the children looked out of the dirt
and disease at her with innocent faces
they were sick unto death, and they had
seen 50 little of life! Nothing but its
foulness, and want, and vice. Of the
sunshine, and greenness, and beauty
which God had sent, of good men or
gentle women, they knew nothing. We
do not know who this woman was, ex-
cept that she had little means of her
own; we fancy, though, that either she
had lost child, or that he had grown
into man and gone from her never to
come again, and that it was for the sake
of her own baby, that never should lie
upon her breast again, that her heart
was tender toward these children. The
result of her tenderness we do know.
In year or two, small farm house
was bought, and furnished as hospital
for children. Other good women came
to help in the work. In place of the
farm house, large plain building, in
the midst of a grassy playground, is now
used for these little folks. They are
brought only from such homes as refuse
them any chance of cure and comfort
washed, clothed, and tenderly nursed
until their recovery is sure and COM
plete. Nobody can walk through the
quiet wards, with their rows of cribs,
out of each of which little face turns,
often a baby's face, sure that they will
never miss the motherly touch or word,
without feeling that this is the most
beautiful of all charities.
We give so much space to it in the
hope that it may be initiated in other
cities When the children are able to
leave their beds, they are neatly clothed
and turned loose among the grass and
trees. They have gymnasium, swings,
every sort of childish fun and frolic-in
short, mind as well as body has the
most wholesome of nourishment given to
it. When the hot days of this June
came, however, and everybody turns
their faces toward the country, the man
ayers resolved that the little patients il
the wards should also have their share
of sunshine and summer. Some of then
would never leave the cribs but for tn
coffin they should, at least. have on
glimpse of Gods good world here befor
He took them home. So carpenters, ma
sons, and painters went to work, an
never did carpenters, masons, or paint
ers work with such hearty good will
They put up long, well shaded porche:
running along the sunny side of tn
building And last week, one day whe
the air was balmiest, the little Grill
were gently carried out and placed i
rows where the wistful baby faces coul
look down at the grass, and the sun shil
ing, and the trees rustling over the
companions at play, and the roses ar
honeysuckles climbing over the fences
the neighbors' gardens. 1t was quie
pleasant evening. The scent of the flo,
ers filled the air; little beyond tt
river flowed, and the masts of the shi
at anchor struck fine, dark lines again
the sunset sky. Presently the matr'
brought out nets and hung them ov
each crib, as the child within it ft
asleep.
1t was a simple, trivial matter, aft
all. Only a quiet June day, grass gro
ing and few flowers, kind faced W
man, and some little cribs brought in
the sunshine, where lay few childr
that the world had used hardly. But
seemed to us that the Master was +
far away, and that it was he who to
them in his arms and blessed them,
In the old time.-Neao York Tribune