The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-08-21
From, Dayton.
Our Visit to the SOldiers' Home
Correspondence OF the Star.

NOrreSp0nuence OIL tne oClr.
DAYTON, August 20, 1875.
Oh, can imagine It,! How-when this let
ter inds room in your columns and comes into
eager hands upon tlrat day-how several thou
sand people will cry in indignation, II think
it's shame, 80 do! Will Dayton folks never
stop writing, about that everlasting Soldiers
Home OF theirs2 1 'spose its nice enough con-
cern, but who wants it for dinner, supper,
breakfast, luncheon, dessertP" Hold on, good
people, and hear my excuse-I can't help It'll l
just must take you around the grounds and let
you look through my eyes once, and then you
may pass sentence upon me-
Autre Mere, babies and I tumble pell-mell
into the carriage and start for the Home. 1t is
straight white road, dazzling when the sun
bears down upon it, and one Of those roads that
have no turning. We jog along for about half
an hour, and at the end Of that time Dobbin
halts Of mis- own sweet will under long white
pole. leaning at goodness knows what angle
up against the blue sky. "Five cents to the
Home and back,' says a solemn old man in
suspendered state. "Cheap enough" think we.
Glong, Dobbn!
Jog, jog, jog, and he who runs may read; for
on each side of us the fences are alive with ad-
yertisements-soap, pills, gold fish, clothing
tobacco, beehives, chrOmos, wool, oysters, bat
ting, and here and there sorry looking pictures
Of mortars that look like shaving cups, and
watches that look like mill wheels. Then
| comes a long but easy hill, and we pass rack
Of bones that does for horse for the group Of
gypsies that are encampcd in the deep grove
al the top Of the hill. Babies cry out indig-
nantly at sight of the bOnes that point up
through The rag cover on its back-but here is
the lodge.
We turn to our left to enter upon a smoother,
whittier road, and passing between the tall
stone posts we note the lovely urns. brimming
over with brilliant geraniums, long trailing
vines and tropical begonias that surmount each
post The lodge itself is II little gem, and while
a pair Or two Of eyes peep over the burly, blue
coated keepers head at the bright little room
wherein a table stands all green with growing
pants, another pair or two OF eyes read the
rules and regulations upon the big white board
on the opposite side OF the road, and learn that
visitors are not allowed to enter the groune on
Sunday. Tnen the great hospital looms its
wers up in the sunny air to our right hand.
l turn at sight of it to say to Autre Mere IN IN
dignant voice:
ssSome travellers insist upon it that grand old
Windsor Castle, on the Thames, is no larger
than that" and slash my whip out at it and
laugh drily.
"And they are right-it is no larger" an
surprised at what they call palacesin London-
to me they seemed just big. solid, plain bar
racks. buckingham Palace, st. James Square,
is ornamented with little yerandah over the
principle entrance, and that is all, If we do not
count the thick ivy that grows everywhere in
Eng and"
"Wenw calculate sadly. Show you do
scatter certain daydreams Of mine wherein
Engiand's castles are bulded four times at least
as Ia ge as that hospital there. Dcarl dear!
Glong, Dobblnv
The green lawn stretches in easy slope to the
road, makes clean jump across it and goes up
to the very chapel door. 1t is a beautiful little
chapel. bui OF Dayton marble, and has a tower
from which round clock face looks warningly
down a. you. The five-leayed poison vine that
abounds in this country is doing its best to hue
the corners aud caves OF the chapel, giving 1t a
look Of maturity one naturally expects to find
about a church.
The next building is the headquarters, and on
our way to it we pass the flag staff, which is
planted III the center OF level bit OF ground,
and from whose top floats the most beautlfu
banner in the universe. Cannons to the right
of it, cannons to the LETT ofit and on the ground
in neat pyramids stand the big black pills that
go 10 make up the sinews Of war. We reach
headquarters ana take Y peep at the library
situate within the building. At each end Of
the large apartment are the book shelves, anu
over zach collection hangs portrait; one be-
ing thai OF General Thomas, the other the son OF
Mrs. Putnam, the soldiers benefactress Then
war, relics from the battle fields, and one great
object of interest is the saddle and other trap.
pings used by Gen. Grant during part OF the
war. At the far end stands table, and upon
it lies great book full of visitors names and
ample st ace for your own. Autrs Mere writes
hers dow in fine Italian hand, and your hum
bic servant Writes . great Aourishing capital >
Mshw say we to babies who are talking
aloud in that sweet abandon Of childhood, anu
SO patter, patter, patter we 60 down and out
into the open air. ehear violin music, and
following the stream OF melody 70 its fountain
head, We enter Music Hall where o country
excursion has congregated.
sLhoo q partners" shouted tall fellow
with thin iiair, whose badge OF vermiilion-
hued ribbon and brass button gives him trat
authority. Wnereupon several lank and ma y
suort youvhs rush toward, Oh, such wilbea wall
nowers-hOWers that have been IN the sun un-
til their faces are burnt; blossoms that have
trailed their fair petals in damp and dust;
Hbiows' tnat We're not horn to blush unseen,
since a few hundred soldiers sit in one unend-
ing row all a. ound the room and stare at their
pretty hesiJancius in intense enjoyment OF it
all. Then. u sufficiently large bouquet of wall
flowers having be n ga hefed, the soldier with
the violin starts "Mabel Vals6" careerlng out
upon the warm air, and the soldier with the
bass yioi twangs few meiodious groans here
and there to give it The rlcnnes5, and all goes
merry as a IN .rriage bell-sAve one couple, q
ti.li youth and short maiden. Round aud rounu
the nioton-of somc UndLne, Wnile hOp-and-g go
fetohit felchlt fetch!t, creaks tne tall lads
sturdy biosans, and aGlasu the poor little GRIM
son wall flower goes back u -spairingly t0 her
resting place.
Near The music hall ia the dining room and
kitcnen, and sauntering along towards the lat
ter place, came upon the 'oudest group n all
,Christend0m Twas no less Than six la ne vet
Grams hobnobbing over three barrels OF green
gooseberrles, picking the fuzzy hea IS of and
dropping Lliem into barrels set for the purpose.
Inese WSre iutended for one meal. Ondear -uYs.
Rcauer, consider the sugar IL took lof their
sweetehing, Deyond the kitchen Is a street
devoted almost entirely to stores, wherein the
me rciIaudise manufactured ut the Home Is dis
posed vf to iumaJes oil the nome Or outsiders
T We saunter along towards 'Decr Park,', and
take the i3ufia1o yard on our way. Old Peter
/ Ii. is q rough 0iu customer, but hospitaDle GER
ltaluly, since, il you approach his double-fence,
ne invariably starLsfrom any lar Corner to gtye
you greeGIng by snaking his feroci0us heal at
you. Mater j.. Is not so attentive, while y0unx
Master b., Just ayear old, follows in his faJh- >
ler,s t. lacks. ami Baby B., three months old, lies
over in the shade anu don't care a snap for
what's going on. Tuen We 20 down bill, across
"a tiny brook, and up TO the panther's cage.
.Miaw, mIaw," cries this young fellow, loox-
ins like the petted prince 9f soine royal fam
ity us he lies unclaimed and stretched out at a
soldiers feet r. airing his proud head lazily and
letting MS great liquid, merry, beautiful eyes
in full splendor on your own.
81 omel'' shrek 1 hearsely to babies, drag
r. thfaa hal