Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-08-05

- SfANOAeiJ NAS OhS pOlA UNIV OA-
lowed in the house. We were intro
duced to few old men, who never
have the trouble of going down
stairs unless they please; their
meals are brought to them by the
boys. Here was old John, aged
ninety-four, quite blind, and almost
deaf, but jolly and talkative as pos
sible; has been a famous WAGNER
in his dBy, used to drive a wagon
betwenn Hillchurch and Manches-
ter before there were any railroads.
He piled us with rapid questions.
SLOWS Squire? has ,he been out
hunting this week ? had good sport?
killed any foxes? Heard they
drawed Coomb Woods blank
would like to know what them
there keepers were about" etc.
The workhouse feels on intimate
terms with the Squire, because, as
chairman of the Board of Guar
dians, he unsel6shly devotes every
other Friday OF his valuable time
to presiding over their conferences
and regulating their affairs. In the
accident ward two men were in bed,
waited on by the nurse; one had
fallen out of an apple tree and
broken his leg, the other had been
badly kicked by a horse. Bouquets
of flowers stood on the little square
table near each bed. The men said
they loved to smell them now that
they could not get out to see them
grow. Colored texts hung all
around the walls, and there is a
good library in the house from
which the sufferers had borrowed
books. Just across the passage we
came to similar rooms for aged and
infrm women. One old lady's cos
tune amused us much; she sat
perfectly upright doing nothing;
her head was enveloped in broad
bands of white flannel, arranged
across the forehead like d
nuns head-dress. She told us
she suffered with her head, and
could not take off her bandages fol
fear of catching cold. The matror
informed us she was harmlessly
crazy on the subject of catching
cold. We wondered she did noi
catch a fever. One bright old dame
whose conversation plainly showed
she had "seen better days" sat dill
igently mending house linen. Be
fore leaving we were introduced t.
: the enormous kitchen, hakers,wash
house, etc. In pantry, the shelve
Of which were piled with loayes o
bread, were two men cutting ant
weighing the rations for supper
In front of each wing of the build
ing is a pretty flower garden, witt
benches dotted about; here the oil,
people can sit and enjoy the air an,
, flowers. Across a stone court-yar,
we visited a bare hall set apart as
ward for tramps. Hillchurch is o.
!, the high road from Scotland t
| London, and any weary tramp ma
, here procure a nights lodging an
q loaf next morning, on cOnditio
, he takes a bath, and does two hour
oakum picking before continuin
his journey. Behind this and quit
separated from the main building
, stands the in6rmary, to which an
|, pauper who shows symptoms of an
= contagious disease is immediatel
. removed. After this first visit, "
= had great pleasure in going ever
. week to read and chat with the oil
folks at the work-house, visitin
, the school and playing with tn
!. babies. If this meets the eye {
! any lady who has to spare, we woul
assure her from our own experience
:. that work in this corner of tn
; Masters vineyard repays the worke
a hundred fold.
ELIZA G. BUoKLER.