Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-09-05
NATIONAL HOWE LETTER
SOLDIERS HOME, CENTRAL BRANCH, |
MONTGOMERY Co %, Aug. 30, 70. [


SoLDIERs' HOME, CENTRAL BRANCH |
MONTGOMERY Co, o., Aug. 30, 20. {
Mn. EDIroR The two Balloon Ascen-
sions here on the 20lh inst, we're grand
SUCCESS, aud over 10000 human beings were
on the grounds. Old Mr.. Allen, who as
cended, went about ten miles in his balloon.
'Glory Of the Skies" while his son who
went up in the Monarch Of the Skies,b
only got two miles from Dayton and de-
scended in a tree, considerably damaging
his balloon, and he had to cut the tree down
to save the balloon. Two persons from
Troy went up with them, and when they
left terra frma their eyes were os big as quart
bowls, and from the paleness Of their "gills''
we concluded that il ever they struck the
grand old earth again, they would take no
more oscensions, until Gabriel blowed that
instrument OF his. Bully boys, you bet
when they got back home they squatted IN
corner close to mamma and have been
chewing her apron strings ever since. No
more balloon for those lnddies
There are now 800 of the old veterans in
this He pital, and four thousand two hun
dred and twenty-five in the garrison, pres
ent and absent, on furlough, while every
day brings in new additions. The new lake
is nearly completed The Changers had u
large gathering here on Monday, 25th inst
Speeches and iollity were the main features
of the occasion. The camp never was in
more healthy condition, and Of the dis
eases in the hospital, they are nearly all
cOnsumptives, wounded meu, old age and
the blind whose lives are sunless aud all
darkness to them. All beauty is shut out
forever. For them no foliage strewn, flower
studded scene to follow the bleakness of
winter. No looking with awe intuIhe mys
tefious depths Of the night sky, sparkling
with gittering, twinkling star gems, for
over those eyes the Creator, in the mystery
of His designs, has hung lhe impenetrabIe
veil. No expectnnt gaze toward mortals'
face for the gentlest smile that souihes their
trouble; for then the birds will sing, but
the loveliness Of form and feather are not
for them, while the babbling stream may
make mysterious music, its dimpled waves
and winding reaches an6 verdnnt banks do
not exist. Yet i is astonishing to see with
what beauty they can work into every de-
sign the prelliest bead work, of all colnrs.
that the eye ever looked upon. This they
sell to visitors, aud many of these poor un-
fortunate blind, have accumulated quite n
sum OF money.
am in the hospital, suffering from my
wound, though | am improving under the
treatment of Doctor Weaver, who is,beyond
any doubt. one Of the most accomplished
surgeons and physicians in this State, and
equal to any in the country-were he not
so, he never would be placed in the respon-
siblc position, ~ head surgeon by the gov
ernmen over A, 600 men, every one Of whom
is an invalid, and worsted by the war.
The Theatrical company from New York,
that has been playing all Summer here, has
gone. They were not first class but did
very well as "slrolers" and, left here with
more money than they ever had before, at
one time, jingled in their pockets. They
were fed high, and caressed like poodies.
Some few drew long sighs at the departure
Of the calico department, but as they had
onions that morning for breakfast, that,
probably, accounts for the tears in a few
"crank eyes, who so sorrowfully bid
adieu to the theatrical itinerants.
None of our boys either wen to Steuhen-
vile or Cambridge to the reunion. and ap-
peared to take little interest in either of
them. We have had no stump orators to
expOund the political issues OF the day SO
far, but you can hear them discussed here
by the boys in glowing colors, while all the
knowledge they have of the political his
torv of the country could be placed on the
end of a cambric needle, and have ns much
g,l,,,.la ,vn,,ll ., A Al