Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-12-19

SOLDIERS HOME, CENTRAL BRANCH, I
MpNTaoNtEpv Co q noc II 10

SOLDIERS' HOME, tENTNAi. ohANCHy
MONTGOMERY Co, o., Dec. IL, '79. !
MIR, EDITOR Soon Merry Christmas
will be here, and to yourself and intelli-
gent readers, send greeting, the pleasant
enjoyment Of plenty, peace and prosperity,
and that fortune may profusely scatter her
glitlering toys, and that mortals may grasp
them as something real, as fancy checks
the landscape with gaudy colors, and prom.
ises that its attractions shall be as durable
as they are dazzling Yet, while we are
bountifully blest, let us not think too lii
tie OF the feelings hat are working in the
bosoms of the abjcct aud wretched poor
II we knew and thought more on this sub
iect we would look with dread and wonder
At the placid surface, which, in common,
the social mass exhibits. The personal
endurance Of famine, cold, aud discomfort,
from day to day, and the worse anguish
endured by children, breeds feeling
which, did ii give vent, would heave the
firmest political, religious, and moral edi-
fees from their foundations; hut the writh.
ings OF tortured hearts are repressed, di-
verted, and only on rare occasions burst
forth in tumultuous acts. With many, in
deed, I'll sentiment and moral conscious
ness gives way under the pressure of woe
or is dissipated by dcbauchery; the soul
sinks even below the wrechedness of
the body; hope, the spring OF life, long
ago took her flight, aud is stotally forgotten;
every ember Of Joy and virtue is quenched;
40 poor, so timid, 60 feeble, so inert, 30
groyeling, so infatuated, il the human
mind Truth, which alone can he perma-
nently advantageous, and which alone can
reward labor, or compensate losses, is
looked at, and listened to with eage-eyed
alarm nor is it entertained until she has
protested, en- times over that she means to
rob us Of nothing VIC dote upon. No day
is 80 lovingly appropriate for Charity, as
Christmas. The example Of the Ruler Of
the Universe, IN his great gift Of the Re
deemer Of the world to fallen man, is strili-
ingly beautiful aud touchingly benevolent,
setting an example to the world that
CHARITY il an ordinance of Heaven, and
a i along the life of the poor Nazarne, his
walk and character WAS embellshed with
the aflectionate lovelncss OF Charity.
Then let those whose fresides glow with
the abundance of Splendor, seek out the
poor, depressed mortals in their midst
and give with willing hearts, and ready
hands offerings of relief, and revive
dropping hearts, and cast sunshine and
gadness where sorrow and sadness dwell,
and lay mp treasure, where "moths do not
corrupt" What sort Of a langnid and
vain instinct were il, which, though capa-
ble of high delight in the contemplation
OF virtue and beniicence, should look list
lessly and without emotion upon the in
Fiction of wanton torture, or acts OF injus-
tice, fraud, or impnnity. You may in
deed imagine a world into which no dis
cords or delormities should gain admission
but it is impossible to conceive of senti-
ment being endowed with faculties of
pleasure such az should involve no power
OF suffering. Whoever would be capable
of exalted happiness must undergo tue
possibility of misery, equally intense; or
ii the. power of enjoyment be greater than
the power of suffering, the whole amount
of the difference is just 80 much torpor, or
so much relaxation. A sense of faculty
may indeed be numbered or parayzed; !;
but although such damage should secure
an exemption from pain, no one would
boast of it as a natural perfection.
Col. Thomas has arrived home from
Europe, and is looking well.--The Coils well
coined home 10y the entire Camp, for lie is
n genial, clever gentleman, whose kind dir
| position and affable manners. have endearcd
MN III the nearlS OI all tlc DOyS. lHe
Colonel's arrival will relieve Gov Brown
of much labor, and will give rest to his al
ready overtaxed energies. l tell you,
there are few men like Gov. Brown, and
had he not an excellent constitution, long
since would he have broken down. Storm,
rain or snow, are as sunshine to him, tor
he goes from morning till night, over the
grounds experimenting the men. He
is not only a magnificent officer, but re-
markable for his habits of industry and
| perseverance,.
They will have magnificent dinner
here on Christmas day, and the old veter-
ans have literally contributed their annual
quoto for purchasing presents for Christ
mas, for the children of the Soldiers Or
phan's Home, at Xenia, Ohio.
There are 5000 in Camp, and 300 in the
Hosptr and hundreds on lurlough In
order to give you correct number OF gar
ments washed in our Laundry for the in
mates here, Major John Beck, the gem
tlemanly Superintendent of that insttu-
tion, has furnished me with the following
accurate account:
Washing done from the 1st day OF
January, 1879, to June 80, 1879:
Aprons :"'..'..........'. .'.........,.'." 43,o4S