Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-01

Next him he loved for those immortal airs
which clothe songs Tuscan sire In that red dawn
where earth's pure singers breathe but one do
sire,
Waiting to add his music unto theirs
JonN SAvAKy.
THE SOLDIER'S HOME AT HAMp.
TON.
Opening Of q New Amusement Han.
An Englishman's Lrgacy-Gcn. Nc
CleIlan as Local Manager Of the
HOMe-His ReccptiOn-The Play
Capt. WOOdfim's Rule, etc.
Special Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR
NAWONAL SOLDIERS HOME FOR
DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS, NEAR
FORTRESS MONROE, Va, March 80 1882.
The purpose to open the new amusement han
in the building known as ''ward Memorial Hall"
last evening, was happily contaminated, and
the program as arranged for the occasion car.
red out to the entire satisfaction of every one
present. The building in which this beautiful
hall is located, has been erected during the past
year mainly from the proceeds OF legacy left
| to the several national homes for disabled VOL
unteer soldiers, by q worthy English gentleman
named Ward who having from personal ob.er
walton become acquainted with the great bepe-
Mt, these national institutions were TO the Old
veterans, gave tangible evidence of his appre-
citation OF them by beQueathing q large amount
OF money to be expended at theSdiferent homes
to improve and beautify the same
On the occasion OF the opening last evening
the hall (Which Is an elegant one fitted up with
all the appointments Of q irst-class theater) was
crowded Many of the guests Of the "Hygia
hotel" at Old Point and ofYicers and their ladies
from Fortress Monroe being present. General
George b. Mcclellan, who Is the local manager
OF this branch, and who is at present sojourning
at the Hygia hotel with his family, honored the
opening with his presence, and It must have
made his heart glad to receive the hearty cheers
which were given as he entered the hall, while
the home band, stopping short in the strains Of
| some sympathetic air. burst out in full lung
power with Hail to the Chief" Surely the
boys In blue will never forget him. The piece
selected for the occasion was ''waiting for the
Verdict, and with the exception of Miss Jennie
Anderson, from Baltimore, the cast was made
up entirely OF home talent, and for amateurs IL
is conceded that they commanded favorable rec
ignition by reason Of their ability.
Entertainments amusing and instructive will
hereafter be given in the hall, and it is certain
that the inmates Of the Home appreciate the
interest Captain WoOd6H has taken all through
the erection of this new building to make IT In
all respects complete, and q place where they
will pass many happy hours. Captain woodin
has been in charge Of this Home for ten years,
and when one takes a retrospective glance at
what the place was when he first took charge
and compares it with its present beauty and
comfort, he cannot but believe that Captain
WOOdfin Is the right man in the right place
Tree-Butchery and the Like.
To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
The laborers who 60 about the streets and
hack on just so many branches from each tree
they come to, whether or no, should not hide
their scientific and artistic talents In such a pie
bean napkin. They might be employed in hos
pitfalls and gymnas;ulns for instance. to strength
en- the human system by cutting out the lungs.
Ii you cut out ones lungs, will not all HE
strength then GO to the rest of the body? Ger
tainly. Or they might be engaged In the art
schools to show our young painters how trees
ought to grow. The difficulty which these in
telligent public servants have in killing the most
valuable trees is wonderful. Year after year
the mangled stumps protrude, pleading trum-
pet-tongued against the deep damnation Of their
taking of, and recuperating only TO be cut of
again. tree that had any sense would soon
see that it might as well die at once. Yet the
senseiess things not only drag out a deformed
existence for several years, but what is more
preposterous. they try to maintain their original
character. This is their worst offence. 1t is
pity all the trees cannot be manufactured to Or
der by some patent process. We will never
nave any satisfactory uniformity among them
verse and lawless in the way she makes her
trees grow. 1t is all wrong What lis tree
good for unless 1t Is exactly like every other
tree? The idea Of Q tree presuming to have q
character of its owni
When. as rarely happens, light and air are too
much impeded; when tree is SO top-heavy
that it must be shattered by the wind; when it
Injuries adjacent buildings, prune IT, And do
II with an eye single to these circumstances.
Otherwise, let 1t alone. Let it alone If practi-
cable. Let it alone if possible. Trees cannot be
pruned without injuring their beauty. In q
city, where they are under unnatural conditions,
their beauty must sometimes be sacrificed. But
IN our wide streets it can be very greatly pre-
served. As rule, these priceless cOmforters
and teachers are pruned by lsborers, who have
scarcely more conception Of what they are
really doing than have the trees themselves Go
to the Government Printing Office; see the trees
close 70 the building and those on the opposite
side Of H street; and choose between them.
For some inscrutable reason the latter have
been pretty well let alone. The older ones
around the building have been haggled nearly
to death. We bore the loss of the old trees
about the Capitol philosophically. but what can
not be SO well borne is the memorable licking Of
those left into prim, cut-and-dried forms.
what particularly moved us to make these re-
marks was the fact that the past week saw q
party of men, paid by public taxes for doing it dig
up, cut to pieces, and cart off the fine old willow
that stood near the fountain In Judiciary square,
which was still sound enough. We wish to
speak Of this act in tender, considerate Lam
guage. 1t is the most unmitigated exasperat-
ing exhibition Of idiOcy we ever saw In this
line And We have seen good deal 1t is out
rage0us. That willow was worth, under the cir
cumstances, any fifty trees I'm the park. 1t was
the only complete thing there. 1t was the only
thing that quite satisfied the eye In spite of the
senseless cropping il had previously received. 10
had bravely repaired Its losses. defed the BUSH
whacker, insisted on preserving the character
God gave it, scorned the cast-iron, patent form,
and was good for years and years Of beautiful
life. 1t stood where it belonged-out of the
way Of passers, and were it could be best seen and
best used. Among the saplings and sprouts
thereabouts. it was the only unique picturesque,
interesting tree-the only thing pleasantly and
beautifully associated with the past I'm that
place. II will shake its sprays no more above
the faces Of smiling babes, and shelter no moro
the gray heads that played under il In childhood.
We Will not question the motives Of the de-
strOyer. We pity his ignorance, and would
sooner put q bull into our china-closet than
turn such sman loose in park Of our own.
X.Y.Z
nvrW