The National tribune., 1883-08-09
LOYAL W0MbN'S WORK
What 1t Has Done for the Veteran in
Massachusetts.
To the Editor NATIONAL tribune:

To the Editor NATIONAL tribune:
Of course YOU have heard what splendid Sol
diers Home we have in Massachusetts,. | say
we, for the women helped to earn it. After the
bazaar which we held in Dec, 1881, Mrs. S. ID.
Hooper and others conceived the idea OF form
ing an organization to be called the Ladies Aid
Association of the Soldiers Home in Massa-
chusetts, to assist the trustees in caring for the
poor men that might find home in that lovely
place. We have now membership of over 800
ladies They are from all parts of the State /
can assure you there are many Jealous and
Woodworking women among them, Mrs. Micah
Dive Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Reed. and ] could name
host of others. A great many of these noble
women belong to the Woman's Relief Corps.
We have n regular visiting committee, two la
dies every month, who furnish the pulpit, or
rather fill it, also the choir every Sunday, and
great many entertainments during the month
which delight the men, We have also fur
nished large bookcase and tilledit with
books. We also provide jellies. fruit, and flow
ers. They appreciate all we do for Them I as
sure you, and the greetings we receive would
amply repay Us had they not already earned
all we can do for them We have lost good
many. There are now ninety-iye at the
Home. The trustees hope to enlarge their ae-
commodations in the fall by building a new
hospital or rather convert another building into
one.
I must tell you how fortunate the trustees
were in the selection of superintendent and
matron. They secured the services OF General
| Cunningham aud his lovely wife. | wish you
could hear the men speak of Mrs Cunningham
| They call her an angel and the Mother" in
| fact every name true women would delight
in. / wish you could visit our Home and see
| her. ! ana one of the visitors for the month OF
! October, when we are to have jubilee on the
| first Thursday, and | invite you To be present
The boys are very fond of the General, but
| never heard them cali him by such endearing
names rs they do his wife.
/ Last Friday we had our monthly meeting
| Mrs. j. G. Johnson one of the board of direc
tors, presented the Home with flag, as the
old one was worn out After the business
meeting the boys were called up in the hall
and the ladies adjourned there, when Mrs
| johnson presented the flag in very neal
| speech, and it was accepted in hearty man
ner by General Cunningham. Then we all haC
a treat in listening to some soul stirring re
marks by Miss Clara Barton who visited the
| Home that day in company with her friend
| Mrs j. ] had long wished to meet Miss Bar
/ ton. During the war | was quite jealous
| of her. TO think that she could do 5,
much and | so little. Every woman has he
| destiny; hers WAS to work for other women'
boys and mine to stay at home and take care o
1 Oh
A WORD FOR LOYAL WOMEN.
My husband was with the brave Farragut a
the battle of New Orleans. We were living a
that time in a small village in the western par
of New York State with three little children
when my husband received orders to join Far
| ragut. How my heart aehed to have him go
Still should have feltitmuch more to have hat
him stay at home, and So, with so many othe
aching hearts, | staid at home, and waited
! watched, and wept When the report of tn
| first gun, fired at Fort Sumter, reached tina
little town, it seemed as though every woman
and girl in the place was se1f-instituted Won
ans Relief Corps, They went to work a
thousands of other loyal women did for on
brave boys. / wish to speak Of loyal womel
| right here. How many good, large hearted
women worked for the soldiers then, who's
| husbands were among the stay-at- homes, anC
| these same women are just as earnest in thei
work to-day for the disabled soldiers and thei
families. Think you, any of the men asked il
those days if these women belonged TO the sol
diers? | know better. | was surprised the othe
day at the Union Board meeting to hear
president of one of our corps say: "Our Pos
does not believe in our admitting loyal women
and so we do not" | guess they have neye
been told who toiled and begged for them il
those dark DAYS. Most of our soldiers ar
poor men, So OF course, their wives are. and
they would think a moment they would Sc
that they are working for themselves, as the
give their money to their wives, and they .
TO the meetings and give it right back and
say, if the loyal women {God bless them ar
willing TO helpas care for our needy ones, tina
we viii take them gladly aud heartily into on
ranks. The loyal women are the ones to brin
US the money their husbands made while OH
husbands were imperiling their lives to save GU
glorious country. In that way we equalize GU
work.
MRS. ADMrRAL DAHLGREN's KINDNESS.
heartily approved Of the position of Nils
Maria Flaacke on the loyal woman question
and was glad to know there was another Dab
gren Post. Dahlgren Post, No. 2, of Sout
Boston, is named after the two Dahlgreni
They have in their room eur glorious old IA
and the Union Jack" Some time since on
Post held fair. They edited paper-"Ti
Dahlgrea Gisa." / had table. / thought on
day l would send SIrs. Mandeline Yinton Dab
gren one Of the papers thinking it might in
terest her. Although she did not know nae,
wrote my name on the margin of the pape
with my address. By return Of mail almost
had such pleasant letter, thanking me fo
sending il TO her. and Informing me thai sh
had sent me box of books for the benefit
} the fair. | think there were twenty 20
umes. Most Of them We're the life OF Ulri
: Dahlgren. sold them all. As she was so kin
" -A4tf Ihou5hb nOhAu tlofA dipbASl iaNo4i
/ / wrote her and asked her If she would M
+ send me picture of the admiral. She prom
ised TO send me one as soon as she went to ht
summer home at South Mountain, but she
such busy woman | suppose she has forgotte
me. The Post has fine picture of Uric Dab
} gren, and | would so much like to have one
the admiral that l think / shall jog her men
DRY. | did not know before that there w;
/ another Post of the name of Dahlgren. hoI
their Relief Corps will be as good one as
have the pleasure of being president Of "
number seventy-fve members, and are increa
ing all the time We have adjourned unit
September lst. MATILDA C. LAWToN,
5 Treasurer, Department of Massachusetts,,
7 Woman's Relief Corp
SOUTH BosToN, July, 1888.
! |
National Union Prisoners Convention.
Cnrnraae II Z Rlalreslan rresidant and NJ