The Republican journal., 1884-03-06
Letter From Boston.

ed. A VISITOR.
Letter From Boston.
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS. THE GOVERNORS RE-
CEPrION. THE FAIR FOR BLIND CHILDREN.
A TEMPERANCE BOOM.
Correspondence of the Journal.
AS Washington's birthday this year offered
some unique attractions, to citizens of the Hub,
L venture to send you a few brief notes con-
cerning the same First, came the rarity of a
weeks of dreary drizzle and rain. This. of it
self, was enough to lure people out of doors,
and by ten o'clock the tide of travel was per-
ccptiby towards the State House. When the
daily papers announced that Governor Robin
lnson would receive on that day, after the
fashion of things at the national capital, some
laughed, some sneered at it as Il neat political
dodge, Il few We're increduous, but everybody
went. Doubtless the soul of Mrs. Harrison
Gray Otis would have rejoiced to see the pro-
cession, for it was she who battled hravely to
make Feb. - IA legal holiday. For nearly forty
years, like the patriotic genteWoman that she
was, she kept open house on that day, serving
cake and coffee, or some equally simple refresh
ment, to all who came. Ii WAS on one such
occasion that she begged Governor Gardiner
who honored her house with his presence, to
grant her Il single request. "Wih all my heart
Madam. if it be in my power" was his courte-
Gus reply. Make Wa>hngtcn's birthday.
then, Il legal holiday" said Madam OTIS. And
he did, by using his influence to secure the
desired result.
OF course | went with the rest of the world,
purposcly choosing time when the most un-
polished element of society would be likely to
be in the ascendancy. Distinguished military
men, eminent statesmen, poets, scholars and
divines were there by the score: but they are
an everyday sight in Boston assemblies, and it
would be q novelty to see coored servants,
newsboys and haclmen pay reverence to the
chief magistrate of the Commonwealth. The
honest rustic just preceding me needed re-
minder to remove his hat, but somehow there
was Il ring of loyalty that commanded respect
III his rough greeting" (fuy'nor, | b'lieve
you're the man to steer the old ship o. state
through the channel. Goa bless ye." In his
wake was Il keen little street urchin. who knew
enough to take OIL his tattered cap, and whose
sharp eyes took in every detail. from his EX-
ceency'> bo"o,stin,e to the number of his staif
surrounding him.
"a great bore to you, Governor, but a great
pleasure to the people" was one greeting by
no means,'' was the hearty reply. IL enjoy
meeting them all = and not one of the more
than 1000 individuals who caled d but came
away with decidedly agreeable impression of
Mr.. Buffers sue cessor in office.
Another big building on another hin drew II
crowd of visitors on the same day-the Blind
Asylum at South Boston. Whoever went there
with i've dollars in his pocket and came away
with more than enough to pay his ear fare
home must be more than ordinarily hard-heart-
ed. For the occasion was Fair to raise funds
for establishing a kindergarten for little blind
children, of whom there are TWENTY-FIVE in Bos-
ton alone, between the ages of four and nine
Most of them come from miserable homes,
where they receive little besides blows and
curses, and where every influence is sthoroughlv
demorazin@ such surroundings are pitfuI
enough for children in full possession of their five
senses, but when deprived of sight their ease
appeals at once to our humanity. Mr.. Anag-
nos, the Warm-heArted Greek who married
Julia Ward IIowe's daughter. and who i the
Director of the institution, is Just the man for
such an enterprise. 1t is simply marvellous
what he has accomplished among the older
children in the two kindergarten classes al
ready in operation. The perfect delight Of these
sightlesS boys and girls, when they succeed in
moulding images out of clay, or when weaving
with their bright colored strips of paper is pa
thetic indeed. one of the most touching articles
ever written appeared in the Wide Awake for
Oct, 1888. full of incidents relative to this
work. II has been republished in pamphlet
form, and | presume Mr.. Anagnos will be
happy to send copy free to whoever writes to
him for one. When we consider that some lit
tie waif from Belfast, or from other places in
Maine, may need to seek shelter in this nstitll-
ton, its claim upon the sympathieS of the good
people of the Pine Tree State is douhy enforc-
ed.
This whole method of kindergarten instruc-
ton is wonderfully interesting. The thirty OF
more schools in the city Of Boston are wholly
supported by Mrs. Quincy Shaw, a daughter of
the late Prof AgassiZ, at an annual expense of
$4,000. Every forenoon She has IL gallon OF
fresh milk from the country left at each school
room, and the eagerne>s with which it is drank
by some Of the poorer children teStities to the
lack of food in their homes. When money is
dispensed in this princely fashion, by single
individual. for the blessing of others. it helps
Us to believe that people are not altogether sur
| rendered to the power of 1.-THE world, the flesh
and the devil"
My letter is already too long to say much
about the Law and order League which is
striking vigorous blows for the temperance
cause. The fight for constitutional prohibition
in the Old Bay State promises to be severe
one, but meantime the League is going forward.
doing excellent service i'll enforcing the laws
already on the statute books. A grand rally
was held in fremont Temple on the afternoon
and evening of Feb. I'D, with rouSing speeches
by leading advocates of reform against this
evil. Public sentiment is being tremendously
stirred, and how much it needs to be is proved
by a little scene which | witnessed at Parker's
while lunching there on the evening referred
to- A fine looking lady entered the room, ac-
COlnpdnleu By I'VE DuNS. whose average age may
have been sixteen. "Eyidenty Il Sabbath
school teacher with her class remarked my
companion. ''She is giving them Il holiday i'll
Boston," The verdict was changed, however,
when the waiter appeared and filled glasses
with, at least, two kinds of wine, and placed
beside their plates. When well-bred women 50
far forget their Iadyhood as to encourage Young
men in drinking habits, in such fashion, it is
time to ''cry aloud and spare not" At an ad-
joining table sat the working secretary of
the League MIR. l.. Edwin Dudley, who had
evidently stepped into the nearest cafe for Il
hurried lunch between the afternoon and even
ing meetings. | hoped that he did not see the
sabbath school teacher,' for be has to grapple
with difficulties and discouragements enough
in .'life among the lowly," without encounter
ing intemperance in high life. E.J.D.
'''rhe only misgiving | had when | left the
cutter" says Lieutenant Rhodes, the Gay Head
hero, twas about my baby. You didn't know
that | had one, did you? He is bright little
boy about two years old. His mother died some
time ago, and as left the boat | called out to
the captain to look out for him if anything
happened to me-"
an1t