Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-18
THE suIT.iN SOCIETY.
The People do Perish for Lack Of
knowledge"

The People do Perish fer Laek ol
knowledge"
EDITOR PosT TISTELLIoKscEB:
To those who Suppose, when people
have been confined to the bed a fev
years, they get 30 used to il that OF
course they don't mind anything about
1t; TO those who have got tired OF
asking how z who has been coufned
to the bed less than a year. is;" to
those who are sure they wouldn't want
to live if they we're shut in. and, Of
course, you. II, woaidn'i want 70 if you
suffered any; to those who never sup
posed one who had been shut in a few
years could have longing for the out
side world, for, of course. that kind Of
a life has become second nature, hke;r'
to those who envy those who have no
thing to do bat TO lie in bed year after
year, with not care in the world, while
their less favored friends lives are SO
burdened with hard work and care that
as seon as their heads touch their pill
lows at night they are sound asleep" 10
those who hadn't any idea there were
80 many people confined to their beds
in the whole world as there are mem
bers of the Shut In Society,"" to those
who didn't know before that IL was
possible person wholly confined TO the
bed could live eight years." the follow.
ing sketch is particularly dedicated:
This sketch of the Shut-in Society has
been prepared in the hope that il may
at least be the means of Frightening
the weary days and nights of few suf-
fering ones by introducing TO them a
society where genuine sympathy-that
help chronic invalids need 80 much L.
help them endure all tn sir tortures, and
receive so little offs found on every
hand, and where pride, fashion, jealousy
and insincerity are excluded.
THIS Society has been in existence
since January, 1871, and to Mrs. Jennie
M. ID. Couklin, then Miss Drinkwater,
of New Vernoa, N. j :, belongs the honor
of originating the Society aud giving il
name. She had been shut in three
years when she began 10 pray that she
might find some one ese shut IN; "some
one to write TO, to do good TO and re-
ceive good from" She already had one
such correspondent, Miss Susie 3 H.
Hewett, of Bs!leyIile. N. j., of whom
Sue spoke as a dear little maiden, who
is seldom taken out into the sunshine
and never stauds upon her feet" Bot
she wanted another, and tine resolve
was made to tind somebody new to
broaden her life as we'll as mine"
At this juncture NJ ~ ID. was attract d
by AN article entitled my Invalid
Friends" signed Cousin Alice" in the
Advocate aud Guardian. She at once
wrote the editor for the full name aud
address of Coo sin Alice, and commenced
pleasing and mutually profitable COR
respondence with Miss Alice NJ. Ball, OF
Pittstield, Mass. second article, called
out by the above, and entitled To In
valids," added Mrs. l.. j. Geer To the
little circle, which has steadily increased
until now there are nearly two thousand
members.
In the fall OF 1879 a mammal contain
ing all the names aud addresses was
issued, and every three months after
ward, up TO January, 1888, circular
letter, which contained names and ad-
dresses Of new members, messages from
members, removals. Withdrawals and
deaths. A monthly, called The Shut
in Visitor" has taken the place of the
circular letter, and hlls the demand OF
the Society for more frequent method
of communication.
IL il edited by Mrs. Kate Summer
Barr, of walworth, N. T., one of the
associate members, ito whom all inqui-
ries concerning the Society should be
addressed" The subscription price of
the Visitor Ia 500. per annum. Though
the especial organ of the Shut-iR So
ciety," auy one is at liberty to subscribe
for IL.
To be a sufferer, shut in from the out
side world. constitutes one a proper can
didats for membership in this Sasiety,
which has no constitution, efficers, by
laws or initiation fee. The only sxpsnse
incurred in becoming a member II the
price of the Visitor.
II is q simple agency to give and re-
celys diversion of thought. comfort and
cheer by sending and receiving letters
and other tokens of rememorance. Each
IN at liberty TO write to any one on the
list, or TO all. Some of the members are
unable To write. and some would fiud
the expense of an extensive correspond
enoe embarrassing. Writing. therefore,
is not compulsory. Those who are not
able to write may feel content TO be re-
cipients only Of the sympathy aud love
of the more favored. But to those who
can il is recommended that they select
as many correspondents as they can at
tend TO, without making task of wha1
ID desigaed only "a be a pleasure.
thing gives such cheer and comfort ~
letters. They not only aid us With their
sympathy and brightness, but help us
20 90 out into other lives instead OF
staying :" hut in /" with our own suffer
ing: and surely, for those who are able
TO write. there will be suffering for tbs
sin of omission II some OF the comfort
aud ~ ynpathy is not g p ,ssed on.
No ~pe but "shut IN can appreciate