The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-20
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
A WASHINGTON CHARITY.
BY Mrs. e. L. SHERWOOD.

"What makes it always rain when we
particularly want to go somewhere ?"
was the cOnundrum put to me by
light little miss of twelve summers, this
morning. never could guess the reason
why, only 30 it seems occasionally to the
immature understanding. A heavy, misty,
fine rain was falling and it looked in
every direction as though it might rain
all day. Now, we two grown ups and
three children had been anticipating a
pleasant time for week past, and to have
it rain was too disappointing to the chill
dren, and we older ones wers not too
wise to feel it also; only we had learned
to submit to whatever is, in silence.
Fortunately, it held up in time to go at
the last moment. For seven years I was
secretary of the
Colored Women's and Orphans Home
in the District of Columbia, and it
was to make my annual visit that our
little party was projected by the Mat
ron, with whom I have always kept
up most cordial relations since severing
my connection with the Board of Manage
ment.
When was in office Il am not now the
old home was made of government bar
racks donated for that purpose at Gen.
DO. Howard's suggestion at the close OF
the late war. OF frame, and necessarily
of a somewhat temporary nature, it is
wonderful that the buildings lasted so
long as they did, some twenty years; but
like the celebrated zone boss shay" they
had been repaired TO such an extent, from
roof to cellar, that but little save the skel-
eton of the original structure remained,
danger from fire constantly threatned.
| However, with care, nothing disastrous
| happened. At last the Commissioners OF
the District asked Congress TO make an
appropriation sufficiently large to erect
new building, with all the 'modern i'm
provements." Two years ago twenty
thousand dollars was appropriated for
that purpose. Congress not only helps
sustain nearly all the charitable institu-
| tons in the District, but builds where it
is not strictly UNCONVENTIONAL, and in two
! instances helped erect suitable quarters
for such under the wing of the "Moth.
er Church" -Providence Hospital and the
Old Peoples Home, cared for by the
'Little Sisters of the Poor" But in so do
ing their charters demanded admittance
for applicants from
Any All, or no Sect
who might need their care. Last year
twenty thousand more was appropriated
for completing and furnishing with heat
ing apparatus, lighting, etc., of the build
ing begun two years ago.
Completed, it stands with a north and
south wing facing the east and a center
between the two gables for entrance,
which is set back under wide and deep
porch, up flight of half dozen steps.
The north wing was completed frat and
it contains store rooms, coal rooms,
furnaces, laundries, kitchen, pantries
and children's dining rooms in the
basement. Nearly one hundred children
sit on little chairs or on benches beside
half. grown folks TO eat their dinner from
tin plates. 1t consisted of stewed meat,
sweet potatoes, sliced tomatoes, gravy
and corn bread. Each child had the
same Iations, for in these institutions
like public schools-all must submit to
pretty much the same routine. 1t is only
IN the family that individual taste and
preference can be consulted; for exper-
fence teaches that while it may occasion
ally be bad for children to all be sub
jected to the same rules and regulations,
it generally is better for all concerned, to
SO govern in public institutions. When
The Ninety Odd Little Ones
were gathered around the tables, at the
tap OF a bell "a hush fell upon then, the least
ones covered their faces with their hands
and said holy 'grace" in a sing song
way, aud when they bad done, the older
ones repeated the Lords prayer in uni
son.