St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-05
A Visitor Tells Why He Thinks
The New Home Is Cheer
less.
He Asserts That There Is a
Lack Of Amusements and
Diversions.
DR.. Ames the Only Sunbeam
People in General Should
Take More Interest.

ANLY one who has Wis
] | ] ! !
~A~SSV tied the lately estab-
ggN%~X liShed Soldiers home at
xIHT&SAM Minnehaha Falls can
@aH( 1z&AlH appreciate the true ma
|ANSMsWd ture of the work of allie
SAX~A Walton and its necessity
Mzzsg9SM, that is being carried on
S ~ in its quiet way in the
garden spot of Mime
haha Falls, remote from the hustle of
the city. The buildings are temporary
structures, but are comfortable, while
the attendance to the veterans needs
seems excellent. The surroundings of
the home, naturally beautiful in win
ter, seem almost dreary, and to one &C
custOmed to the pleasant, cheerful in
f1uence of home life the impression is
one akin to sadness when he
looks upon the physical wrecks of men
who once marched gaily to the music of
the fife and drum in the prime of man
hood. When, however, the reflection
comes up that these men, so cafefully
cared for now, have just been gathered
from impoverished homes and aims
testimony of the gratitude that is felt
for their services in the nations behalf,
there is feeling of relief.
Still it is but home in the nature of
resting place.
To give you an idea of the place
there Is one large building, which in
appearance looks like mOderate-sized
hotel. Here is the office, under the
charge of genial Capt. 0. M. Sawyer,
who resides there with his family.
Then there is large room, barracks,
or ward, as it may be called, in which
the inmates reside. Upon entering the
icif 10 80
tude and listlessness of the veterans.
Here are twenty men who sit aimlessly
around, evidently thinking, thinking
as if waiting for the end. Four are en-
gagged in game of euchre, playing only
time, and not with any spirit
of interest as to the result apparently.
Then there are dozen reading papers
quietly. A look around shows that the
bedsteadS. mattresses and coverings are
of good material. The atmosphere is
| comfortable and the ventilation good.
Go over to the hospital department.
stretched upon their iron bedsteads, that
is a fxed-over greenhouse, but
| is airy and comfortable. An
other building, the most attractive
| in appearance and architecture,
resembles good-sized dwelling. 1t is
| occupied by family, which includes
several children, who could hardly be
called veterans of the late war. Only
| two sick, wOrnout, old soldiers, one of
whom was evidently insane, were given
| quarters there.
This is brief glance, but it will be
sufficient to indicate the general I'M
| preston conveyed, and it should not be
understood that the intention is to con-
vey somber view.
Here's the point.
There is lack of those attentions
| that are calculated to create diversion
and enliven. There is an absence of
woman's care. The Soldiers home''
should be home, if it can be made So.
and the hint as to what might and
should be done is sufficiently plain.
TO diverge. The advanced age of the
veterans is remarkable, the average
being over siXty-seven years. For ex-
pie: John Daily, seventy-two years :;
Andrew G. Hilberg, seventy-seven; ;
Fields, siXty-three; Phillip Fl. Collins,
seventy three. and so on.
What the home needs is more books,
| papers, visitors, gentle amusements.
Those who are interested in the work
have done we'll, considering the brief
time given them, and the G. A. r. posts
of both Minneapolis and St. Paul de-
serve credit. The magnitude of the
work can be cOnjectured when it is
known that some 800 veterans receive
aid independently from the home
through the board of trustees.
WAKING 'EM UP.
There is one event that occurs daily
between the hours of and each after
noon which wakes the veterans up and
seems to arouse them, and that is the
visit of DR.. A. A. Ames, the surgeon of
the home. The doctor was veteran
himself and knows what the boys want.
He comes from the train brlskly, opens
up his little prescription department
and inquiries after the ailing. They
come in to see him one by one as fast as
they learn he is there.
''How are you, my boy?" asks the
doctor of white-haired veteran, old
enough to be his father.
"Oh, Pm miserable, miserable. I amt
goin' to last to spring"
'Oh, yes, you are. We are not going to
let you leave us for a good while yet.
We want to use YOU"
"Well, 'Doc.,' what's the use. What
on earth can you do with poor old
wreck like me?"
"Why, cOnfound you, we want you to
sit on the porch and sight the trees to
see if they grow straight"
And the poor old vet limped off, feel
ing better for having had something OF
a humorous nature said to him.
my foot troubles me more than
ever" said another old soldier, who, re-
moving shoe and stocking, showed
badly im1amed pedal extremity.
"Aha, you were over to st. Paul last
week" remarked the doctor, land drank
too much beer"
"No, didn't"
"Well, would have, if it had been
me instead of you;" and the doctor
laughed, probably at the truthfulness
of his own remark. SO it went on, and
when the main barracks and the .hospi-
tails were visited the doctor shook hands,
joked and laughed, prescribed, ordered
this and that, and away he went to catch
the return train to Minneapolis.
The foregoing is the impression re-
ceiyed by one who visited the home last
week out of curiosity to see the new in
stitution. 1t was only cursOry exam
inatiOD and the criticism that the insti-
tuition should have more life in order to
give life is based upon it.