St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-11
The SOLDIERS HOME.
a Brief Description Of Mime
sofas Pet Public Char
ity.
Something Of What May Be
Seen During a Brief
Visit.
How the Old Soldiers Amuse
Themselves During the
Day.
What the Public Might Do
to Assist in Amusing
Them.

To the average student of human
nature nothing could be more interest
Ing than a visit to the Minnesota sol
diers' home. There are old veterans
there who have served their country for
years i'll the past, and now as old age
has chained them in its prison hands,
are reaping the reward of their service
in a home that can be theirs until time
claims them. and which is filled with
little comforts and amusements, the re-
suit of studious effort Oh the part OF the
management.
The home itself is situated on one of
natures beauty spots, a peninsula OF
land bounded on one side by the mighty
father of waters and OH the other by
the-poetic Minnehaha creek that CUR
giles over is pebbly bed to the rustic Of
the leaves overhead, and then flows on,
finally falling over the ledge and max
Ing that pretty little cascade that Long
fellow has made famous the world over.
The fifty-tWO acres Is filled with
wooded hills. deep Tavines ana grassy
slopes, forming a park that needs
one of the lOveliest spots on earth.
When the full plan of the home is car
ried out the grizzled veterans will have
q resting place in which to spend their
last DAYS which might be the envy OF
the millionaire.
At present but three of the buildings
are completed. Two handsome large
cottages of Moorish design, built of
pressed brick and brown stone, with
noble porches and broad archWayS, and
q hospital building of the same mater
ial, the most complete in its interior
and sanitary arrangements or any In
the United States. No wonder that DR.
A. A. Ames, to whom chiefly is due the
present magnitude and completeness of
the home. feels proud Of it, and loves
to spend most of his time with the old
bows, who are never tired of listening
to his cherry voice, or his encouraging
words to the sick.
One of the interesting points at the
home is the book containing the per-
sonal history of the minutes. This book
is a large volume, having page de-
voted to each man, and giving his war
record, family history and home history.
This book is kept by one Of the veter-
ans, who. though an old man, is an
adept with the pen and brush. The
as neat as one could wish to see, and
the old fellow is deservedly proud of it..
Some of its pages form interesting read
ing, and the records of some Of the in
mates, many of whom have passed the
term of three score years and ten, are
stories of service for their country that
will live in history. On many page
the last sad act in the drama Of life is
chronicled in note, about which the
deep sOmber lines Of mourning are
drawn, but those who have thus passed
away have gone to their last account
In one of the pTettieSt spots on earth,
and with the tender care that many a
friendlesS man might envy, and the
soft tears of those old comrades are
more to he priced than the waving OF
somber plumeS and the mOckery Of the
funeral dirge.
In the reception room is volume
that would interest any old soldier
officer or private. 1t is a collection Of
old photographs of Minnesota soldiers
taken when they first went into the
army. There are hundreds of them
all neatly indeXed, and no one has beer
too humble to find place in its pages,
whether he wore the chevrOns or carried
the musket. Here are seen the youth
full faces of men, taken in their trSi
the bloody field or grown griZZled with
years; many of them in the uniform OF
the private or sergeant, who have since
WOn.honor and fame, either on the bat
tie field or in public halls. The visitor
to the home should not fail to see this
album. 1t is pictorial history that vii
live in the annals of history as long a:
Minnesota is a state.
The old soldiers themselves are by NJ
means the least interesting of the Sight
of the home. Some of them have passed
into their second childhood, and are al
easily amused and as hungry for atten
ton as are the pampered children o
fortune. All of them have some small
duties to attend to. some in the kitchen
others in the grounds or about thu
house. The GLOBE reporter paid hi
visit on the worst day of the week Il
find things In perfect condition, the da,
before the one set apart for Scrubbing
yet everything was as neat and cozy a
could be wished. The hardwood floor
were as white and glossy as the deck O
man-of-war. Each iron bunk had it
bright red blanket folded over the be,
with exact precision and without
wrinkle, The pillows were large an
soft, the slips as white as new falle
snow, and would shame a firSt-clas
hotel for comfort.
The food furnished was of the best
The bread, made by the men them
selves, was white and sweet, the pota
toes large and mealy, and the fried pOr
was done to turn. Onions and neI
fresh greens formed the side dishes
and everything was furnished in plenty
1t is a pretty sight to see the old fellow
seated in long lines at the tables. The
seem to enjoy everything set befor
them and have not care as to how tn
nextmeal is to be procured.
One queer character is natural ga
dener, and is arranging bed betwee
the two cottages to form Grand Arm
badge. The work, although not con
pleted. Is so well done that it might we
be the envy of professional gardene
Other beds are being laid out in fror
OF the home, and in few weeks th
place will present gala appearance.
No restraint is placed upon the II
mates, and they wander at will all abor
the grounds, and may be met with wall
Ing up and down the roads, seated O
the wooded slopes, or watching tn
waters of the creek as they leap O
toward the fall below. In the evenin
they gather In the general room an
play at games or tell stories, while the
buff the smoke, with deep satisfaction
IRON TIE UOWlS VI OldCh plpeo tlldI nav
seen years of service. Capt. Mcmillan
the commandant, can not be too highI
praised for his kindly treatment Of til
boys, and his study TO please and flu
plsh them with amusement. All til
officers of the institution are kindl,
Whole-Souled men, who strive TO max
the home pleasant, and one visit wi