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.

lnGIus
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 in the past, and now as old age
has chained them in its prison hands,
are reaping the reward of their service
in home that can be theirs until time
claims them, and which is filled with
little comforts and amuSements, the re-
suit of studious effort on the part of the
management.
The home itself is situated on one of
natures beauty spots, 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 p5bbly 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 Lon
fellow has made famous the world over
The fifty-two acres Is filled with
wooded hills. deep ravines and grassy
slopes, forming park that needs
little of mans handiwOrk to make it
one of the lOveliest spots on earth.
When the full plan of the home is car
ried out the grizZIed veterans will have
9 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
hospital building of the same mater
ial, the most complete in its interior
and sanitary arrangements OF 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
boys, 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
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
work he has expended on the book is
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 prettieSt 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 be priced than the waving of
somber plumes and the mockery of the
funeral diTge.
In the reception room is volume
that would interest any old soldier,
officer or private. 1t is 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 been
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 first
uniform that have since either fallen on
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 will
live in the annals of history as long as
Minnesota is state.
The old soldiers themselves are bv no
means the least interesting of the sights
of the home. Some of them have passed
into their second childhood, and are as
easily amused and as hungry for atten-
ton as are the pampered children of
fortune. All of them have some small
duties to attend to, some in the kitchen,
others in tine grounds or about the
house. The GLOBE reporter paid his
visit on the worst day of the week to
find things In perfect condition, the day
before the one set apart for Scrubbng,
yet everything was as neat and cozy as
could be wished. The hardwood floors
were as white and glossy as the deck of
a man-of-war. Each iron bunk had it's
bright red blanket folded over the bed
with exact precision and without
wrinkle, The pillows were large and
soft, the slips as white as new fallen
snow, and would shame a frst-class
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 pork
was done to turn. Onions and new
fresh greens formed the side dishes,
and everything was furnished in plenty.
1t is pretty sight to see the old fellows
seated in long lines at the tables. They
seem to enjoy everything set before
them and have not a care as to how the
next meal is to be procured.
One queer character is natural gar
dener, and is arranging bed between
the two cottages to form Grand Army
badge. The work, although not COM
pleted. Is so we'll done that it might we'll
be the envy of a professional gardener.
Other beds are being laid out in front
OF the home, and in few weeks the
place will present a gala appearance.
No restraint is placed upon the in
mates, and they wander at will all about
the grounds,and may be met with walk
Ing up and down the roads, seated on
the wooded slopes, or watching the
waters of the creek as they leap on
toward the fall below. In the evening
they gather In the general room aud
play at games or tell stories, while thew
puff the smoke, with deep satisfaction,
from The bowls of black pipes that have
seen years of service. Capt. Mcmillan,
the commandment, can not be too highly
praised for his kindly treatment of the
boys, and his study to please and fur
nlsh them with amusement. All the
officers of the institution are kindly.
whole-souled men, who strive TO make
the home pleasant, and one visit will