The Globe-republican., 1891-12-31

brief social visit paid to few old friends
is all we have at present in the way Of
personal experience and observation to
throw light upon these matters. A short
five mile drive down the smooth and
fertile Arkansas valley. over the newly
opened boulevard from Dodge City,
brought us to the little village beauti-
fully situated on the north bank of the
river. Here the table lands. with about
one hundred feet eveievatiOn draw closer
to the stream. and while leaving an
ample eXpanse of smooth rich valley for
cottages. lawns and gardens. provides
! z natural barrier TO protect them from the
northern blasts of winter. Trees here and
there elnbeilish the grounds and furnish
pleasant shade in summer. All the way
from the city down the new highway.
these trees. the cottages and cOmmOdlous
barracks are plainly visible. We halted
in front of Il neat. new cottage. occupied
by the family of veteran whose high
standing as Il cultured, christian gentle
man has won the respect of the entire
community in which he formerly resided
on farm in this county. Though only
contemplating brief stay in the home
until recovered health shall fit him to
60 forth in the world again, ne is taking
leading part i'm religious work, and SUI
perintends Il prosperous Sunday school,
besides training his own bright little
boys and girls in the way they should go.
We accepted a cordial invitation to din
ner and on remarking incidently that the
Drmocym bad prepared us to expect rot
ten meat and rancid butter, our host as
sured us that all such talk was simply
fOOlishness. He went on TO say his ia
bic had never been better supplied. In
fact he saw no room for improvement.
The supply was ample and varied, and
of excellent quality. Upon this subject
we were soon in Il position to Judge from
actual experience, as the family board
was loaded with goodly variety of
wholesome viands. presided over by his
good wife. who. by the way, is refined
and cultured lady from an old southern
family. We believe if Bro. Petition and
our other half starved contemporaries
who have permitted their columns to be
used through which to utter the cry of
spoiled meat. rotten butter and INSULT
cient quantity, had sat at this table they
would be compelled to admit the inferi-
ority of their own larders in comparison
We dropped into the quarters of our
venerable friend l.. Leppert. the barber
so well known to our people, and en-
joyed a pleasant chat. We happened to
have the last issue of the Dodge City
Democrat. and called the old gentleman's
to the list of questions by .'Sti.l
another citizen" He commented upon
them in a common sense manner and we
believe candidly and truthfully. As to
the first, he said no one was compelled
to labor, inmates being more or less in
firm, but if they desired to work, were |
allowed twenty-five cents per day in adj
ditiOn to clothing, medical treatment.
food and other necessary sup
Flies. AS to Vine Depui being CON-
PEELED to leave in his shirt sleeves, he said
that gentleman got on a spree, became
indignant and left without being dis
charged, the discharge coming after
he had thus abandoned the home. He
said there were no young women at the
home Illegally" The management had
admitted one or two to nurse
md care for helpless and invalid parents.
In reference to some of the old bows be-
ng compelled to use their pensions for
supplies Mr.. Leppert said only those
who had never Jared so well before COM
planned Of the quantity or quality of sup
plies. For his part if he drew for one
month all rations allowed there would
De enough surplus to last two weeks
enger and that the quality was more
Uniformly good than a family ordering
rom grocery stores in general was like
y to get, and if by chance. any food
vas not satisfactory it was always taken
back and replaced with another supply.
In answer to the question whether any
If the discharged inmates deserved such
reatment. Mr.. Lcppert declared it alb
olutely necessary for the peace and
luiet of the home that some, at least, of
hose discharged be excluded. For in
tance. the man Williams, writer and in
tigator of most articles denouncing the
home. was so rabid and abusive in de-
bouncing religion and religious works,
hat no christian could remain in his Vi
Unity with any comfort. 1t was his hab-
t to rail at those he saw reading the
Bible or other religious books. and de-