The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-01-07
sOLDIERs' HOME.
The Legislature VIII br Asked
to Endow It.

! iect as follows:
4 Did you ever think, Mr.. Edi-
tor, how you'd feel with one Of
lyour sleeves hanging down
empty; or did you ever try to
imagine yourself stumping a.
round ona wooden leg not.one
Iof the light springy things thai
cost ever so much money, but a
regular stick? Well, if you have
mot, just take some quiet min
ute, when you are not busy, and
try to imagine yourself in eth
er predicament. You won't find
even the imagining of it a pleas
ant thought. Having carried
an arm in a sling q good many
months gives a slight notion Of
lit.
4 Now there are a number of
people in North Carolina who
are carrying empty sleeves, and
many more who are lame and
halt. Some of these people are
well off and have friends who
can wait on them, and take care
of them. 1t is not these whom
I wish to speak of today.
Some one may ask, "who are
these people who are lame and
halt, and why are they special
objects of pityT All! there's
the question my friends. They
are North Cardinals soldiers,
they are not suing for pity, it
is justice they need. They are
getting old. They are poor.
They are not able to work, and
they must stay here till they
are called away.
Are we going to put them in
almshouses? Do they deserve
that these men who went to
the front when an enemy was
upon us?
We sent many thousands of
them to the battlefield. Thos-
ands of them never came back
to receive our adulation then, or
our miserable pity now. Are
we going to let those who came
home MANNED envy, in their old
age, those who are lying in
Pennsylvania and Virginia
lgraveyards-those who are
sleeping in Tennessee battle
grounds?
Remember, North Carolina,
these men We're with Lee and
Jackson They did some splen-
did work around Richmond--in
the Valley-at Fredericksburg
at Gettysburg! They were
splendid at Charlottesville
they were grand everywhere!
! They were ours then when we
were so proud of them. There
was no North Carolina regiment
drummed out of service for
cowardice. We had reason to
be proud of them then; are they
any the less ours to be proud Of
now?
| North Carolina owes it to her
self to take care of them. How
is she going to do it! Truly,
nobly, as behooves a great State,
or by means of fancy fairs and
odd subscriptions here and there;
| Shall we eat ourselves sick in
supporting festivals for their
benefit! Let's leave that for
the church folks. North Caro-
lima must endow her Soldiers
| Home.
| That we are notpoyerty strick.
len, may be proven by a cursory
| look at the house we have built
for our Governor. Why it's
large enough for q Governor
and a Soldiers Home combined,
We have done that and yet we
live! Now let's do a little more.
IL these stately halls and beau
tiful rooms are needed for one
mans family, why can't we
raise money enough for a Sol.
diers' Home toos ~
The Legislature is TO be asked
for a good many favOrs this
winter-appropriations here
and there. Are any Of then
more important than the care
Of these poor old men!
We don't want a grand house
for them, such as we have rails
led for our Governors home
They would hardly be as com
Portable there as in q plain, sub
, stantial house where they coult
put their feet on the balusterI
and smoke their pipes Will,
they chat over the papers, b
fight over some old battle. 4
good garden spot where thost
who are able can make cabbag,
or strawberries as their tast,
suggests. 1t wouldn't cost much
Nobody wants q splendid pill,
of masonry or fine furniture :,
be exhibited--only q little com
fort for those feeble old mel
, who gave all they had for us
So many Of them "died fo
Dixie" Let's smooth IN,
pathway of the old men VIII,
il. r.. u a. I-.---- a -