The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-09-05
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
An Intelligencer Reporter Pays IL Visit
to the Institution.
AT PRESENT TWENTY INMATES
Four Families Occupying Cottages
Ten Cottages Fully Furnished
A FlOwerBedecked i.awn-
Matters of Moment.
HIGGINSvILLE, Mo-, August %

vi
liGGINSvILLE, Mo, August %.
Tempted by the beauty of the even
ing, combined with desire to escape
for Il time from the hustle and activity
of our little city, we last NJ onday, near
the close of day paid Il visit To the
Confederate Home, one and one-half
miles to the northward. Ere our arri-
val at the Home, we met Mr.. Norvell.
the kind and affable superintendent of
| the Home farm, on his way to town to
make some purchases, and with his
usual urbanity, he stopped and con-
versed with us, regarding the Home
and the great prospects in store for its
future welfare. lie informed us that
| there were at present four families re-
siding in cottages, and that at the
Home all told there were twenty in
mates, exclusive of his own family. OF
these twenty about twelve are old eX-
confederate soldiers. All the cottages,
ten III number, are furnished, and
ready for occupancy. After convers-
ing for Il time we drove up and hitched
our horse, - the celebrated "white
horsen IIarry,-tO the rack and made
Il tour through the grounds of the
Home. On the front porch of the
main building sat three old men, all
engaged in conversation doubtless con-
cerning the battles in which they had
participated; perhaps of comrades
who had long since answered to the
eternal roll-call; or of the days before
the war, when they were living at
home the loved ones all around them,
mother, wife, children. Doubtless they
often converse on these topics for to
them they will never grow old or COM
monplace, and we, the younger gener-
alton, while we may in some instances
entertain different ideas in regard to
the ''late unplcaSantness" respect the
views of the dear old Johnnie Rebs,
and swear to aid in maintaining the
noble institution which has, almost ut
the eleventh hour, been prepared for
them.
The main building is occupied by
Mr.. Norvcll and his family, and those
of the old soldiers whose wives are dead
and those who are unable to perform
any tasks requiring much strength Oh
! toll. The building is the most home,
= like imaginable containing about eight
! rooms, and hallway, with two
: porches. 1t is very pleasantly and con
=, ycnienily adapted to the requirements
:, of its inmates. The yard is a perfec
. Eden of flowers. Quaint, old-fashion
| al ,,T n,,,r,- a. D,,.h q,
i our grandmothers loved, mingle thei
perfume with the Sweet-Sccnted gera
. miums and hot-hOuSe eXotIces of tn
>, present day. Here in the cool of tn
evening the soldier can sit and talk o
~. the past, his thoughts Overlapping tn
~ birth of years, and here he may dream
~ of the future, which, blessings on tn
noble ones of our state, will be a
:, bright as loving hearts and wilin
~, hands can make.
. We did not enter the Home buildin
Il as ii was growing late, but were kindl
=, invited by Mrs. James O'Neill, VIII
lives in one of the cottages to walk i
. and look at the furnishings of tn
4 dwelling, which is exactly similar I
- that in all the cottages. The cottage
n consist of three rooms each, to whic
- are added two coy little pOrches
;. These cottages were recently furnishe
- by the st. Louis Daughters of tn
NJ Confederacy, and contain evcrythin
=, essential to comfort and ease. Ii
II unnecessary to enumcrate the variOu
II articles, they are all usually found i
the most comfortable homes and of
,o fine quality too.
Let no one think those inmates III
~ ungrateful. All no, if anyone coul
= have seen the gratitude, and heard til
~ kindly words of the women who live
nc in the cottage, the most hardene
w. heart would have been moved. Mr..
70 O'Nein, spoke in the highest terms {
,o the kindness of the supervising con
~ ~ mittee and the superintendent, prai
~, ing DIR. j. j. FulkersOn very highly ft
49, his many kindly favors and bestowin
No the most touching encomiums upC
the ladies of our city, county and stat
l.. who are doing SO much in the intere
he of the Home. She is happy in Il
- possession of her new home, and kim
re ly invited us to call again, as we ba'
On her good-evening,
or On the way home could but thin
= of the gratitude evinced by the lit
In woman whose husband had once wol
m the gray, and of the great, unselfi
hearts of the people of Missouri, WI
,ol give, each and all portion of the
wv earnings towards the erection al
~, maintainance of the Home.
oJ When one thinks of all this one
II apt to entertain higher regard f
tn the human race in general, for ol
sees that underneath the hard III
bo callous hearts of some, there is hidd'
,ra warm love for the old, the maine
od and the sick, and "one. touch of natu
makes the whole world kim All, yt
-, the world is much better than son
> would have us believe, and the peOp
"a in il not so deserving of censure rs
oJ often represented. Here in Nilsson
at least, the people have kind, gcn'
ho Gus hearts, and love, the white wing'
n,, angel, ut last cOnquers the demons
hr h malace, enmity, and bitterness. Ev
nn in the eternal city all will unite regar
aJ less of beliefs here below, and on ear
the glad tldings come with joy go
I, nation is strongly and indissolul
IN bound together and the bands are 10y
~ charity and kindness"
NV -" W. W. MITCHELL.