Morning journal and courier., 1892-07-16
THE FLEETING SHOW.

Some of Its Facts and Fancies.
Written for the JOURNAL AND CouRIKR.l
AN ASSOCIATION OF INvAL1Ds.
The Shut-in Society, now familiar name
in most households, especially in those
which number an invalid member, begin
ming in the kindly effort of one sufferer
for the consolation of another, has now a
membership of thousands, found in every
state of the Union, in Canada, Newfound-
land, England, Scotland, Germany,
France, Switzerland, Italy aud China.
In 1877 Miss Jennie M. Drinkwater-
now Mrs. Conklin of Madison, N. j., a
writer whose works are marked by high
moral tone, being then an invalid, began a
correspondence with another invalid
personally unknown to her. The inter
change of sympathy brought 80 much of
comfort to each that the work was soon
extended, and in 1884 the Shut-in Society
was fully organized, being incorporated
the next year under the laws of New York.
A candidate for membership needs only
to be a sufferer, shut in from the outside
world. In order that unworthy persons
be prevented from misusing its benefits
the constitution provides that applicants
ohniA 6CAlo WILL ehoAA pAASoeAShAs to9oA-
BILE, the name of their pastor''or physician, or
of some associate member of the society"
These associates, not themselves invalids,
but in sympathy with the work, subscribe
q yearly fee of one dollar, and assume the
duty of corresponding with regular mem
bers in certain states or districts assigned
them.
The officers of this society reside in ten
different states. Composed largely of wo-
1 =, III g.
| and another for children. each with ssso-
ciate memberships. The Shut-in Society
has it's own little magazine, "The Open
Window" its circulating library; its
| wheel chair committee; its regular "con-
| cert of prayer" and its home and foreign
| missionary work. The librarian, Miss A.
E. Fuller of Hanover, Conn, sends
out large numbers of books and
periodicals to those desiring them.
and when it Is remembered
that many of these shutins live
in obscure villages where there are no
public and very few private libraries, and
that they are destitute of the means to
purchase reading matter, it will be seen
that this department of the work deserves
hearty recognition and support. House.
wives who are troubled to decide how
best to dispose of the surplus mag
azines and illustrated papers with
their wealth of attractive articles
and pictures, and whose book shelves are
crowded with readable volumes only taker
out to be busted, might relieve this pie
thora most satisfactorily by making up {
generous package and sending it to Mis-
Fuller. One who has ever whiled away al
hour of loneliness or pain in the forgetful
ness which that enchanting friend, goot
book, can bestow, should hesitate long be
fore condemning anything worth reading
to the rag mans sack. Hundreds who ar
shut away from lifes active duties ant
pleasures, pent year after year in a sicl
room, racked with pain, depressed ant
weary, are still able to receive the diver
sion and consolation, the mental broaden
ing and uplifting of the spirit, that read
ing of the right sortimparts. These book
, and papers pass from hand to hand AM
are valuable CO. workers in the mission O
helpfulness.
The interchange of letters between in
, valids and with the associate members ha
brought about many delightful persons
friendships. Even those who are unabl
10 write have their ''letter friends' t
whom they look for much of the sunshin
that brightens their dreary lines.
l The missionary work done by invalid
? proves that suffering does not always pre
mote selfishness. The 'Invalids' Auxi
iary" supports native nurse at hospit'
O in Shanghai, and is also raising fund I
endow bed in the sa ne hospital Man
circles of Kings Daughters have bee
o formed among tho Shut-ins and . COZ
j. siderable amount of benevolent work b.
o been accomplished by them. Anotht
philanthropic work is the writing
9 letters by invalids to prisoners.
!. these seventeen hundred have bee
sent to the chaplain of Sir
q Sing prison. They have bee
q addressed by him to the convicts, and IL
% some cases been of lasting benefit, kno
r neither name nor address Of the friend
g writer.
10 The wheel chair committee sees tn
crippled members. who cannot afford
', buy or hire, are provided with this mea
81 of locomotion. This part of the work
70 materially aided by circles of kine
ID Daughters, some of these being your
rs children.
~ The Flower Mission, now of nation
proportions owes, it's existence to a memb
K of the Shut-in Society. Miss Jenr
Casseday of Louisville, KY, who b
been confined to her room for more tn
as twenty-five years, is its founder and n
ls' tional president. From sharing her gii
of of flowers with sick friends, she develo
m | 90 auu sy yeGeAno1ou o Scuouao 1oE ulsIT
uting flowers in all the sick rooms, hos]
TO tails and jails of Louisville, and this i'd
of has so spread that nearly every city b
CIV now its flower mission. A nurses trai
-. ing school is one of this resolute invali,
~ latest enterprises, and it is already an
IL. sured success.
70, Deserving of special regard in this &C
|ts nection are the little children over whs
falls the shadow of a lifetime of pa
~ These are greatly In need of the anu
1t ments and comforts which child associi
u members, with much thoughtfulness a
enthusiasm, are providing them. A
then there are the aged ones, and chro,
he invalids, who have spent twenty-five a
IS, thirty, even sixty years. upon beds
TO- suffering. Old friends long passed aw,
, or grown neglectful, they find in the sy
:, pathizing remembrance of these new 81
ds ter friends" their greatest earthly solace