Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-10-04
LONELY WITH MANY.
An Old Veteran Discusses this and lhe Remedy
for II.

ToGUs, Oct. (SpeciaD-Itis is a terri
bic thing to be alcne, utterly and entirely
alone.
But some. ines l think that if possible,
it is far wofe to be alone and still be
amoDg peopl}
For instante. man sixty years oil hss
had his shara in the busy activities of life,
has mingled with, and been connected with
the great rustling, hustling movement OF
humanity. 4 man has wife, perhaps,
and children. He has become enfee bled
by disease inturred thirty years or more
ago, while ip the service of his country.
He has don8 the best he could under the
circumstances in which he has been placed.
And now he has got to the length of his
rope. He can no longer compete with the
young and active element which pefmeates
every branch of industry. He is laid on
the shelf. He has not been able to acCumu-
late enough so as to be able to sit down in
ease and comfort, and enjoy the blessings
of life as his more fortunate neighbor can.
He is more Of burden than help to his
family.
1t is hard struggle, but at last he
decides it aud makes application and is
admitted here.
Well, he comes here end sits down amor
1900 men, no one of whom he ever saw be-
fore. If the man is of the same nature and
disposition as thousands of you are, who
live and love with your families, he is as
much alone as it is possible for a human
being to be.
This is not fancy, it is not idle dreaming.
There are men, and many of them, too,
who come here under just such ci!cum-
stances as l have DESCRIBED. Nov comes
the ordeal. If he gives'up and takes the
gloomy side of the situation, if he sits down
| and broods over and thinks of the past, its
frustrated plans, its unfulfilled promises
and its stern realities, the chances sre that
be becomes victim of melancholia or
grows peevish, cranky and utterly disagree
able. And here comes in the advantage
Of giving TO these men, such
as are worthy, the benefit Of Mrs
Ella Jordan Mason's plan spoken of recent
ly. The selection of Its benefciaries should
be judicious and made with due care, but
the end to be reached means the giving Of
comfort to those whom under the surround
ings here are unhappy.
dltSi thC SOhSSAs IL tht
afternoon, Prof. Theme and his band left
on their autumnal vacation of 10 days. The
professor, accompanied by Sherman Dunn
and Alfred Pinkham has gone to Northern
Maine on hunting and fishing trip. Mr..
Bernhard j. Salstrom, the talented cornet
soloist, returns to bis home in Boston
Edward Ratigan, coInetist, goes to Worces-
ter, Mass. Mr.. Porter goes to So. Framing
ham. And so they scatter to their various
destinations. The most of those who have
played here this summer will play in the
orchestra the coming winter.
Capt. and Mrs. A. L. Smith are away for
two weeks visiting Boston friends for few
days, and then going to the great woods of
the northern part Of the State to enjoy the
beauties Of the autnmnal scenery as dis
played in good old Names natural gardens
While in Waterville a few days since
had the pleasure of spending few hour'
with F. d. Lunt, E'q,, brother of Hon
w. +. Lunt of Portland.
Yesterday attended for the first time in
wears the cattle show and fair in Litchfield.
Here met faces that had not gszed on in
wears. Hon. Ora. Smith, whom | had not
seen for long time, laughingly alluded to
three evenings discussion he and the
writer participated in during the Grant
Greeley campaign at the town house near
by. 1t was not on the whole pleasant
visit, too many sad recollections of the past
kept driving the scenes of the hour from
the mind and could again seem to hear the
ringing laugh and merry shout of the old
fair goers of 90 years ago. am growing
old and still the scenes of my boyhood days
are very dear to my heart.