The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-04
A Home of Sunshine.

A Home of Sunshine.
81 are got a orphum, little baby Or
phump'
That was the triumphant greeting re-
ceived from Faith Montgomery, aged 4,
when l went down to Beulah Park to see
about the new orphanage that is waiting,
bathed in sunshine, for its furniture and
its orphans.
Orphans? Well, not necessarily. The
funniest thing about that orphanage is
that 1t is for children only, and they are
not going to demand of the babies who
want or need to come there to live that
they bury their papas and mammas first.
OF course, there are lot of dreadful reg
ulations and things, for If there were not l
fear the cozy new cottage would need a
miracle like that of the loaves and fishes
to make it shelter those who came. But
miracles are so easy nowadays! And it is
so easy to get what you pray for if your
father is a millionaire.
Faith Montgomery prayed for orphans
She wanted them to play with, and to take
care OF and to give her playthings to.
And now-was it an answer to her
prayers ?-she has found baby that she
calls her very own, though she promises to
give it back to its mother again ''fen it
gets all growed up"
More than that, a plat of fifteen acres
has been set aside for Orphans Cot
tages, and under the very windows of the
small Faiths nursery. And the first OF
the cottages is finished from garnet to cell
lar, ready to be dedicated as soon as it is
furnished. The plan is to have a perfect
little village OF these separate cottages,
after the fashion of the soldiers children's
homes in some of the Eastern States.
There the cottages are built about an open
square, which is made to blossom into a
beautiful park. Each cottage holds a
family" of about fortyboys or girls, and
there are as many busy, competent and
loving mothers as there are families. The
cooking is all done in separate building
the washing ditto, and the sewing IN a
third.
Only the mothers mend for their fami-
lies, and only think of it! The buttons
and patches for forty pairs of active and
able-bodled trousers, and the earnings in
tie stockings that cover 400 awful little
wriggling toes
Nobody but born mother would ever
dream OF undertaking such a thing, and
one feels sure that the hands that were
able to do SO much would be strong to pro-
tect and patient to serve and soothe.
But the home at BeuIah is but a found
ling itself as yet, and this one first cottage
there are to be more if the faith of its
founders is realized-is complete in all its
departments-for one family. 1t is a
wonderful completeness, too, that of this
domlcile, which ought to be called ''the
home of sunshine" after the fashion of
this new village with its "home of rest"
"home of peace" and ''rescue home.'
And, speaking of the construction of the
home, thereby hangs a tale that is worth
the telling.
When the plan of building it was only
hope there came to the neighborhood one
day good and thoughtful man whom the
Salvation people called Father Gray" in
token of affection.
Father Gray was an English architect
who had done much work in London, in
Guiding the planning of that great plat
form in the Crystal Palace, which can seat
comfortably 1900 people.
He came here from Victoria-ask some
body some questions, every one of you
children, so that you may imbibe some
solid information in a harmless Sunday
fashion-and he believed that he came to
this softer climate for his health's sake.
Arriving, Father Gray found a work
waiting for him which brought complete
self-forgetfulness. The settlement was
sadly in need OF a sewage system and that
was the first thing to attend to. A plan
was adopted from that one which is the
pride of Brighton, England, and Father
Gray's system, which is an underground
fltering and purifying process, works like
a charm.
Then there was the Children's Home to
think about.
The plan was gone over many times and
each detail was brought to perfection with
infinite care.
From the smooth-running closet drawers
that will hold fresh frocks and household
linen, and the broad, high tubs, where
babes can be scrubbed and rubbed without
the bending of a mothers" back, to the
great attic playroom, with low windows
looking out from four sides of it-Father
Gray planned everything with loving pa
thence.
Would baby heads be threatened by tut
ting corners and sharp angles? They must
be rounded away, then, into graceful
curves. Would the children feel always
happy and free in the prim rooms where
visitors may come and order must reign?
One can imagine that Father Gray's men,
ory went back to childish revels in charmed
attlcs scented with sweet herbs and stored
with mysterious treasures.
i have It'll" he must have said "They |
shau have an attic of their very OWL !" |
And SO a great room under the caves, |
warmed by the sunshine and cooled by |
breezes that some of the many windows |
are sure to catch, Is waiting for the children |
to come and make 1t gay with play and |
with singing.
Nobody could ever feel cooped up in a |
room like that. 1t is as big as the whole |
house in the first place, and then those |
great windows seem to let you out into the |
valley. and you have the freedom of the |