The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-10-31
ELL ARp'S LETTER.
PHILOSOPHER MAKES EARNEST
PLEA FOR FATHERLEss ONES.
As q Result of Visit to the Decatur
Orphans Home.

DecaLur-Wny dOnt SOMEBODY leave
it good lot of money in his will, and
then die soon after? And there is the
orphanage at Clinton, S. c., that right
now is on strain to provide food and
clothing for the winter. / am satisfied
that if our good people could visit
these institutions and see the children
and realize their condition, they would
help them. 1t is all right, of course,
for the miIlionaires to give millions to
the universities and colleges, and so
provide cheap education for the poor;
but there is class of helpless, friend.
less children scattered over the land
who will never get to college, and who
would be grateful for bread and
clothes and shelter. The scriptures
make no mention OF schools or col
leges, but the fatherless are mentioned
over and over again, and woe and
curses are threatened those who neg
lect or Cypress them.
have long believed that good PEG.
pie would give more to charity if they
were face to face with those who suffer-
1t is not pleasant business to hunt up
the poor and look upon want and rags
and pale faces, but it ought to be done
sometimes, even by the rich and busy
people. The good st. James said that
true religion was to visit the widow
and the herless-yes, to visit them.
1t will not do to sit in the parlor or
counting room and wait till somebody
calls for charity. Little orphans can't
come; they don't know the way. Their
father is dead or their mother, or both,
or perhaps one or the other is in the
asylum or down with chronic sickness.
It is pitiful story, and every case is
different, but all pitiful. They are all
children Of misery baptized in tears.
! have been Illuminating about this, and
must write about it, though to most
people it is an unwelcome subject.
A few days ago I rode out to
the orphans home near De-
catur ;;:1st to see how tbs children
were getting on. My good friend,
Robert Hemphill, went with me. He
is the business man OF that busy pa
per, The Constitution, but next to his
family his hearts affections are ab-
sorbed in the orphans home. He is
the president of tho board, and ought
to be. He goes there every few days,
and the children smile when he comes.
On the way we never talked politics.
not word-it was all orphans and the
home. The farm wagon met us ct
Decatur and took us out mile in the
country. I didn't mind the rough
riding, for it did me good to have my
corporosity tumbled up little; but I
did mind getting in and out of TINT
high.swung wagon that had no steps.
tried to show my activity, but I
couldn't, and almost fell dcHn before
] got up. For aged orphans Ike me
they ought to have comfortable car
ryall, but Mr.. Hemphill says they
haven't got the money to buy it.
Where is the carriage man that he don't
send one right away? Mr.. Brumby, If
Marietta sent six dozen good, strong
chairs for the boys building, that has
just been completed. Now, where is
the big-hearted carriage man? It is q
beautiful building, and will be dedica-
ted soon; and I've u notion of taking
my wife down with me if the carryall
is there; she can't ride in q road wag-.
on any more. But that building and
the girls building need weter-plenty
OF water. There is little lake of clear
spring water not far away, and Mr..
Hemphill says there is fall enough for
water ram, bnt it will cost about $500
to fix everything and put water in the
upper stories-bnt the money is all
out. It has taken all to complete the
new building.
"Where are you going to get the
$500 2" asked.
81 have no idea," he said, and he
looked distressed; "but I reckon it
will come. Three men have given US
$500 each with the last twelve months,
and I reckon there is one more some
where. I know that there are several,
if they knew how badly we needed it. ;"
Then he told me about what George
Muse, Mr.. Err Lawshe and Mr.. G. V.
Gress and others had done for the
home.
For about three hours I went about
the premises and mingled with the Or
phans. Some Of the boys wero digging
and wheeling dirt to stop leak in the
dam at the lake. Two had to go after
the COWS. Half dozen came trotting
down to the barn with their milk
buckets. The mich cows marched to
their stalls and the stanchions closed
upon them, while the boys sat upon
their stools and talked merrily as they
drew down the milk from their I'D
ders. The eldest of these mixers was
not more than II and the youngest
about eight. Near the house, in the
back yard, there were two boys swing
ing at the ends of large rocking