The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-11-06
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
PHILOSOPHER MAKES EARNEST
PLEA FOR FATuETAEss ONEs.
Es Result Of a Visit 20 the Deoatar
Orphans Home.

r. a Result Of a Visit 20 the Dscatar
Orphans Home.
Why don't some rich man give an
endowment 10 the orphans home at
Docatur-why don't somebody leave
Il a good lot Of money In his will, and
then die soon after2 Aud there il the
orphanago at Clinton, s. O., that right
now is on a strain 10 provide food aud
clothing for the winter. lam satisfied
that II our good people could visit
these institutions aud see the children
aud realize their condition, they would
help them. 10 10 all right, OF course,
for the millionaires TO give millions 90
tho universities and colleges, and 40
provide cheap education for the poor;
but there Is a class Of helpless, friend
less children scattered over the land
who will never get 10 college, and who
would DO grateful for bread and
clothes and shelter. The scriptures
make no mention Of schools OF col
leges, but the iatherless are mentioned
over and over again, aud woe aud
curses are threatened those who neg
lect or Cypress them.
have long believed that good peo-
pie would give more to charity If they
we're face to face with those who suffer.
It is not a pleasant business to hunt up
the poor and look upon want aud rags
and pale faces, but il 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 fatherless-yes, to visit them.
It 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 q pitiiul story, and every case ia
different, but all pitiful. They are all
children of misery baptized in tears
l have been Illuminating about this, and
must write about it, though to most
people 1t is an unwelcome subject.
A few days ago I rode out to
/ the orphans home near De
catur just to see how the children
we're getting on. Ny 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 alb
sorbed in the orphans home. He is
the president of the 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 a word-it was oil orphans and the
home. The farm wagon met us al
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 a little; but ]
did mind getting in and out of that
high-swung wagon that had no steps
l tried to show my activity, but
couldn't, and almost fell down before
/ got up. For aged orphans like me
they ought to have a comfortable car
ryall, but Mr.. Hemphill says they
haven't got the money to buy it
Where is the carriage man that he dom
send one right awoyP Mr.. Brumby, Z
Marietta sent six dozen good, strong
chairs for the boys building, that hal
just been completed. Now, where i
the big-hearted carriage man? 1t is
beautiful building, aud will be dedica
ted soon and I've a notion of takint
my wife down with me il the carryal
is there; she can't ride in a road wag
on any more. But that building ant
the girls building need water-plent,
of water. There is little lake of clea
spring water not far away, and Mr.
Hemphill says there is fall enough TO
a water ram, but it will cost about $50
to fix everything and put water in tn
upper stories but the money is al
out. It has taken oil to complete tn
new building.
where are you going to get tn
$500 ?" l asked.
"I have no idea," he said, aud
looked distressed; "but l reckon
will come. Three men have given I
$500 each with the last twelve months
and I reckon there is one more some
where. I know that there ore severa
if they knew how badly we needed it,
Then he told me about what GeorC
Muse, Mr.. Err Lawshe and Mr.. G..
, Gress and others had done for th
home.
, For about three hours I went aboJ
the premises and mingled with the o
phans. Some of the boys we're diggin
t and wheeling dirt to stop leak in tt
dam at the lake. Two had to go aft,