The National tribune., 1896-01-09
THE RELIEF CORPS.
from National Headquar-
terS---NOtes from Departments.
SEACE AND GOOD VII.

CHRISTMAS AT THE HOMES.
The iellies supplied to the thousand veterans
of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home, San
dusky, at the sumptuous Christmas dinner
provided by the management, was furnished by
the Ohio Relief Corps, and duly mentioned on
the handsome menu card.
Fragments of news come from the several
States of how nobly the Relief Corps contributed
to the Christmas festivities of Soldiers Holmes
and Soldiers Orphans Homes, but only details
of the Ohio Orphans Home Christmas have
been received, as herewith given.
The National Relief Corps Home at Geneva
had rare holiday season, owing to the responses
made by Corps members and Corps organizations
to the call of the National President. From
National Treasurer, Isabelle T. Bsgley, comes
intelligence, in the full Christmas spirit, Of
Corps contributing money to be used by the
Home Superintendent, Celia NJ. Burleigh, in
purchasing Christmas gifts.
LETTER FROM NATIONAL TREASURER.
EVANSVILLE, o., Dec. Is, 1895.
DEAR TRIBUNE: Our precious proteges at the
National Relief Corps Home have not been for
gotten by the Corps at this the time of sweet
membranes.
Who is there among us that could forget, at
this gladstone holiday season, to secure some
loving gift for mother? Nor have the Corps
forgotten to provide the means for special re-
mem brances for the dear mothers at the Home
With gladness and pleasure | tell you of these
loving contributions for the Home Christmas
from the following: Page Corps, Sylvania, o.,
81; Memorial Corps, Cleveland, o., So; Mast
Corps. Fredericksburg, o., $l.30; Lyle Corps
Cincinnati, o.. $3.50; Hooker Corps, Mount
Vernon, o., $4S5; Buckley Corps, Akron, o., 30;
Ben Butterfield Corps, Lancaster, 50; Rouzer
Corps. Tippecanoe City, So; Ransom Reed Corps,
Marysville 81; Whitaker Corps. Louisville,
KY, S.; Crockett Corps. Texas, So; Sanborn
Corps Mich, 81; and faraway Stevens Corps OF
Washington and Alaska, 50.
have been yearning to tell you of these
loving gifts and ! just held little Thanks
giving service here at my desk over the arrival
of each check, and have been picturIng Mrs.
Burlegh, in all her sweet, womanly charm,
selecting with daughters thoughtfuness and
love the gifts which she felt would most please
each one in her care and keeping.
JOY comes to each season of the year, but no
time is more joyous than this Christmas festi-
val of peace. May joy in His service fill the
New Year. Yours in f., c. and L..
Isabelle L. Bagley, National Treasurer.
OHIO SOLDIERS AND SAILORS ORPHANS
HOME.
On Christmas Eve the Home children Choir
uses under the direction of Mrs. Collins, gave
the cantata of Judge Santa Claus" in the
Home chapel in an excellent manner. The
stage was decorated in evergreens and the Ma
tional colors The auditorium full of
hundreds of bright faced, beautiful boys and
girls and the numerous visitors, including the
visiting committees of patriotic organizations,
who had come to the Home bearing goodly
gifts " in His name"
Christmas tree had been placed in each OF
the 80 cottages, and after the children had re-
tired to their dormitories. Santa Claus, assisted
| by matrons and visitors, hung thor fresh
| boughs with beautiful presents, and stacked
them on floor and tables around them.
Christmas Day was ushered in by the choir
| singing Christmas carols, which has long been
| the beautiful Home custom; then came the
early morning meal and the distribution OF
! gifts.
Not only the cottages were decorated for
the Christmas festivities, but the great dining
| room was trimmed with evergreens and bright
with flowers from the greenhouse. And when
| the nearly 1000 soldier orphans were seated
around those long tables bowling their heads and
uniting in audible thinks TO the "Giver OF every
good and perfect gift +" for His loving for
| them in their hofnelessness and sad orphanage,
| the angel messenger of peace and good will
must have ordained new jewels for the crowns
of those who have done His will in caring for
the little ones OF our brave defenders.
The great bulk of beautiful and valuable
| gifts were contributed by the Grand Army
| and Woman's Relief Corps. The Sons of Vet.
Grams wisely decided to invest the funds con-
tributed by the Ohio Camps in the purchase of
new instruments for the Home band.
The Grand Army was officially represented
by Department Commander Chas. Townsend
and Asst Adi't-Ge ID. NJ. Burchfeld, Athens,
and David King, Springfield; J. c. Rowland,
Cleveland; A. A. Taylor, Cambridge, and L.
Il. Monfort, Cincinnati members of the COM
mittee, GAR.
The Relief Corps representatives were De-
partment President Salina Springsteen. Cleve-
land, and Callie Sorgen, Kcnton; Kate E.
Jackman, Cincinnati; Kate Williams, Troy.
and Matte f. Lear, Columbus members of the
committee, W.R.C.
Upon his return to Cincinnati Comrade E. r.
Monfort, editor of the Herald and PreSbyter, adj
dressed letter to Capt. and Mrs. David Lam
ming. Superintendent and Matron Of the Home,
| in which he expressed his delight with all that
he had shared and seen of the ideal Ohio Home.
Among other things he said: believe you
| are making the Nation better by directing the
| impulses and ambitions of those dear boys and
| girls. Ny heart went out to them as it never
did before to any class and feel the better for
heroic dead, and the Nation recognizes its OBJ
| legation to be to them nursing fathers and
nursing mothers, caring for them and teaching
! them all that pertains to character and govern
ment, so that they may become the custodians
! of that heritage which was established by revO-
! luton and saved by their heroic parents. The
! children OF no other nation have such heritage
or so noble an ancestry"
| In this connection it may be mentioned that
| Prof. Edwards. Superintendent of Schools, asks
the assistance of Ohio Posts and Corps to enable
| him to secure free scholarship for Home
| pupil, offered by the publishers of the Ladies'
Home Journal for 500 subscribers. For every
| 81 sent Prof Edwards the subscriber old or
| new will get the publication named, while il
less than 500 is secured, % cents of the amount
| will still be credited to the scholarship fund.
SO many bright boys and girls want higher
education than the Home affords. and as they
must leave at is, no way is provided. except
what is being done through the W.R.C. and
| other outside sources.
PENNSYLVANIA ORPHANS CHRISTMAS.
Christmas at the Pennsylvania Orphans
| Home, Scotland was made glad through the
efforts Of Gen. and Mrs. c. l.. Young, assisted
| by the teachers and employees.
Christmas eve all gathered in the gymnasium
to enjoy the Christmas Cantata, rendered by
the children on an improvised stage, hung
with mountain evergreens from the Allegheny
| foothills.
| Upon entering the dining room Christmas
morning the children Toasted their eyes on an
immense Christmas tree, gaily decorated and
| surrounded with fruit. When all had as
sembed candles were lighted, tho electric light
shut off and q largo chorus of girls sang o