The San Francisco call., 1897-10-24
HON F

that they can't eat. You know, old peo-
pie can't eat tough things. Thei. teeth
are bad and their stomachs are weak.
Where am, I'm happy now. l don't
look as if l were afraid, do II" she asked
with little laugh.
up there they don't dare to say what
they think. There is such tale bearing.
such hypocrisy. II Pm kept out later
than o'clock, visiting friends, you know,
l have key and can get in. Up at the
home hey're locked out.
I've been back 10 visit Teople at the
home since 1 lett. A friend of mine, Il
musician, went with me. The old ladies'
asked him TO play, and he started to go TO
the piano. Before he could get there the
superintendent marched up, shut the
piano, turned the key and put it in his
DO, ket, saying, No outsider shall strum
on this piano.
Wasn't it humiliating2
They're treated like q lot of narghty
children there, really"
Among all the old people l met at the
home. there was but one who spoke vim
dict vely. Ny ear still retains the MUIR
mur OF the gentle, placid old voices, a
teeth or from superIbundance Of those
OF the dentists manufacture With but
one exception, their manner was dignitied
and gracious. They apologized for taking
up my time.
'You must be tired of listening to old
peoples complaints. 1t sounds little and
mean, know, to speak of the food and
the small quarrels, but our lives are really
made very unhappy"
saw the superin tendent OF the home
| ami having told him of the charges made
| against the management 1 asked him
whether he cared TO say anything.
Mr.. McKelvey's hair beneath his black
silk skull cap is quite white. He wears
gold-rimmed glasses. His manner is
gentle and suave. He laughed at some of
he stories 1 had been told.
~ know nothing OF all this" he said.
The board is informed of everything per
tanning to my management and to Mrs.
McKelvey's. The home is not public
intuition"
"Of course-I know"
But we have nothing to conceal.
Everything is open to any one who cares
to inquire or to Investigate. We have 13O
old people here"
And many nurses2"
"Four-two men and two women"
And do you think that mum Der suffi-
cient?"
He nodded his head. "Of course, all
the old people are no. sick
And their diet when they are sick
"Is regulated by the attending physi-
clan. They get every thing they require"
| And you believe the majority of the
inmates are content?"
"YeS. There's bound to be some small
trouble, you see. There are 130 OLD peo-
pie here; sometimes more. With that
number VIC couldn't hope to have all
saints. could we?"
For my part L should be glad to think
! that these people are looking at the un-
avoidab little uglinesses OF life in an in
stitution through the magnifying-glass of
! their own sick and sore 20 years; that their
| troubles are largely imaginary; that there
is no injustice. no bigotry, no tyranny to
sadden the last years of their lives.
am 81 I'd that the responsibility OF de-
Gliding the question is not mine AMI the
board OF lady managers-I mention the
corporate name of these charitab ladies,
as do the inmates of the home, with all
reverence-have my sympathy for it rests
with them to decide whether or not they
and those they EN- pioy are faithfully car
rying out the wishes of the dead woman
whose name these poor old, lonely, help
less step-children OF fortune ore
MIRIAM NICHOLSON.