The times., 1897-05-09
A History of a Most Worthy
Local Institution.
THE IDEA OF TWO WOMEN
The Present Hospital, It's Capacity
Which Govern It-Yet u Strug-
CLING Charity Which Should Be
Most Generously Supported.

deprived OF what makes life worth living
and so, withdrawn from the world an6
many of its pleasures, they yet find some
consolation in the kindly ministrations
| OF those who attend them, in the attentions
| and sympathy of friends and the recfeations
to indulge
The idea of the home originated in tn G
! minds OF two of Washingtons most phil
anthropic ladies, Mrs c. S. Hiil and Mrs
e. Snowden Bell, both OF st. Johns parish.
| On Ash Wednesday, 1888, these ladies
wanted to make a Lenten sacrifice, and
| decided then and there TO initiate the
enterprise which has brought SO much
comfort to helpless fellow beings. The
ladies consulted their pastor, Rev. Dr..
| Leonard concerning the work, and, after
| receiving his warm appreciation started
out Immediately 70 solicit money, accom-
! panied by his mother, who proved TO De or
j great assistance to them.
Within a brief period the first thousand
| dollars were collected; small house was
rented in Mount Pleasant, and the home
| opened in / 1SS9 with services conducted 10y
| DIR. Leonard
AS the number OF patients increased, it
| became necessary to rent the adjoining
| house, and later both were purchased. At
| first the Institution had hard fight for
! existence and at times seemed ready TO
| sink under its burden; but it managed to
| keen its head above water, and then Miss
| Kibbie's donation of $50 200 came like n
rift OF sunshine i n the clouds to the board OF
weary but indefatigable managers, ard
they were enabled To buy lot on George
| town Heights and erect commodioUs brick
building.
1t is situated In a valley guarded by
three hills. The immediate environs are
not very pleasing as thereis no money 10
expend for cultivation of the grounds or
the planting of flowers; but up Oh the
AiH fanking one of its sides group OF
sturdy trees fan with tIeir graceful
branches the turrets of the beautiful conn
try home of the French ambassador, and
In front towers the old-fashioned Blount
mansion The grounds of these two places
are covered with soft cropped grass, dan
delions-which look like shower of gold
collars from the sky-and fragrant shrub
berry which sends down the first breath
of summer time to the invalids in the
valley below. The main building of the
bone is three stories high and has no
vera ndas, but there are several wide ones
on the wing at the back.
During visit TO the Institution l was
conducted from cellar TO attic by one
of the nurses, and was impressed with its
homelike aspect. The parlOr and registry
rooms are furnished with bright uphol-
stored furniture and handsome carpets.
Landscapes depend from the walls and
harmonic with other decorations, just
as they would if they were adjoining
private residences, where so much indi-
vidual attention would be given their Sc
lection. The memorial rooms, about thirty
five in number, are all reminders of nay
lady's boudolr, and there is infinite va
riety in the neat sets of furniture, fancy
bureau scarfs, wall paper, curtains and
pictures which make up their interior.
This Is because each is furnished by
different person, who takes this method of
bonoring the memory of some loved one
The prettiest room in the house is the
pansy room. 1t is furnished in the colors
of the pansy, and the border OF the wall
is painted in wreaths of this emblem of
thoughts. 1t is occupied by a very old
If she were girl in her teens, and by
canary bird, who is singing away his
little life in the effort to cheer his com
panion.
A few of those who have furnished me-
mortal rooms are Mrs. Allan McLane, Mrs.
W. Beach Clark, Mrs. c. Mercer, Mrs e. n.
Beale, Mrs. G. NJ. Oyster, Mrs. Lansburgh,
Miss voorhees,, aud Mrs. j. E. Wilson.
t1,a Pi tr
the parlor and registry rooms, the physi-
clans apartments, laboratory, the dining
room which seats seventy, mems ward,
and a large center hall. The libraries
are in the corridors, but the books are so
few in number, that the inmates must
depend upon outsiders for most OF their
reading matter.
AS my guide and passed into the large
hall, boy of about seventeen years was
being rolled in on his invalids chair; his
face wan from suffering and his form
shrunken 1t was the first suggestion
we had had OF a hospital with til theexcep:ion
of the intensely oyerpowering scent of
antiseptics and other malodorous drugs
which almost make it necessary for one not
accustomed to it, to have recourse to
smelling salts. Upstairs are the rooms
where the women live. OF these many
have rooms to themselves and only few
occupy wards, owing to the limited ac-
oommodations; the nurses rooms are in
among those of the patients.
l visited several of the old ladies in their
cozy apartments, and the serene, contented
expression of their faces was proof of
the possibility of the entire conquest Of
the soul over the flesh. They suffer, but
pain has not made them lose interest in
the world to which they can never return
in the vigor of health, nor Indifferent to
the kind word or cup Of cold water given
in Christian SPIRIT and, like martyrs OF
old, their bodies are In chains, but they
themselves are free.
The younger patients are more restless,
and crave excitement; they enjoy dress
ing up for the church services, and any
entertainments which are given them; and
even funeral brings a sort of melancholy,
wellnodulated pleasure, in that it breaks
into the monotony of everyday life.
Five of the patients are epileptics and
two or three of these are not perfectly
sound in mind. AS we passed one of their
rooms woman rushed toward me and
cried out: 'Oh, OIL ] know there is
had news! Somebody is dead; I'm so
happy-so happy!'' Then she began to
scream, and it took four nurses to quiet
her. One might think that she ought to
be in St Elizabeth's, but as she is per-
fectly sane for long periods, it would be
unpleasant for her TO mingle constantly
with the unfortunates of that institution.
The Riggs room is one of those set apart |
for the children, which at present number
eight The plain little iron cribs and the