The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-21

LITNDfA al ib'Ahis vi Aii@
WARDS or THE, HE,N1ATIoN-soME or
THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT
THEY SAW.
Have YOU ever been up to see the
Soldiers Orphans school at Hartford?
or course you haven't for few of you
have had the opportunity and the rest
don't know what the privilege is worth
1t is probably the greatest treat you
could have crowded INTO one days
space. Fair and sweet, it will shine
forth in the memory of those who first
saw the little Village held in the en-
brace Of the noble mountains. That
memory will be aLmlnglings of straight,
little. blue-coated figures pretty little
maidens, the Turing music of the band
and of youthful voices. a stretch Of
sunny fields and magnificent trees and,
more than all, the sunshine Of happy
faces, row upon row, at every turn.
The Soldiers Orphans school is his
toric beyond the history of this city.
Sixty years ago and more the ancient
buildings were the seaI of an aCad-
emy-the academy of a great region.
Hon. Galusha A. Grow received much
VI MS tuuCdllon llele. JuSLiCt NCNbl-
lum, Justice Williams, Of the Supreme
court, and many others Of more or less
national reputation spent a portion of
their school days there.
For about thirty years it has bAn
the home of the wards Of the nation
children Of men who gave up their
lives during the Civil war, or since, or
who are unable to give proper care to
fhpir fap,i1iac
ekeptically that there are any orphans
left after thirty-four years of peace
yet it should be remembered that
many soldiers went into service young
LOCATION OF SCHOOL.
The orphans school is situated on a
large farm, a short distance from the
village Of Hartford, SusQuehanna coun-
ty. The buildings, several in number,
are antique to the point Nf decrepitudc
but so neat are they in their snowy
whiteness, so carefully preserved that
hey have an elegance of superfne
leanliness often lacking i'm modern
tructures. Such spotless floors. kept
order by the children, are seldom
sen. The boards gliston over their
mvy worn surface and the knots
slime with the polishing process OF
yars and countless succession OF
buy little hands.
here are three schools for soldiers
orTlans in the state The others ar,
at 'niontoWn and Chester. The com.
mission consists of the governor, who j.
president eX-ofIiciO; General Goblin
vice president; Senator Mitchell, Rep
resenativos Mansfield, Foster and vii
liam T. Stewart. From the Crane
Army of the Republic are Captain
Skinne, Colonel Ripple and Major Mc
Cauley There are two vacancies.
To decribe day'at the institution il
difficult You take the Q o'clock traiG
on the Delaware. Iackawanna hnt
Western railroad and ride as YOU know
through some of the most picturesq1,;
scenery 10 be found in PENNSYLVANIA
AT the ed o. AN hour YOU reach Kings
ley statbn and'drive over the hills 70
three niles in the carriages Of tn
school his ride is charming on on
side is a aep ravilc, while on the othe
are bank Whore wild strawbcrrie
flame in he thick grasses and wher
felds Of disIes lie ike mantle unde
the sunshine.
DARK CARRIED FIGURES.
Before yu see the home annie
the hills yu spy a distant groul
of dark CARED figures and suddenl,
you realize tat they compose the ia
nous band d the school The boy
march on in 0rreCt lines to meet an,
escort YOU ara as you advance you
ears are startnd by the cannon fire
in your honor and YOU are furthermor
surprised TO mn that you are drivin
between long drwn up lines of bows i
flIl1 uniform n "a, = 3
the other. Each with their officers il
advance
There is some hing in these silen
lines that touche! your emotions an
you find yourself rushing a mist fror
your eyes that youmay see more clear
ly the carefully gnduatcr rows begin
ming with the talle' ones and runnin
off in perspective II infnitesimal PEG
pie or SIX In fact, one little man is bu
three and his bald had and blue skirt
are quite the center If attraction. Th
girls all wear plaid dresses of pCnuIa
style, with velvet Sokes and prett
braidirg.
Later, as the day grows warmer, the
don chambrey frocks, some a prett
shade Of blue, others crimson, other
light in color, all mada and trinome
tGstefully with white braid. These Iii
tie maiGs look as unlike inmates Of a
institution as possible Tor thoy hay
long hair, becomingly cnmbed an
hanging in thick braids OF tied up Wit
bright ribbons.
After you have passed along tn
lines the children march away TO thei
duties. As it is a gala day i'm YOU
honor they have no schock until after
noonN and have only their ordinar
duties to perform in kitchen or dinin
room.
WORK THE BOYS DO.
The boys detailed here pare potatoe
cut bread and assist generally. Th
girls act as mattresses, arralE, th
tables and another detail wash Nh
dishes The dormitorics are a deligl
with their white beds and floors almo,
as white and the work is all done h
the children under direction Of N
attendant The boys make their ow
beds and clean the floors equally q
we'll as the girls.
d Everything is done in military orde
The 230 children march in and tai
their places at table with less moi,
and confusion than twenty-five usua
ly perform the same feat. NJ
Matthews, the manager from the hea
of his table rises, strikes the bell ar
says gently, 80 Lord, we are the chi
dren of Thy care" In unison respor
the assemblage: Feed us with Il
bread Of eternal life" and then anoth
tap of the bell and everybody begiI
to eat, for the fine, clear air at tn