The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-26
sr.clal Correspondence.

IflEs ~ EI. .eIt Nl}
sreclal Correspondence.
HAVANA, Cuba. March 10. : Could
non step into our new orphanage this
prIeht morning you would see some..
.slny to bring tears to your eyes, Forty
little wallis. lately rescued from starva-
,ou, and not yet out OF danger, OF
death from. suflerings undergone, are
bIIssfully happy over, a few toys--the
arst they ever owned in thelr lives. 1t
came about In this way: BY Dr. Les.
ssr's orders, each child who Is able to
81, up Is put out, on the broad marble
yrranda which faces the whole eastern
side OF the house, for an hours SUM
ming, after It's bath and breakfast. I
was sitting out with the ,chlldrcn-al-
mos, baked in che sunlight myself.
Will. holding intmy lap a small girl
skeleton. whose protruding bones
r0uld hardly bear the wooden chair,
when a s,alwart young American saun-
tered IN the path. He proved to be an
ANGEL in disguise. Said he: came
IN IN saw goodbye to Miss Barton, as l
am leaving Havana this evening: and
sndInC her out of town, thought I
would come over and take q look at the
OrnhnnaEc." 1t happened that was
boiling over with Indignation at the re-
cent action OF the Spanish government
IN refusing to pass through the custom
house a box OF children's toys, which
snmc kind soul In, the north had sent
with the more substantial supplies from
the United States: therefore when the
Young man expressed a desire to do
Something for the hospital. l told him
The story and suggested that he make
his donation in the form Of playthings
Tor the patient little children who had
10 sit or lie all day long on their beds.
The idea pleased him and he rushed
away In true American fashion saying
that he would "hunt the town" and send
I'D toys right away.s Sure enough, that
very afternoon a big box arrived, which
contained more downright solid comfort
for the small folk. In the form Of dolls
and Tin carts, ct cetcra, than was ever
packed In equal space before. The
name OF the sender Is Mr.. Butler Dun
can. OF No. I Fifth avenue. New York.
and hope this paper may meet his eye,
so that he may know how much good his
generous gift has accomplished. 1t was
sight to see those wan faces when the
toys were dlstributed-the look Of in
rreduious WONDER gradually merging
into one OF delight, slowly followed by
an expression of fathomless content
mCnt when they realized that the pre-
cious articles were their very own! Even
the tiny five-ycar-old boy with the big
head and pipe-stem legs and face as
aged as Methuselah's own. actually
laughed when:a small woody dog with
black bead-eyes came into his possess
eien -. 80; 81 4
The little lad found one morning
N Los Fossos, lying on a dead womun's
Mcast. Although have watched him
closely during the several days he has
been In the asylum, never before saw
aim smile or cry or exhibit the slightest
symptom OF dislike or desire. Hour az
ter hour he sat motionless on his bed
apparently Indifferent to sublinary
things; but with great solemn eyes,
black as sloes, taking note OF everything
going on. and the inscrutable expression
Of the sphinx on his old, old face The
first human emotion he has been known
TO ericce was over that woody dog, and
last night he slept with it tightly clasp
ed In his arms. This morning, when
stepped into the dormitory instead OF
the usual rows of silent, pathetic fig
ures. with listless hands lying idly be-
tolc them waiting for-they knew not
what, was greeted with chorus OF
shouts. Mira sonora! mira senora.".
10 IL. I'LL Il
eager to show their treasures to SYM
path!zing friend. My skeleton girl of
Tie day before. who seldom replied to
any question, however kindly put. and
never spoke voluntarily except to beg n
penny from passing visitors (the beg
Ens instinct bred In the bonel, now lay
smiling on her pillow. with three small
uoils, brave In red. blue and yellow,
,apSed In row beside her transtiSured
tacc' EVEN the swarthy baby brigand-
son OF ruiiian. II signs OF heredity
puHt LOT anyth!ng-who erstwhlle Is
h'eu MS frequent orders with an air OF
91e used TO command, and who dis
Gtincd 10 obey any regulations OF the
institution until reduced TO sort OF
rinec truce by season Of solitary con-
hhleinent In an upper cham her-had
temporarily lost sight of his own conse-
Iuehce In the superior merits OF red
uh cart "One touch OF nature makes
Inc whole world -ll!n." Child nature Is
very much alike, In palace or hovel.
from generation to generation, among
ule richest and the poorest, children
I'ikc their dandelion curls inSthe sun
ai"ne. the girls choose miniature babies
ana tho boys noisy pIaythings, BY In
Alnct-as young birds build their nests
without Instruction. the first as perfect
w inc last. But do not send any more
u,ys 10 the asylum. dear friends
IhahEs TO Mr.. Duncan, Il Is now well
huppllcd IN that line, and the cverlast-
.'E wreStle with the custom house may
u% me present be aycrted. Let your
generosity take some other form. Just
now condensed milk Is the thing In the
Greatest demand. 1t costs forty cents n
can In Havana, and besides the babies,
ulern are thousands OF adults whose
Hoinachs weakened from long starva-
Sloh' can digest nothing else. | am told
" Il cuban lady. whose whole family
nave been devoted to the care OF the
SNr ever since this time OF suffering
oGEdn' that at least hundred babies
h"nin her knowledge have died this
"c"k lnr want Of milk. 1t Is Impossible
70 send too many boxes of it--bales, car
.Tads' shlploads. ofsit II there were
Inn'y OF condensed milk now. In Cuba
Inn people toifeed It judiciously. TO the
rleE ana starving, the death rate would
W. iessened fully eighty. per cent. n
Last Saturday accompanied the SEN
n'onal commission and tho Red Cross
ia'nily TO Matanzas, TO investigate tho
condition Of affairs In that once flour
mI,h'ng city ofperhaps $4,000 inhabitants.
Fifst the three mile carriage ride from
oar suburb. vthe Cerro," to the ferry on
.nr other side Of Havana. Then n hasty