The evening times., 1898-09-24
THEIR HAVEN OF REST
Homeless District Volunteers
COntented and at Rest.
SURROUNDED BY COMFORTS
The Returned Soldiers VIII he Ten
derby Cared for Until Again Able
TO Enter Active Life - EIevatinG
Influences of the Temporary Home
Fully Appreciated.

Surrounded by comforts and even lux
uries, their every desire apparently antici-
pated, women's tenderness and sympathy
TO ease their bodily sufferings and sooth
their distress of mind the homeless sol
diers of the District Volunteer Regiment
have reason 10 be content with the ac-
commodations provided for them by the
Legion of Loyal Women, al No. 413 Ninth
Street northwest.
Throughout the day and evening the re-
ception room presents an appearance OF
quiet enjoyment, peculiarly grateful 10
those who are privileged to witness the
hOmelike scene. and who remember the
terrible hardships through which those
now conten;ed soldiers have passed. Ii is
a commodious weIi-ventilated apartment.
containing an organ, piano and lounging
places of every conceivable kind. Read
ing material abOunds while tobacco, pos
sibly the greatest comfort of all is every
where in evidence.
Stretched out in picturesque attitudes
throughout the large room. dreamily and
contentedly contrasting their present sur
roundings Hlth th= miseries of The
trenches and the horrors of the camp, are
many who possibly never before in their
poor friendiess lives realized the comforts
Of home, Tor, be ii understood. this
charitable undertaking is a home in the
broadest accep,at.on of the word and il
Is provided for the homeless heroes re-
turned from the war.
In that gallant company of upward of
SiN h. -.
look is rapidly disappearing from their
worn features. giving place to brightness
gratitude and faith in the future They
are uplfted by their wholesome surround
lngS. Of which cheerfulness is the key
note. They are beginning 10 realize. too
that they are in a safe haven where they
will be tenderly nursed until their shat
tered health sAail be restored, and they
are in condrion 10 again take their
places in the country for which they
fought so brayeiy. endured so uncom-
plainingly. and suffered so terribly
1t Is piufui sight, indeed. to see many
of these men bereft Of the vigor of man
hood, emaciated, pale, hollow-eyed and
sunken-cheeked making an effort TO
cheer up as sympathizing visitors gather
around TO congratulate them upon their
safe return, but the Hstlessness is disap-
pearing, they are eager TO get well. clear
ly indicating the effect produced by a
shelter in the temporary home.
Numbers of the regiment, who have
been confined in distant hospitals. are
constantly arriving and seeking this
refuge. They are all Ill and weak suf-
fering from chills and fever or some
kindred disease. These are taken care
Of right at the home, bundled OFF into
their careful sick room" and tenderly
nursed back to health and strength.
Those, however, whose conditions are too
serious 10 be successfully cared for at
| the home, are taken to one of the Dis
trict hospitals, where they remain until
able TO return.
Thank God. I'm home again. said
one Of the poor boys yesterday as he
tcttered into the outstretched arms of his
| comrades, gathered 10 receive him at the
door OF the home. He had reached here
in such a condition that it was thought
necessary, after a few days, to put him
in a hospital He had however, tasted
the sweets of home life before going, and
while receiving such attention as his case
demanded from the hospital attendants
was unfeignedly glad to get back again.
This is but one of many instances tes-
tifying to the excellence of the system
adopted by the management of the home.
II is a mistake TO suppose that all OF
the homeless soldiers sheltered by the
Legion of Loyal Women are from this
city or its immediate vicinity. Many are
from far distant points. The State OF
Washington furnishes a convalescing
hero, while others hail from Texas, Wis
consin, Massachusetts, and other remote
States. Mrs. Calver, the kindly president
of the organization, and chairman of tbs
hCme committee, is even succoring Ca.
madam. Three men were imbued with the
idea that the capital of the nation was
the proper place TO enlist and that q
regiment from the District would b5
awarded at least all the privileges con.
sistent with propriety. Whether or mol
they were disappointed in their hopes
| they decline to state, but as one of the
boys put it, I'VE got to. the front any
how" and this expression received the
approving mods of those gathered around
However, II makes not one particle ol
| difference whether the boys are from
near home or from far away. they al
| receive the same careful tender, sympa.
| thetic treatment, and, to a man, they ap.
| preciate ii.
Previous to my enlistment l had lee
| an aimless, wandering, devil-may-cart
| sort of a life, and, as / knew nothing
| of course, cared nothing for a home,
| said one of the poor boys, his eye:
rested contentedly on the profuse decora
tions of the reception room and he in
| hailed the perfume of the flowers scat
tered about in such rich profusion; 'bu
now all is changed. / have found in thi:
| place such comforts and wholesome
pleasures that 1 am determined, through
honest, hard work, to obtain them fol
myself, and to live hereafter as l shoulC
| live"
This sentiment universally prevail!
among the homeless soldiers of the Dis
trict regiment who have been so fortu
nate as to become the inmates of thi:
institution IT has had an ennobling, up
lifting, inspiring influence, unquestionabi.
creating a desire for better things, ant
a determination to lead such lives as t,
bring about the results desired. Their
is an entire absence of sentimental gusl
| in all this II is the genuine outpourin.
of the soldiers heartfelt desire for tn
comforts of home in the future.
They have suffered as men have rarel.
suffered before. They want rest here
after, and they deserve it.
The organization of the temporar.
| home Is thoroughly SystematiZed unde