The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-24
APLACE FOR YOUR MONEY
WOMEN THE MERITS OF
DIFFERENT CHARITIES.
Finally Agree that Homes for Aged
Ladies Have One OF the First
Claims on Them.

and being Intimately acquainted Win the
hostess. fingered in the parlor to continue
their conversation. Some one had made a
remark about the inequalities of life.
What would you do for public benefit II
you had all the money you wanted-a half
million, a million. a regular Carnegie for
tune or whatever fabulous sum may be
your linit?' asked the slim lady in brown.
The question was addressed to the com
pany generally. and the stout matron in
black answered first and with a voice of
decision:
IT should found an orphan asylum. or at
least a home OF some sort for poor chill
dren."
so should L" agreed the very young
matron. who was one of this party OF mid
die-aged ladies by virtue of being a daugh-
ter Of the hostess, and who had returned
from a hasty visit TO her one precious in
FAINT upstairs in the care OF the nurse.
"Tt seems to me-" she went on with q
positive air. las If women with anything
to give for charity could hardly think Of
putting IT to any other use. There are
men enough to found libraries and col
leges. but helpless little children do appeal
so to the mother in US. Don't you think
SOP" she asked, addressing the stately lady
with gray hair. who had not yet spoken.
81 have nothing against orphan asylums.
children's homes and hospitals or any in
stitution that will benefit the little waits, >
was the quiet response. Il have spent a
great deal of time working for them IN the
course of my life and expect to spend more.
But 1 Will say this without hesitation: If
1 had money enough for the W of
a charity 1T would go 10 the building of an
old ladies' home. Helpless and needy chill
HraD anDaaI fo the 4bfaS Of var one.
they Will always be taken care Of without
fail. Somehow. though. there is an unac-
countable Indifference toward the aged who
are equally helpless. We are worse than
pagans in that respect, some of US. There
are the Chinese. for instance, who pay the
greatest possible reverence to their old peo-
pie and care tenderly for them to the last.
They set a good example to US. on the
other hand there are some Australian
tribes. 1 have heard, who knock their old
men and women in the head without cere-
mony when they show signs of becoming
helpless, ard leave them at the side of the
trail. I am not sure but this is better than
the neglect with which they are often
treated in civilized communities"
But I am sure" protested the very young
matron in a shocked voice, that 1 do not
know any old people who are ill-treated or
neglected. Some are poor, of course, but"
Your experience is not wide, my child
said the gray-haired lady, who had got
warmed UP TO her subject and was sitting
erect. with eyes very bright and a color
in her cheeks. Wal until you are older
and you will see children wander away into
the world and forget the parents who have
toiled for them and spent upon them the
money that might otherwise have been
Gova1 for their old aga-hara fOfIa5 oVJ
spent gladly. as they should. But the chill
dren have proved unf~ateful. You will
see a feeble grandmother who has given
her strength to the bringing up Of chill
dren's children left alone without care
when those grandchildren have fitted away
from the home nest without sense of OBJ
legation"
But surely this is not common" said
the woman in brown, who wanted to found
an orphans home.
"Tt is not the rule. fortunately" replied
the champion of the old. but ii is COM
mon enough TO leave many a woman
STRANDED in the world when she is too old
to provide for herself.
And there are other women. enough of
them, left in the same condition for other
reasons" she went on-widows, who, hav-
ing had abundance perhaps, or at least the
comforts Of life. are left penniless at last,
with all relatives who might have pro-
vided for them gone from earth; single
women who have spent their little earn
ings in providing for parents or other rela-
tives and have nothing saved for age and
nothing before them but the poorhouse. oh.
1 know all about it, for 1 have been on
the board OF management Of the Katharine
Home since it was started, and I have
T..--.I ~ ST. -. ~ -
longingly toward that refuge. 1 have
learned, too, how difficult it is to arouse
the sympathy for it that brings contribu-
lions for its maintenance"
But" Interrupted the lady in brown.
with an air Of surprise, Il thought that
was a charity already sufficiently provided
for
That Is a common impression replied
the elder matron. II am sure I don't know
why. 1t is a great mistake. Let me tell
you about the home. I am very deeply
interested in its welfare and want you to
know the situation so that you can correct
the error when you encounter it hereaf-
ter.
1T must be about ten years ago that
DR.. Luther Waterman worked up an in
terest in the subject. In the course of
his practice he had noted, as physicians
are likely to do. the need of such an in
stitution. Through his persistant agita-
tion OF the matter ar organization, OF
which he bore all the expenses. was formed
for the purpose OF rousing public senti-
ment and soliciting funds. He himself
made the first gift-four or five acres of
land just southeast OF the city. He may.
therefore properly enough be considered
the originator and founder Of the institu-
ton. Others contributed small sums and
the movement began to grow. Then came
Mr.. and Mrs. John c. Wright and filed
the organization with JOY by agreeing TO
build the Home. This they did at a cost
OF $4,000 or $1,000. DR.. Waterman's land
having been sold and the proceeds added
10 the fund on hand. Mr.. and Mrs. Wright
assumed 10 further obligations and we
had no reason 10 expect more from them.
but since the building was finished and
the Home IN running order they have been
exceedingly kim and have come 10 the res
cue so many times that their total contri-
buttons now amount 10 perhaps $4,000.
Over and 0vcr again when hills have oor,a