The Indianapolis journal., 1902-08-31


women who have sought refuge for their
closing days take life with a philosophy in
which calm resignation 20 the inevitable
and the hopeful longing for the sunshine Of
happiness beyond the shadows Of death
takes the place OF cheer and merriment.
The span OF their lives is almost crossed;
they have fought their battles fer their
ambitions and have lost. and now in peace,
ii rot in happiness they wait the approach
irs end.
THE OLDEST INMATES.
Two OF the oldest inmates now in this
place are q man Of ninety and a woman
over ninety-fiva. The man is rather hale
and hearty, and according to his physical
condition he Is good for a number Of
years. but with the woman it is different.
she has grown so weak from age that now
she can't get out Of bed, and her form is
bent and withered. Her mind is somewhat
dazed, and thus she lies and waits for the
end. which is not far off. The department
that this old woman is in is called the in
frmary of the womans department and
Is where those sick and unable 10 be about
are kept Next 70 the bed Of this woman is
that Of one over seventy years old, who rs
dying Of consumption. She has wasted
away until she is nothing but skin and
bones. Her mind IS perfectly clear and she
seems TO realize the fact that her days on
earth are numbered. over in another cor
ner II tnis room is an old woman sitting on
a low chair mumbling to herself. She is
the oldest inhabitant OF the place, having
been there for over fifteen years. Her mind
is totally gone and at short intervals she
falls in spasms.
The mems department is separated from
the woman's half OF the building by the
chapel. In this ward. while none of them
Il belfast and the majority are in better
physical condition than the women. the
sights one sees is almost as deporable. In
many instances the men are able 10 be Of
great service TO the sisters in the work
about the place All of the heavier tasks.
such as tending to the little garden and the
flower beds. keeping the horse and wagon
and cows, of which this institution has
three. are done by these male inmates.
AN INTERESTING CHARACTER.
One of the most interesting characters in
tbs part is a little Frenchman. He is very
near seventy years old. but his hair is not
the least gray nor does he betray his age
I'm any OF his movements and could easily
pass as much younger. He has only been
in this country fourteen years, and his
command OF English is rather limited He
was born and raised in Paris, where he
learned the trade of box carpenter. The
concern he was working for came to this
country TO start a large branch OF this in
dustTy and brought him along. but they
failed in their undertaking, and this man,
who was well along in years. was turned
adrift in strange country, where he could
not speak the language and was far from
home and friends. He drifted 10 Louisville,
ky where he was unable to obtain work,
and finally had TO go TO the home for the
aged which is conducted by the Sisters Of
the Poor in that city. They afterwards
sent him TO this city, where he has since re-
r,aintd. Another pitiable case is that Of an
OLE man who at one time was an editor of a
paper. He is totally deaf. but still retains
his faculty OF writing and does much Of
thi, kind OF work for the sisters.
With these old people the sisters say that
their minds usually give way first. While
they never become what might be called in
sane, yet they remain in a sort OF dazed
condition. There is one thing that neither
men nor women forget, and that is that
death will relieve them of their suffering
Their minds may be unable 10 grasp any
thing else, but they fully realize this. The
remark is often heard when the sisters ask
any VI lutm now ne IeeiSs am only
waiting for the end, sister; waiting for the
end And then he will fall back into semi
consciousness. These old people learn TO
depend on the sisters like children do on
their mothers, and they also display the
same confidence in them.
FEW ADJUSTMENTS.
Amusements in a place like this are few
though they might have more did they so
desire. They very fond of gardening
and II Is a study I'm contrasts TO see the
almost infirm hand tenderly caring for the
rich flowers that seem but made for the
beauty OF youth. How they love and de-
light TO walk around the beds and feast
their eyes upon the brilliant coors, even
when their physical infrmities prevent
them giving the garden much personal care.
The dowerS are never neglected, however
for when one is too weak 10 tend them
arother takes his place. and so the floral
display is kept ever fresh during the sum-
ner months TO brighten the days of the
inma tes- The stronger of these old people
are fond Of taking early morning walks and
doing other little tasks before the sun has
attained too much power, and they enjoy
doing these things because 1t affords them
some relaxation from the nnonotony of their
lives. For the most part they like TO seek
fresh air on the chairs and benches under
the branches of the trees. and especially
do the men like to while away the time i'm
mediately after dinner. while smoking their
pipes. in this manner. This institution has
recently put up some new fire escapes,
which are built entirely Of iron and cement.
AT each floor they form a wide veranda.
which is connected with the below by
igon steps constructed like a stairway.
These escapes are at each end Of the build
ing and Il is on them that many of the in
males spend their time enjoying the cool
breeze away from the heat OF the sun.
There is little doubt that in a home where
SO many old people dwell in the twilight OF
tbei. lives, IL their histories could be
learned, they would comprise chiefly stories
that would have the touch OF romance TO
them, though they would be different from
the usual biographies in that they are tales
OF retrOgressiOn. pathetic stories Of decline
ard not inspiring narratives OF ambitions
realized and hopes fulfilled. The stories
OF the lives OF these old people are almost
too sad in most instances TO be realized as
true They are tales OF parents whose chill
dren refuse TO take care of them, Of men
ard women who have in their younger days