The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-18
A DAYS OUTING.
Second Day out-The Rathbone Sis
 ters.

Second Day out-The Rathbone Sis
 ters.
 And now we are in Ohio, the State which Is high in the middle and round at both ends" to the joy of the conun- drum giver.
 Some kind of a womans convention has just been held in Cincinnati. and the sisters are returning home-jolly, stout women in handsome but not showy dresses. The traveller makes an opening for conversation with the one beside her, and finds that they are "The Rath- bone Sisters" and that the R. S. is one of the most important organizations of the West. After courteous inquiries, courteously answered. the traveller learns that this is one of the many mutual benefit insurance societies modelled on the Knights of Pythias and composed of women only and officered solely by women. We vented to be a part of the Knights of Pythias," said one very in- teresting member, but the Knights re- fused to let us affiliate with them; so we resolved to gang our own gait and we are doing it very successfully. There has never been the slightest irregularity in the accounts of the society, and He have for our President just the smartest woman in the Vest"
 put WHY uO you Cdu yOuT hdtH- bone Sisters'?' asked the traveller who had no connection with the name of Rathbone except that it was that of the protege of Hannas who degraded the American name In Cuba.
 Why we call ourselves for the manato whom the Knights of Pythias owe their existence. During the war be- tween the States Mir. Rathbone formed a United Benefit Association to care for the wives and children of the men who had gone to the front; and this organi- Hation grew into the Knights of Pythias."
 But why did you not call yourselves
 Sisters of Pythias'' or something of that kind?''
 Because that name was already pre- empted. There Is fiourishing 'Pythian Sisterhood,' and we did not wish our or ganization to be confounded with theirs in the popular mind
 The Sisters were a lively set, espe- cially when two or three shoddy Wes-
 tern farmers joined them and began chaffing them in the usual style about their convention and its work. The Traveller thought what a blessing 1t is for these farmerss wives to leave their dairies and gardens for a few days, and come together to discuss great is- sues; meeting at this annual conference with other women who have come to- gether from Maine to Florida. It is said that farmers wives make up the major ity in our Insane hospitals, drivep to this fate by the awful monotOny of their lives. To such homes the club, with its varied depar tments. comes as the angel of
 mercy moving the troubled waters, at certain seasons.
 It has often occurred to the Traveller that all commercial plans for the amelio- of cnndiftcns al ha putting into practical effect of New Tes- | lament ethics The farmers have no such intention; In many cases they would sheer at the suggestion. yet 1t is true. A great fire sweeps away the houses of several members of a community; In the primitive days of Christianity their | bi ethren would each have contributed something towards tho restoration If their possessions; and the loss being thus | shared by many would fall very lightly
 on each. Our modern fire insurance agencies are simply systematic carry ing out of this same plan-an unconscious obedience of the injunction: Bear ys one another's burdens
 Dayton-The Soldiers Home. And now we are nearing the city where one of the greatest of the Soldiers Homes is located. What the traveller has heard of this Home is very discouraging to those who would found similar institu- tions.
 If a veteran is of good character. he generally has relatives who regard 1t as duty and a privilege to care for him consequently those who are admitted to the Soldiers Tones are the least desir. able member of the community. Think of collecting thousands of such men al one centre, Whenever it is possible. it certainly seems that it would be b7st to
 assist these aged veterans in the places where they have lived. Even if they are
 subject to degrading weaknesses. there will be more chance for them to keep straight among .heir old friends and ncighbors; then sef-respect will have more power.
 Another objection to the building of large veterans homes in the South Is that the money expended in the buildings would in few years be dead capital: as the ranks of the veterans are fast thinning. These objections do not hold good against
 a small home-like refuge such Colo mel Falkner has planned for some veter- ans of Alabama. It is said that there are seventeen Confederate veterans in the poor houses of Alabama These should certainly be sheltered elsewhere. The sep arate cottage plan will be the most home.
 like, and to every cottage where two or three veterans live there should be at tached garden. One of the Western States has a home on this cottage plan,
 forming really little village. In its midst is a canning factory. and all the old men take great pleasure in earning their pocket money by raising vegeta- bles and fruits and selling these at the factory.