The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-09
Cetters to the Gdftor'
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
The People of the State Should Come
 to the Rescue Now.

The People of the State Should Come
 to the Rescue Now.
 Editor The Advertisers:
 A simple appeal for help for the Sol- diers' Home at Mountain Creek appeared on Sunday at the head of your editorial column. t 4z=.
 Because of my connection with this in- stitntion 1 have so far kept silent, be- lievins at the, bottom of my heart that political. hypocritical, cold-biooded world. But thIs appeal, so simply worked, has touched my heart. as nothing has ever done before, and without reservation, calmly, consulting with no one, 1 am go. ing to ask you to print this, my appeal, to a people whose hearts are warm. whose purse strings are open, but who, TOT one reason or another. selhshly or other or otherwise, have either neglected or prevented any action toward the completion and maintenance of an in stltutIon which has been for so many bitter years, so much needed in this our
 Can you not yet hear the drum beat, fathers and mothers of '61? Can you not yet see the flash of the colors. and bayo- you not yet hear the shrieks of the wounded, the pitiful cry, for water, the feeble cry for help. soldiers of '61?
 A generation has gone by, the battles or life have been fought. Some of you are standing triumphant, watching with glad eyes, in dear homes. surrounded by loved ones, wives who love and cherish you, children who honor, grandchildren who love and revere and delight.
 And some of you have surrendered. . God knows the bitterness of defeat; God knows the heart breaks; God knows the loneliness, the helplessness, the regrets the fears.
 are muffled: silently, mournfully' the swords are handed over; the guns are stacked: goodbye, comrades; the homes are desolate; goodbye. home. me oattle pied, armless, legless. poor. in need, in sickness, in sorrow. alone. forsaken, sur rendered-and the end-the poor house.
 God forbid, people of Alabama; God
 If you could have stood with me. one and ali dear women and men, and seen one old hero, only one, when he reacheo his haven of rest-if you could nave seen the look of glory in the fading old eyes, the tears, the warm hand-clasps.
 They were but soldiers of the line, put they fought for us. Some were iIliterate and penniless before the nght ana are so SD vet: but they fought for us. Some know not gratitude, but they fought for us, TOT their country. ,., else, to reason. to ask questions; 10 qu1D- s,,p- rendered.; God only knows what Is Ill their heart of hearts.
 With $5 in the treasury, a little set of plans for a cottage and forty acres ot his own land, trusting in the muniicence of his people, Col. Jef F'alkner, in the face of criticism, animosity, jealousy Of small men, started work on home, the lack of which has been disgrace to our State for a number of years.
 Almost at the first step sister camp. stated that his design was visionary and refused help. Colonel Falkner replied.
 ''Visionary. or not visionary, in few more years there will be no need for. a home and someone must make a start" Nobody knows the obstacles. nobody knows the struggles, nobody knows the anxietl4s and delays connected With this this work Except the man who has almost lost his life in his struggles for this home. TO my certain knowledge. he has paid many payrolls out of his own funds; tn my certain knowledge, he has paid for rations for the soldiers himself to my certain knowledge any man but one with | a heart as big as his State and a will power stronger than his body, would have given up long ago.
 | There is and has been room for fifty | two inmates for nearly year now. There are now and have been. about twelve to l fifteen inmates who had to be fed and
 clothed and nursed and hurttd Money not want to reflect one instant on the mo- ! bIa women who have furnished the rooms | it would do your heart good to see the ! fuFniSnlnRS anu Tedu the HStS or the l tboughtful mothers and sisters. God I bless themi
 Bnt if 1t had not been for the Bob Taylor" lecture, the John E. Moore me norial fund, the Camp Hardee cottage and the memorial logs with the liberal l donations of the lumber men, the Home could not have been built The children s
 "mite'' helped much. But in all the meet ings of Confederate camps, not only no | mite has been given, but generally moi me word of help or commendation has come. A few munificent private citizen . have given largely but of all the mil. | lions of people in this, our great State i not 10 per cent have given a word. 4 thought. or an iota of money help to this great institution.
 The great State has denied to acreot the donation of home which has been built mainly by the patient. untirng de- votiOn and energy of one mana piece of | property which will be useful for years f., come and represents by means of good management, value of at least S20, OOO