The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-01-04
Major Clarke Writes of Day
3 at the. Home ss
BIG DINNER FOR THE BOYS
Happiness and Conten me mt Permeate
the Atmosphere; Soldiers Are
Renewing Their You h.

To change all bitterness into love,
Of every earthly hell make Heaven,
The lowering cloud would swiftly flee
From the light that follows after,
And every wave of LIES broad sea
Would CLEAN with love, and laughter"
Jack Crawford, the Poet Scout.
of the man who was short of time and
constitutionly lazy but withal religious
~ inclined, who to save time, had
copy of the Lords prayer printed in
large letters and pasted on the head
of his bed, and after hastily disrobing
himself in a cold rooml-would point his
finger to the prayer inscribed on the
headboard with the remark, "Thems
my sentiments" plunge beneath the bed
clothes and go to sleep. Thus do l in
referring to the above lines of Crawford
repeat, "them's my sentiments" and
plunge into the subject of my letter.
And if L should rack my brain for a
month I could not express the state of
my feelings half as we'll. For year after
year the spirit OF Christmas is gaining
strength and filling the hearts of men
full to Overlooking with the thought OF
peace and good will" proclaimed by
Christ and the angels thousands of
4 Ic Int II,
il to the happy faces of the hurrying
crowds of people on the streets, in the
stores, everywhere, the rich, the poor
and "the stranger within our gates" all
carried on their faces the Heaven born
impress of love to all mankind. This
holy Christmas feeling was nowhere
more fully displayed than at the Mime
sofa Soldiers Home beside the laugh
ing waters of Mimehaha. Out. of their
Eieagre pittance hundreds of Christmas
gifts have been purchased and sent to
Elany a home widely scattered through
out the land and from many a home has
been raised the sweet refrain, praise
God from Whom all blessings fow.p And
it has not been a one-sided blessing.
either. Every mail and express brings
gifts from generous and kindly friends
that taxes the carriers to the utmost
to prevent congestion. The faces of the
old vets are an index of their minds
and shine as a row of new tin pans that
have been polished with sapolio. And
to cap all our genial and human quar-
termaster, Captain Williams furnished
Christmas feast that possibly may be
equaled in some of the best hostelries
in the land but in which none excelIed.
The mess hall was gaily decorated with
flags, evergreens and Christmas bells
that gave zest to the feast that was set
before the appreciative guests and was
disposed of at their leisure by the hap
piest crowd of about three hundred
smiling, jolly old vets. The bill of fare
consisted of the following:
Roast Turkey
Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes Green Peas
Sweet Pickles
English Plum Pudding
Cinnamon Sauce
Pumpkin Pie j
home Made Mlnce Pie Jelly Roll
Bread and Butter
Col1ee Cheese
Candy Nuts ORANGES
Cigars
Compliments of the Quartermaster
Cheers for the @. NJ and Home
After filling themselves to depletion
with the good things set before them
and stuffing the oranges and boxes -'of
candy into their pockets, some retired to
their rooms to smoke, while others scat
tered in every direction, few to sleep,
others-the majority took the trolley
cars to the lakes or twin cities. each
wearing a broad smile and loosening his
belt to ease the pressure, and calling
blessings down on the generous state
trat cares so kindly for their comfort
The woman's building is finished and
an elegant and comfortable home it is
and under the kind and loving care of
Miss Hughes, the inmates will find ev-
cry want supplied-and her cheerful
presence will be guarantee of every.
thing to make home happy There are
at the present time fifteen occupants,
one of whom is an old lady, mother
OF two soldiers of the Civil war and
wife of another. She has attained the
age of more than one hundred years
and promise of several more, and is the
special favorite of the matwn, who gives
her all the love and care that a loving
daughter could bestow. There are sew
Ell couples husband and wife) also in
mates with the prospect of many more
coming i'll next week.
The health of the inmates here is
above the average in other homes, there
being no malaria or infectious diseases,
and aOnsidnrino tha fart of tha advanced