The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-30
SOME OF BIRMINGHAMS CHARITABLE
 INSTITUTIONS FOR UNFORTUNATE CHILDREN
INFORMAL ENTERTAINMENTS OF THE WEEk-LETTERS FROM TaAvEIERs IN THE WEST AND ACROSS THE WATER-SOClAL HAPPENINGS.
By MYRTLE MILES.

Birmingham is the home of many gen. erous impulses and broad charities. A glance at the names of patrons of local charitable institutions reveals the fact that there are representatives from every walk of life whose interests are cen tered in the welfare of the city's poor.
 There Is no more important or more beautiful branch of charitable work than that which deals with little children and it is to this that so many of the noole' great hearted women of our city have given all that will make the little help less recipients of their tender deeds of mercy "cau them blessed' in the years to come.
 The Mercy Home Is one of the largest and best known institutions of the kind in the state. It Is located on the North Highlands at 21SO Eleventh avenue, and is a lovely building-a home, indeed, In every sense, for the spirit of hospitality and love which envelopes the inmates has been one of the strongest factors In making it a model place Of its Kind.
 The house stands on it's own spacious grounds surrounded by large shade trees. It is substantially constructed of brick, and has several large, comfortable porches. The interior presents an at tractive appearance from the door, with a tasteful little reception room on either side. and a central stair leading to the rooms above. The chapel is long room with a bay window at the end, and con taining an organ and chairs. A promi- nent decoration is a large portrait of the late Frances E. Willard, especially ap- propriate because of the fact that the home Is under the auspices of the Wom- ans Christian Temperance union.
 One day during the past week a wis., itor to the home appeared just at lunch con time. She was asked to go back to the dining rooms and see the little people. They were found grouped about the long tables, placidly eating the food which had been brought to them and chatting with each other meanwhile in a quiet, well-behaved manner Indeed, their conduct was admirable, and ap- parently so without supervision.
 They are advised and corrected very gently and tactfully when in error and have no appearance of fear. Miss Eliza beth Fuller Is the matron of the in stitution. and is a young woman of the most intensely sympathetic nature. She causes every one of her small charges to know her personal affection and in terest Miss Fuller is at present out Of the city for her vacation, and her place is being ably filled by the assistant ma tron, Miss Bessie Peters. Miss Peters was connected with a similar institution in Kentucky before coming to Birming- ham. She is a young woman of excel lent attainments and attractive person. ality The children of the home all love her very much.
 There is a downstairs room in the home which was fitted up some time ago for Kindergarten work. It is admirably suit ed for schoolroom, being large, roomy and well lighted. Here a group of the tiny tots were taught last year by Miss Lucy Hall The older children attend the public school of that district, and many of them have been called the brightest and most lovable of children. One of the older girls is at present student in the High school She is ma5- ing every effort to prepare herself for teaching
 There are at present 61 inmates at the home most of them under years of age, only a few being as old as 13 There are at present no tiny babies there, one three weeks of age having been taken away last week. number of women have placed their children in the home so that they might go out to earn their daily bread. They always strive for the time to come when their earnings will justify keeping the little family, for noteworthy point which has been men tioned by a member of the board of governors is the devotion which charac- terizes these poor and sometimes ignor- ant mothers in the face of the utter neg feet of the husband and father. The oldest inmate of the home at present is 7s years of age. There are several other adults, the broad charity of the institu- ton extending to people of all ages.
 There are very few little boys at pres ent in the Mercy Home. They occupy, however, a comfortable room on the sec ond floor called the Finch ward, which was set apart when the home was built, for the use of the boys. It was so nam ed in honor of the late Phillip Nicely Finch, the son of Mrs. Julia Nicely Finch of this city, and bears in a permanent position on the walls, a portrait of the young soldier and in another place group picture of the young man surround ed by some of his comrades in arms
 The home was erected during the