Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-16
AUTO OUTING FOR THE AGED
x irhtful Ride and Picnic in Park
Given Old Folks.
3 InES LIGHT UP WAN FACES
'me Get First Motor Jaunt of Their
Lives - Charitable Institutions
Unite 90 Furnish Pleasure
TO Their Charges.

one hundred decrepit blind. crippled and
u'al old folks of Omaha we're given a ray
~ deightful sunshine in the evetime Of
'Hef hVes late yesterday, when all were
'aken for 10y ride and picnic to River
view park. and shown all the beauty spots
around the city.
Inc event was purely a work OF phiian
thropy. The automobiles were donated for
the timo by charitable persons who have
manifested keen interest in such work.
anybody who witnessed the faded, but
happy faces, OF the occupants OF the autos
would easily appreciate the delight Of ths
Ioor folks who have not one bright hope
Ia life to cling to.
Many Of the pIcnickers had never been
on an auto ride before and the thrill OF the
"trip caused them to glow with happiness
over the kindness Of the people who pro-
Nided the pleasant outing. Some have never
seen an automobile, as they have been blind
fffce long before the cars came into general
use The crippled were especially delighted
with the run to the park and many OF them
wished they could ride In autos the balance
of their lives. The manner in which they
surveyed their well worn crutches as the
autos sped along the boulevards was pa
thetic,
One old woman, who has been in the
county hospital for q number of years and
who has lost all her children through death
by accidents, had tears in her eyes when
she explained to Police Matron Gibbons
that ever since she had heard OF automo.
biles her one desire In life was to take q
ride In one. Il believe I am 100 years old .
said the old lady to Mrs. Gibbons, "and
can now die happy. But IL could only gel
a. little jaunt in one of them airships
would surely go to heaven"
The event was organized under the man
agement OF the charitable organizations OF
the city. The twenty five autos that hat
N been rendered were all filled with guests
7 many of them were escorted from chart
table institutions while others were taker
along from humble homes. The entire gath
ering was composed of old women with tn,
exception of about twenty men, many O
whom are aged they cannot remember
how old they are. There were severa
chaperons for the party Miss Jontz ha,
her own particular group to look after
while Matron Gibbons took care of severa
old timers whom she has known for
| generation. Miss Magee, of the City mis-
sion, had a number of old folks under he
; charge who could not well get about with
out assistance and representatives from tn
Associated Charities and the South Omahi
mission looked after their particular de
Once arrived in Riverview there was
spread" to tempt even younger folks
There was ice cream with sandwiches ga
lore. Pop in every color in the rainbow wa
flowing like water and there was lots o
Spffee and cake for trimmings Judge A. L
Sutton of the district court, set 'em up
y to 'the cigars for the who smoke
while the old ladies discussed the merits O
the cake and dessert
Everybody was in high spirits on the re
turn trip although many felt 1t would b
their last outing this side of the grave
The chauffeurs gave the old folks livel
spin. to South Omaha and back. then alon
the, boulevards and out to Florence, wher
q visit was made at the water works. an
then back to town where the autos lef
each passenger at his or her destination.
They all were slowed safely away as tn
curfew. tolled the parting day.