Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1921-04-30
Orpanhage Gives
Silver Wedding

Such wonderful and unusual party
occurred on Saturday evening up on
the Palisades as never before hap
pened in Bergen County, it is safe to
say, and such an unique celebration
of silver wedding anniversary as
may never happen again.
Early in the evening the big man.
sion set among its wOodsey grounds
overlooking the Hudson between Fort
Lee and the Palisades, was bright with
lights and happy young people gay
with the joy of getting back home"
and to father" and mother Nelson,
to greet their many foster brothers
and sisters in this the only home
which many of them have known and
which welcomed them years ago when
they were found on streets, in cellars,
or worse surroundngs-in rags, hun
CRY and needy
NOW by the touch of the fairy god
mother and the magic of love-love
Of God and love of man-here they
were, bright, attractive young men and
women, in becoming clothing, even
with their fairy coaches, for several
automobiles stood around the door
demonstrating the success of the boys
VINO nave gone out in the world from
this "Christian Home for Orphans"
1t is the pleasant custom of this
big family to gather in the home at
least once a year, all who are within
arriving distance, for among the four
or five hundred who have been sent
out into the world during the twenty
years of the homes existence, many
are now in other parts of America. of
Europe and all over the world good
citizens and business people through
their early training.
Over fifty of the "boys and girls"
had thus come home on this occasion
including ten married couples and
with them were their children-little
rosy, pretty tOts-and all the big
rooms were filled with the children
and grandchildren in joyous groups
talking over old times and greeting
each other There were residents of
Hoboken, Jersey City, Boonton, Or
ange, Brooklyn, New York and Con-
necticut.
One young man had driven down
with his wife and two of the plumpest
children you ever saw from his farm.
near New Haven, in the pouring rain
of that afternoon. Eyes: it did rain
in doWnpourS most of the time" he
said in reply to a question of sur
prise. 'but if it had raned in sheets
nothing would have kept me from
this, he added earnestly, and that
seemed to be the spirit of them all, for
not one had stayed away in spite of
the steady dOwnpour, and every one
was cordially greeted at the door by
father and mother for thus Super
intendent Nelson and his wife are
called by their big family
| Several long tables were set with a
good cold supper Toward the close of
the supper Mrs. Nelson arose and well
coined every one, then Mr.. Nelson fol-
lowed with his welcome and said he
was glad to see the president of the
home, Mr.. Manning, who could be the
happiest of them all, for it was he who
started this home. Mr.. Nelson remind
ed him of that day when both were
working on an old Scow and put away
their tools and left their work. decid-
ing to carry out the vision of a chill
dren's home, which Mr.. Manning had
had. afraid to neglect it.
Mrs. Manning congratulated "father
and mother on their fine big family, on
their 'sons and daughters and daugh-
ters-in-law and sons-in-law and their
grandchildren.
Greetings were read in a. telegram
sent from one of the boys in Portland
Me. Then the surprise of the evening
came, the presentation to Mr.. and Mrs.
Nelson of five big gold pieces, dis
played like jewels in box, amounting
to $500. with an appropriate verse ac-
companying it, the united gift of
about fifty of these graduates" in
honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary
of their foster parents.
Both were so touched and surprised
that they could not express themselves
for some time afterward
Another speaker was the wife of
Pastor Nelson, from Brooklyn, who
dwelt upon the happiness of Gods
family and of the heavenly home
where she hoped all would meet.
Mr.. BOswick brother-in-law of Mr.
Nelson. spoke of his remembering
most of those present when they were
very small children and of how 500 of
them We're now scattered throughout
the world.
A guest from South America, Pastor
Christensen. who has been doing very
successful missionary work there,
spoke of his stay for few days in the
home, which he counted a privilege,
and of his satisfaction in this spen-
did gathering of young people
One of the home young men, a hus-
band and father. made the closing