THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA LIBRARY THE WILMER COLLECTION OF CIVIL WAR NOVELS PRESENTED BY RICHARD H. WILMER, JR. >rt W& Q ***** Tent where George went to Church. Willie's Portrait of Jeff. Davi3. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS; AND GEORGE'S ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF ROANOKE ISLAND. BEING THE SIXTH AND LAST BOOK OF THE SERIES. BY AUNT FANNY, ATJTHOB OF THE BIX HIGHTCAP BOOKS, ETO. &Gr NEW YORK : D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 443 & 445 BROADWAY. LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN. 1865. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by FANNY BAEEOW, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. CONTENTS. PAGl THE ORPHAN'S HOME ; in which is introduced " New- Year's Resolutions " and " The Minister's Story," 1 THE BATTLE OF ROANOKE ISLAND, ... 96 THE LAST OF THE MITTENS, . 127 MISS SECESH, 134 I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY DEAR LITTLE LIZZIE WAINWRIGHT, THE GRANDDAUGHTER OP A FAITHFUL AND VALIANT SOLDIER OF CHRIST, THE DAUGHTER OP A LOYAL AND BRA YE NAVAL OFFICER, A.ND THE NIECE OP A FRIEND I RESPECT AND LOVE. THE ORPHAN'S HOME. It was now the second week in Jan- uary, 1862. One evening, Aunt Fanny- came to see the children. In an instant, she was surrounded, and hugged, and squeezed, and kissed, till she was certain they had loved a pound or two off her weight ; but then they put it on again before she left, by making her laugh so at their capers and talk, that she said she thought she could feel the fat growing; so that made it all square and comfortable. " I read such a charming little poem in the ! Independent ' some weeks ago," said Aunt Fanny. " Tell it to us ! we want to hear it ! " cried the children. 8 THE OBPHAutf's HOME MITTENS. " How do you suppose I can remem- ber seven long verses ? I do recollect one or two, but that is because I suspect the writer had you children in his eye when he wrote them. " Oh, Aunt Fanny ! " said little Willie, in a reproachful tone, " we didn't get into the poor man's eye. You ought to be ashamed to tell such a story ! " Such shouts of laughter greeted this speech, that an old lady next door, hear- ing them through the walls, and thinking they were cheers, put on her spectacles, and hobbled to the window, expecting to see a torchlight procession — but poor little Willie, after wondering a moment, with his mouth wide open, what it all meant, rushed up to his mother, and hiding his face in her lap f began to cry. " Never mind, dear," she said, kissing him ; " Aunt Fanny meant that the man was thinking about you when he wrote THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 9 the poetry. Of course, she knows my little Willie wouldn't poke through any- body's eye, to see what he had behind it. Aunt Fanny made use of what is called a 1 figure of speech.' Don't cry any more." Then all the children coaxed him, and kissed him, and made the kitten Mary O'Reilly kiss him, at which he burst out laughing, and felt quite happy again. The crochet needles twinkled and twitched faster than ever, as Aunt Fanny repeated these lines : " Knit— knit— knit— If you've patriot blood in your veins ! Knit — knit — knit — For our boys on Southern plains. Our boys on Southern hills, Our boys on Southern vales, By the woods and streams of Dixie's Land, Are feeling the wintry gales. " Knit— knit— knit— The socks, and mittens, and gloves ! vi.— 1* 10 THE OEPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. Knit — knit — knit — Each one that her country loves ! The mittens with finger and thumb complete, The gloves for the drummers their drums to beat, And the nice warm socks for the shivering feet, Knit — knit — knit ! " " Is that all you can remember ? Oh, how good it is ! " cried the children. " Suppose I make a verse ? " said the little mother. " Oh, do ! do ! they all entreated. ." Well, here it is : " And if you can't knit — crochet ! * The mittens with finger and thumb, The old ones can finish a pair in a day, And the children each make one. For George, and his comrades brave, "Who have gone our country to save, Will work heart and hand, till we make Dixie's land Repent for her sins, and behave ! " The children thought this a capital verse, and Johnny came very near ex- * Pronounced croshay. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 11 claiming, " Bully for you." Very luckily, he recollected himself in time, for his mother would have sent him to bed in " double quick," if he had uttered this vulgar, slang expression. " I had a talk with my ten naughty boys to day," said Aunt Fanny. " Why, where in the world did you find so many together?" cried Harry. Who ever heard of such a quantity of bad children in a bunch ? " I ought to have said," she answered, " that they were reported to me some time ago, as being very bad; but I did not find them so dreadful as I expected ; besides which, my heart softened to them, and I made excuses for them to myself, because they are all orphans." " Then it must have been at the Orphan's Home," cried the children, for they knew Aunt Fanny was one of the managers. 12 THE OKPHAN's HOME MITTENS. " Yes, it was there ; and I believe I will write a little history of how there came to be this Home for Orphans ; and you can work it up in your mittens. " Oh, yes, do ! how long will it take you? We'll write to George that these mittens have listened, with their fingers and thumbs for ears, to your " Orphan's Home" story. They will be the most interesting mittens of all : more so, than those we got by our little play." The children wished George had ears a hundred miles long, so he could hear all these wonderful and charming stories too ; but as they did not know of any cornfield where such long ears were to be found, they had to take it out in wish- ing ; and thinking what a hundred thousand pities it was that the fairies had all gone to No Man's Land, or they would have had a fine, long pair of ears for George's use, marching to Washington, THE OKPHAN's HOME MITTENS. 13 straight through Baltimore, without stop- ping to inquire whether they might come. Soon after, Aunt Fanny went home. She had been very busy the latter part of the month of December, writing letters- for the " Great Union Fair," which had been held in the city. All her letters were to children. I wonder if the children who got these letters, suspected who wrote them. I wonder if the little one who got this "poetry letter," tried to find Aunt Fanny out. u You precious little darling ! I'm very glad you've come; How did you leave the baby, And all the folks at home ? Just take a look around you, At the pretty things you see ; Then run up to my table, And give a kiss to me." Aunt Fanny could not send the prom- ised story until the last week in January : 14 THE ORPHANS HOME MITTENS. but when it came, there was great rejoic- ing; and the children settled themselves quicker than ever they did before, to hear the interesting account of THE ORPHAN'S HOME. " And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me." — Matthew xviii. 5. Darling Children: As I sat here thinking how to begin my story of the " Orphan's Home," our Saviour's beautiful parable of " the grain of mustard seed " came into my mind ; and that you may see how well it applies to what I am about to relate, I will copy it here. " Another parable put he forth unto them, saying : " The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field : " Which, indeed, is the least of all seeds ; THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 15 but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs ; and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." Just like a grain of mustard seed did this great charity begin. More than ten years ago, a poor man lay in a miserable bed, dying. His little children were weeping at his bedside, for their mother had gone to heaven long before ; and they did not know who to look to for food and shelter, when they should be orphans. " Oh, that I could take you with me, my poor little children ! " moaned the dying father., Just then a lady entered the room. She had accidentally heard of the man who had been ill so long, and she had come in to help him. She spoke to him in a voice of so much kindness, that he started up, crying, " Oh, 16 THE OBPHAN's HOME MITTENS. madam ! I want nothing for myself ! but I would get on my knees to you for my children. I cannot die peacefully, think- ing of the poverty and dreadful tempta- tions to which they will be exposed. Left alone, orphans and penniless, who is to teach them the way to heaven \ " " Take comfort, my poor friend," said the kind lady, " your children shall not suffer want." " But will they be taught to know and love their Saviour?" he asked, looking at her with an expression of intense anxiety. " Yes, I will see that they are religious- ly brought up." " Promise me ! " he said in a hoarse whisper, for the excitement had exhausted him, and he lay panting for breath. "I promise," answered the lady sol- emnly. A thankful smile flitted over the THE ORPHANS HOME MITTENS. 11 wasted features; and looking up, he murmured, " Thank God, I die happy." A comfortable room was hired, and the children were placed in the care of a kind and pious woman. The little or- phans soon became contented and happy. You see them in the picture, playing on the floor. The good woman went out to make some purchases, which the boy just coming in has brought ; a young girl is staying with the children until their kind nurse returns. This is the grain of mustard seed. But before long, more children became inmates of this one room, and the Eight Keverend Bishop Wainwright and the other good people became interested in this truly Christian work. They soon found that there was no- home for destitute, outcast children, when their natural parents were taken away, who belonged to the Church by baptism. There were not enough 18 THE ORPHANS H03IE MITTEN'S. Orphan Asylums in this city ; for numbers were brought to them, who could not get into these other institutions, because they were full. It seemed as if God himself had called upon them in behalf of these little ones. And thus it was that this institution began. Then the good Bishop "Wainwright, who is now gone home to heaven, became President ; Rev. Dr. Hawks, Vice-Presi- dent ; and a number of excellent clergy- men and gentlemen were the managers, while as many ladies were formed into a Ladies' Committee. The grain of mustard seed had sprung up, and its leaves unfolding more and more, made it necessary to find a larger space for it to grow. So a three-story house in Hammond street was taken, and before long, twenty happy children were living there. Oh, how hard the ladies worked in THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 19 those few first years ! The money came slowly in ; but they never grew faint- hearted. More and rnore poor little or- phans came to their door, begging for a home, and the living care which their own mothers, dead and gone, could never more bestow. The house was soon filled, and a more contented family of children could nowhere be found. The kind matron loved them all, and worked with the teacher night and day to make them good and happy. The " Orphan's Home," as it was now called, continued for some years in Ham- mond street. Then it was removed to two houses in West Thirty-ninth street, and the ladies who had formed the commit- tee now became the officers, with the Eight Eeverend Bishop Potter and a number of clergymen and gentlemen to advise them. Bishop Potter, you know, had taken the place of the late excellent Bishop Wain- 20 the orphan's home mittens. wright ; whom I esteemed and respected more than I have words to express. I wish, my darlings,, you could have heard him read the parables of our Saviour ; or the glorious promises contained in the gospels. Their deep and blessed meaning, coming from his lips, seemed so simple and clear, for he read them with such admirable emphasis and point. I never listened to his preaching or reading, with- out a thrill in my heart, and the tears often dwelling in my eyes. It was at the request of his good and lovely daughter, for whom I have a sincere and warm affection, and who was at the time treas- urer of the Orphan's Home, and one of its very best and most generous friends, that I became a manager. You would have thought that two large houses would have been room enough ; but our grain of mustard seed was now a great tree, in the branches of which many more THE OKPHAN's HOME MITTENS. 21 little orphan birds must have a warm nest, and be lodged and fed; and, above all, taught the Way of Life. But there was no room. The ladies who composed the Board of Managers put their wise heads together, and concluded to ask all good Christian people to help them. How could they turn away from the cry of these little desolate ones, when the Good Shepherd and His servants in the work, these kind ladies, were ready with heart and hand to watch over and protect a larger flock of these His poor little lambs ? But there was no room ! The appeal was made, and with grate- ful joy they saw the money flowing into the trustees' hands in loving streams. Soon enough was collected to warrant the commencing of the building, in whose wide halls and great airy rooms hundreds of motherless and fatherless children could live, and move, and play. 22 the okphan's home mittens. On the 2d of October, 1860, the cor- ner-stone was laid. For fear you might not know exactly what laying a corner- stone means, I will tell you as well as I can. When a large building is to be put up, the foundation is dug, and a very large square stone is placed in one of the cor- ners, which stone has a small hollow in the top of it. When this much has been done, every- body interested is invited to the place, and religious services are performed in the open air, the people standing reverently around. Then the Declaration of Independence, the daily newspapers, the coins that are in circulation for money, the previous history of the institution, if it has any, and every- thing else that may seem proper or inter- esting to the occasion, is placed in the hole. The most distinguished person pres- ent takes a trowel and some mortar and THE OKPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 23 closes it up. On this the wall of the building is laid. If, in after years, it should be pulled down, it would be very interesting to take out and look over the things that have been buried so long in the corner-stone. I was not present when our corner- stone was laid, and I never saw the cere- mony ; but I believe I have given you the right idea about it. "While the new Home was building, the children were well and happy in Thirty-ninth street. We had some little ones, whose his- tories were very sad. There was George Floyd, whose father was mate of a vessel which must have been wrecked and lost at sea, for she went out from New York, and was never more heard from. And there was little Dickey, who had a cruel stepmother. She ordered him to make a fire in the stove ; his clothes caught 24 the okphan's home mittens. the flame, and lie was dreadfully burned. The bad stepmother did nothing to heal the wounds, and he was found in this state, suffering terrible pain, and brought to the Home, and tenderly nursed till he got well. And little Mary Canard, who took care of her dying mother, though she was only six years old, whose father was killed on Captain Peak's vessel. And one dear lit- tle boy we lost. He was twelve years old, and very good and intelligent. He had that dreadful and almost always fatal ill- ness, membranous croup : — a kind of false skin very thick and tough grows in the throat, so that it becomes impossible to breathe or swallow. The poor little fel- low seemed to realize that he was going to die. He told his belief to his kind nurses, and said, " Oh, how I wish I had been con- firmed ! how I wish I had promised God that I would try to lead a good life and keep His commandments." THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 25 At liis request Bishop Southgate, who has always been very kind to the children, was sent for. He read and prayed with him ; then laying his hands softly on the dying boy's head, implored a blessing for him. A joyful light beamed from the little fellow's eyes; his whole countenance be- came irradiated with happiness, and in ac- cents of grateful delight he exclaimed, " Oh, the bishop has blessed me ! " In a few hours afterward his Saviour called him, and his gentle spirit passed away from earth, to love and serve God forever in heaven. All the rest of our children kept in excellent health, and most of them were good and obedient. The ladies worked very hard, and, with God's blessing, all things went on well. It was in the winter of this year, 1860, that I became a manager ; and, you may vi.— 2 26 the orphan's home mittens. be sure, I soon coaxed the ladies who had been in the institution longest, to tell me what I have already written. In the latter part of April, 1861, the grand move took place ; and on the night of the 2 2d, the orphans slept in two splen- did great rooms called dormitories. Nice little iron bedsteads had been provided, with comfortable mattresses, sheets, blank- ets, and white dimity spreads ; and they looked so cosy and comfortable I should have liked to have slept there myself. The boys have the dormitory nearest Lexing- ton avenue, and the girls the other. Open- ing out of each is a nice large washroom, with dear little bath tubs, wash basins, &c, just as comfortable as it can possibly be. On the same floor are the matron's and teacher's rooms, and some very large closets, where all the children's clothes are kept. Of course, as soon as we got a little bit THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 27 settled, we determined to have a reception, and give all the friends we invited a first- rate time. We knew they would like it all the better if they could help us along when they made us this visit : so we got up a beautiful little fair and refreshment table. Oh, how kind everybody was ! If I dared I would tell you the names of all the ladies, who made all manner of pretty things, and sent in oysters, ice cream, cakes, and almost everything good to eat that was ever heard of ; but these lovely Chris- tian people prefer to do good in secret. If I were to have their names printed they might pinch my ears, and I should not like that. But I will tell you this much. I went and only just asked Rev. Dr. Dyer, of the Evangelical Knowledge Society, to give the orphan's fair some books, and he said " Yes " so quickly that I was aston- ished, and began to believe that there were some people in the world who were 28 the orphan's ho:me mittens. really glad to be asked to do a kindness for others. Then I went to the Episcopal Sunday School Union, and just asked for books there, and they, too, said u Yes," right away ; and then I went to your friends the Messrs. Appleton, and they, too, said "Yes," immediately ; and that night three great packages of books came up for the Orphan's Home. Did you ever hear of any thing kinder ? I believe I must tell you of some of the rest. There was one of our managers, a lovely young lady with beautiful brown eyes, who seemed to feel as if she never could do enough. I don't know what she did not give ; for so many presents came in her name that there seemed to be no end to them. She even furnished the lit- tle recitation room entirely, and bought quite an apothecary shop of medicines, so that the children might have plenty when they were ill. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 29 Then the young ladies of the u Helping Hand of St. Mark's Church" sent us a number of beautiful things. One of our managers, who had a fine conservatory, sent in a quantity of flowers, which we made into bouquets, and put into baskets, and sold for a good deal of money. . We had a present of a flagstaff from Mr. Niblo, of Xiblo's Garden, and one of the lady managers gave us the flag, and on the re* ception day it was waving over the Home. It would fill several pages to tell all the nice things that came — so I will hasten on. We had a three clays' reception in one of the great rooms, the 14th, 15th, and 16th of May. They were opened on the first day with religious services, and were all delightful. We had the carpenters to come and build tiers of seats at the lower end of the room, one above the other, reaching nearly to the ceiling ; and each day the orphans marched in two and two, 30 THE ORPHANS HOME MITTENS. and were placed in the seats, to see all that was going on. Sometimes they would sing hymns for us, and other times they sang " Jim Crack Corn " and " Dixie," and other funny songs. One day a kind lady gave them each a ten cent piece, and they came down in a great hurry to spend them immediately. We managed to have a good many things to cost only ten cents that were marked much higher, so that the dear little things should have just what they fancied. Then a gentleman gave them each a chance, which he paid for, in a great cake ; and I wish you could have heard the clap- ping of hands, and hurrahing, when a boy they all liked won it. Of course he gave them all a piece, and they enjoyed it tre- mendously. I really was afraid some of them would be ill, they had so much cake and candy. The great fun of all to the children THE OEPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 31 was to eat philopenas with the ladies. I do believe I eat about twenty-five. Of course I never meant to catch them ; but I pretended to be very much astonished when they caught me, and when I went home to my dinner I got a basket, and put in it twenty-five great rosy-cheeked apples to pay for my philopenas. I thought these were much better for them than so much candy ; and when I handed them out, the children looked highly delighted. When the fair was over, we were sur- prised to find how much money we had taken, and very grateful too. Some of our pretty things were left, and we put these carefully by for our winter fair ; and after a little while we settled down quite com- fortably in the new Home. The summer passed quietly away ; everything seemed to go on happily, al- though we had very hard work to collect money enough to keep us out of debt. 32 the orphan's home mittens. You see the terrible war was now rasrmor, and all the charitable institutions were suffering, because everybody was anxious to do all they could for the soldiers. We took three children belonging to volunteers who had no one to leave them with, and we had one poor little fellow from Fort Sumter. - He was born in the fort, and soon after abandoned by his mother, who became a very wicked wo- man. Then his father — who was a good soldier — was sent to Florida to help fight against the Indians, and was killed : and poor little Richard was left alone in the world, with no one to take care of him but an old woman, who washed the sol- diers' clothes and worked in the fort. After the wicked and dreadful attack on the handful of half-starved soldiers, who were so heroically guarding their country's flag and honor, but who were forced to surrender, the brave Major Doubleday, Bombardment <>t Fort Sunirer. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 33 hearing of our Home, sent the poor little fellow on to us, and we were very glad to give him shelter, and make him as happy as we could. Here is a picture of that sad scene. The cannonading is still going on, while they are carrying away from the ram- parts two wounded men. You see in the picture, they are feeling the heart of one of them, hoping that it still beats. Do you see the brave fellow who is planting the flag ? I must tell you about him. He is a Mr. Hart. When Mrs. Anderson wanted to go on to Charleston to see her husband, whose health was very delicate, Mr. Hart escorted her. He stayed in the fort, and was there during the right. When our glorious flag was shot down, Mr. Hart seized it, nailed it to a pole, bounded up on the ramparts, and planted it again, amidst the cheers of the men. I think it was a splendid thing to have vi.— 2* 34 THE OKPHAST's H03IE MITTENS. done ! General Anderson has that stained, torn, but priceless flag now ; and he says he is only waiting to plant it once more with his own hands over Fort Sumter. He has one dear little boy, who is named Robert after him. I think Robbie, as they call him, ought to be a proud boy; for his father will leave him what is far above untold gold — a spotlesss and honorable name. One dear little boy died at this time, who had formerly lived in the Home. He had been a long time ill with an incur- able spine disease, and it had been thought better to remove him to St. Luke's Hos- pital, that noble charity, where delicate, refined ladies go to live as nurses. Here he had the tenderest care ; but nothing could save his life ; and shortly before he died, he sent to us begging us to let him see some of his little companions, to bid them good-by, and to entreat them to be THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 35 good, so tliat they might meet him again in heaven. It was a peaceful, happy death. Toward November, we began to think of our winter fair, and make prepara- tions, for we concluded to have it about Thanksgiving day. After the fan, we intended to have a festival for the chil- dren, on our anniversary evening, which would be on the 26th of December. The fair was a very nice one. It lasted three days ; and everybody that came was so kind ! and seemed to feel such a tender interest in our little orphans, that I wanted to make a speech, and tell them they were all darlings, old and young. This time, as before, we made more money than we expected ; and when the fair was over, some lovely lady, who would not tell her name, sent us a present of enough beautiful brown cloth ^Sv make each of our girls a warm cloak ; and to render 36 THE OEPHAjS's home mittens. our happiness complete at this time, our treasurer got a letter, telling her and us, that more than seven hundred dollars were coming to us from the " State Fund." I'll just tell you what we lady man- agers did when we heard that. We gave three cheers ! and two or three (I was one) danced round the room, laughing and shouting like crazy school-girls. Don't you think I was a frisky old soul ? The children were remarkably good about this time. They knew very well, that Christinas brought presents to them, in that kind Home ; they knew they would have everything but a mother's or father's warm loving kiss on that blessed holiday. But, oh, my darlings ! it seems to me that a mother's kiss was worth all the rest ; and that we could not give them. Cherish and love your parents, for they are the dearest earthly friends you can have. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 37 Well, our children — as we managers always call them — had a fine Christmas dinner. Bless their little hearts ! they got lots of roast turkey and pumpkin pie that day, as well as the best of us. The evening of the next day was to be the festival. The kind ladies from Trinity Chapel had sent us a tall tree, upon which we meant to hang our presents. The im- portant thing was, to have the presents for all ; and to make sure of this, I, for one, wrote an appeal, and mustering up my courage, marched down town with it the week before to some of the news- paper offices, which is not very pleasant to do, for you have to mount to the very top story ; and it is pretty inky in every direction — all except in the good editors' hearts, which were full of loving kind- ness, warm and glowing. I made a speech to each of these gentlemen, and was very 38 the okphan's HOME MITTENS. polite, and told them all about the or- phans. You can see for yourself what dear old darlings they were ! for every one of them put this notice in their papers for me, and all I had to pay were two words, which were " Thank you." Here is the notice : " Will all the mothers please to remember in these holi- day times, the Orphan's Home in Forty- ninth street, near Lexington Avenue ? The poor little inmates of this institution de- pend solely on those who love children to make Christmas a day of rejoicing to them, and thus presents of skates, balls, com- mon jack-knives, kites, tops, marbles, and books, for boys ; and dolls, tea sets, cheap work-boxes, jumping ropes, books, etc., for girls — would be eagerly and gratefully received, and each mother who feels nightly the ' little tight clasp ' of her sweet little Kate or dear little Harry, will surely remember with loving pity the THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 39 desolate orphans, in whose hearts, at such times of rejoicing, notwithstanding the kindest treatment, the sorrowful cry must arise, ' I have no mother— my mother is dead ! ' And so we heseech you, mothers, remember these orphans." Early in the morning, after Christmas Day the managers went to the Home to make preparations for the evening. We worked like bees, to get the great room ready. At the lower end were arranged the benches, which went up, one above the other, nearly to the ceiling, as I told you. On these the little orphans were to sit. Exactly opposite, at the other end, we fastened the tremendous Christmas Tree, that was sent us from Trinity Chapel. Then the presents began to pour in " Dolls, drums, balls, tops, books, and all sorts of pretty things ; and we mounted step ladders, and tied them to the branches of our tree. I should think there were 40 THE ORPHANS HOME MITTENS. hundreds of cornucojjias — so many kind people had sent candy, and a great many bags of blue and pink tarleton filled with candy. Ah ! then I found out that there were plenty of good mothers and loving hearts in the city of New York. When we had covered the tree in every direction, we stopped, and stared at each other ; and then I said, " Dear me ! what shall we do with all that is left ! " " I think we shall have to spread them out on a large table," said our kind and lovely first directress, who had been with the orphans from the very beginning, when the charity was only the little grain of mustard seed ; and who loved them like her own children. Just at that moment, the matron came in and said that the congregation of the Bishop Wainwright Memorial Church in Hammond street, had sent us a large tree and some lanterns. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 41 You may believe that we were per- fectly delighted with this news ; and the tree was soon hauled in. Then we had to move our tree so as to make a place for the new one ; on which it was decided to fasten with the others a number of most beautiful little lanterns, with fine artistic designs painted on them, that had been brought in by the kind, good daughter of our excellent Bishop. She was one of the managers, and took the most unwearied interest in the children. She and some of her friends had made these lanterns. So the pretty things were carefully fastened to the branches of the new tree, with tapers inside ready for lighting, and the rest of our presents were soon flourish- ing up there too, making such a grand show, that I thought the children, when they saw it all, would certainly go crazy with delight. 42 the oephan's home mtttexs. It was now quite late in the after- noon, and we were pretty tired ; and after taking one last look around, to see if everything had been done, the doors were locked, and we went to our homes to dinner. When I got back, the children were all ready, dressed as neat as new pins, and sitting on the grand, wide flight of stairs in the hall. Their eyes were sparkling, and they had hard work to sit still, knowing that there was something won- derful for them, locked up in the great room. Some of the company we had invited, had come ; and very soon after, there was quite a crowd of ladies and gentlemen, and their children, standing wherever there was -room, and looking with affec- tionate interest at our orphans. A small platform had been put in the middle of the hall, on which were placed a desk and chair. This was for the THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 43 Bishop ; but as lie could not come, the Eev. Dr. Hobart was made chairman. We had prayers, and the children sang a beautiful hymn. Then the annual re- port was read, telling the company what a pleasant time we all had enjoyed in our new Institution ; how well and happy the children had been, and how grateful we were to God, and the kind friends, who had given such a beautiful and comfort- able home to these desolate orphans. After the report, the trustees and man- agers were elected for the next year ; and then Dr. Weston, one of the assistant min- isters of Trinity Parish, and the chaplain of our famous Seventh Eegiment, made a capital address, which pleased the children very much, for it was very short as well as very good. After him came Dr. Dyer, who always looks as grave and dignified as possible; but who loves children dearly, and knows perfectly well how to 44 the oephan's home mittens. tell theni entertaining stories, and make them laugh, while he keeps on his grave face the whole time. He also made an excellent address. It was not intended, this time, to be amusing, for he spoke to the children of the freezing night outside, in which many a poor little beggar might be shivering, without food or shelter, while they were in this Home, which the warm love of the ladies, through, the blessing of God, had obtained for them : but that this was not all — the greatest of their blessings was, that there they were taught to know and love their Saviour, who had died for them, and him, and all the people upon earth. Then he turned to the company pres- ent, and said it was their sacred duty to take care of helpless orphan children, and he hoped they would each make a resolu- tion that night to support one orplian child the coming year. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 45 I told liis wife that he was a perfect darling for saying this ; but I did not dare to say so to him. I only hope the good people made a determination to adopt his suggestions. Then the children, and all of us, sang the Doxology, and then the grand time came. The large sliding doors of the great room were- pushed back, and the children, coming down from the stairs, were marshalled two by two, while the company looked on. Of course the children were to go in first. It would never have done for us to have had the first look. Certainly not; so I said, " They are the officers to night ; we must march behind." Many a little hand grasped mine, as I stood by to let them pass, and many a bright eye was raised to mine, with a whispered " Aunt Fanny " from their smiling lips. After they were in, we marched after, in all sorts of crooked 46 THE OKPHAjSt's hcxme mittens. ways; and I really don't know which sparkled most, the splendid trees or the children's eyes. Yes — I think upon the whole, the eyes were the brighter ; and such a quantity of delighted " Oh's " and " Only look's," I never heard before. Oh me ! it was such a crowd ! I ought to know, for they made me one of the waiters, to carry the presents from the trees to the children ; and I got squeezed flat twenty times. And then the noise ! the shouts of delight and laughter, as little eager hands were stretched out to receive the gifts ! It was worth at least a dollar apiece to see so much happiness ; and I really think that everybody who comes to the next festival, might as well put a dollar in the little box near the front door. Everybody in the Home got presents, and the greatest quantity of candies ; and everything went off successfully. The THE ORPHANS HOME MITTENS. 47 children were to have holiday from school, that is, more play than usual between Christmas and New Year ; and I am sure they had a happy time with their new toys. Some weeks "before this, I had been put on the school committee. This is com- posed of three of the managers, who are specially appointed to visit the school, every day if they like, see what is wanted in the way of books, &c, hear the report of the teacher about the conduct of the children, and give plenty of advice. The very first thing I did when I be- came a school committee woman, was to march right into the school room, and nod and smile at as many children as I pos- sibly could ; saying to myself, u Poor lit- tle kittens, how I love them." I suppose I might as well have said it out aloud, for the children seem to read it in my face somehow; and they bobbed their heads 48 the okphan's home mittens. at me, and grinned all round their mouths. Then I went up and shook hands very politely with the teacher. She looked pretty grim ; but I put on a tremendous smile, and asked if I might speak to the children. She said, " Certainly ; " and then I went anions; them. " What's your name ? " I said to a pleasant-looking boy. " Jacob," he said. • " What are you learning, Jacob % " " Catechism, ma'am ; and it's so hard I can't understand a word of it ; besides which, the lesson is so dreadful long ! I've got to learn two whole pages." " Well, my dear boy," I said, " I will tell you a secret. When I was a little girl, I had to learn Catechism too ; and, like you, I did not understand it at all ; but I had to learn it perfectly ; and now THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 49 that I have grown up, I do understand it. So you must have courage, and learn the words, and try to comprehend all you can, and when you are older, you will remem- ber it, and it will be a great comfort to you." Then I explained some of the hard words, such as " justification " and " sanc- tification," and left him looking happier. But I took very good care to make a good use of the " advice " part of my duty. I told the teacher that the lesson was a great deal too long ; that two ques- tions were quite enough to learn at a time. She did not like it much, but when I put my foot down, the thing has to be done ; and I found, on my next visit, that short lessons were the order of the day. You would have been amused if you could have seen the children whisper and laugh at each other, because I went down with them to dinner one day ; they had vi.— 3 50 THE OEPHAN's HOME MITTENS. meat and potatoes cut up in small tin pans, and when they had all marched in, and folded their little hands, and asked a blessing, I went up to one, and said, " Please let me taste your dinner ? " She gave me the spoon, and I took a bit of meat. " Why, that is capital ! " I exclaimed ; " I think I must have some more ! " and I asked another girl for a taste. So the children eat their dinner, think- ing it better than usual, since " Aunt Fanny," as I told them to call me, liked it. If I had been willing, they would all have given me so much dinner that I should not have known where to put it ; for you must know they had plenty and to spare. One da$ the teacher said to me : " There are ten boys, madam, who behave so badly, I do not know what to do with them. They answer me impudently ; they TIIE OKPHAN's IIOME MITTENS. 51 will not learn any lessons ; and one of them struck me this very morning." " Oh dear, dear ! how very sorry I am to hear this," I answered ; " will you give me their names \ n She took a pencil out of her pocket, and wrote on a bit of paper these names ; and headed them with these dreadful words : " All intolerably insolent." * David C e, Theodore S a, Joseph S d, Edward K d, George E s, George B h, Joseph H 1, Jacob J s, James P y, Benny L e. " Oh dear ! " I repeated, quite miser- able to hear such a bad account, for some of these boys I had believed to be excellent children. " I will come in the school room, Miss H , as soon as you are settled, and speak to them." * Do not be in a hurry to believe this, as I think you will find it something of a mistake. 52 the orphan's home mittens. Nearly all the managers were sewing in one of the parlors ; I went in and said, " I am going to frighten ten bad boys out of their wits." The ladies all burst out laughing. "The idea of your frightening a child," they said. " Won't you let us come in and see the fun i " " You had better take your pocket handkerchiefs out if you do, for you will be more likely to cry than laugh ; but I won't let you come at all. It is too serious a matter." They laughed at me again, and pre- tended to believe that I meant to give the children a stick of candy apiece; but I walked into the great school room, looking very serious, and I felt very serious too, when I saw one of the boys standing in the coiner for punishment. Going up to the teacher's desk, I said, " Miss H , don't you think it would be a good plan I saw one of the Boys standing in the corner foi punishment." THE ORPHANS HOME MITTENS. 53 to take all the good children to Central Park some day ? " " Yes, madam ; but I am afraid there will not be many to go." I looked out of the corner of my eye, and saw that the poor little orphans were gazing eagerly at me ; and rapping on the desk, so as to command perfect silence, I began, in a very grave tone, this speech : "My dear children, there is one thing I want you to believe, before I say another word, and that is, that / love you? I stopped and looked round. Oh, what glances of affection came from those orphans' eyes ! and one little bit of a boy, who had been made to sit on the floor close by the teacher's desk, because the boy next him had tickled him and made him laugh out loud at prayers — this little fellow put up his hand and smoothed my 54 the orphan's home mittens. dress. I took his little fat fingers in mine, and went on : " Yes, I love you dearly. I don't ex- pect you to be perfect children, because no one is always good ; but I want you to think, how kind your Father in Heaven has been to you, to place you here ; in- stead of allowing you to wander about the streets, learning to lie and steal, and use wicked words. The least you can do, is to try — mind, I say ' try ' — to be good and obedient. You all know that many of the greatest men in this country were poor boys, with not half the advantages you have here. There is nothing to pre- vent any one of you boys from some day becoming the President of the United States; there is nothing to prevent you all becoming what is far higher — that is, Christian gentlemen. But for the pres- ent, what do you think, both boys and THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 55 girls, about behaving so well as to deserve an excursion to Central Park ? " A tremendous cheer followed this question, and then I went on : " Well, if you are good for two weeks, you shall go. In the mean time, I wish to see ten of you boys (I won't tell their names before the rest) next Friday in the little recita- tion room. I shall have something par- ticular to say to them, and I do hope they will be such very good boys from this time to then, that what I shall say will be very pleasant ; and now three cheers for Cen- tral Park." The children made a tremendous noise ; for that was what they liked to do : and I went out laughing and nodding at them. Then I got a sheet of paper, and wrote in great letters, quite an inch long, " Cen- tral Park for Good Children ; " and carry- ing it into the school room, I pasted it in a conspicuous place, so that all disposed 56 the oephan's home mittens. to be naughty might be constantly remind- ed of this delightful reward for good con- duct ; and then I said, " Good-by, girls and boys ; " and they shouted back, " Good-by, Aunt Fanny," and I left them. The next Friday, I went again to the Orphan's Home ; I had prayed for my ten naughty boys every night, and I made up my mind to be very gentle and kind to them. I took a copy of the " Independ- ent Newspaper " with me, in which was an excellent story ; the very thing to read to them. It was called " New- Year's Reso- lutions," and was signed "I G. O." I wish I knew the author, so that I could thank her for writing it.* Well, the ladies laughed at me again, and begged to peep in at the door to see * I obtained permission of one of the editors of the " Inde- pendent," to insert this admirable story. "Without that permis- sion, it would have been omitted. It was written by Miss Isabella Graham Oakley, Cincinnati, Ohio. I thank her heartily. THE ORPHAN'S HOME MITTENS. 57 me frighten my naughty boys; but I would not let them. I went into the pleasant little recitation room, and found them all there. They did not look the least alarmed, but quite pleased ; so I said, " Old fellows, come and shake hands with me ; then you will feel that I am a friend, and I am sure you will attend to what I say." "Yes, indeed we will," they all ex- claimed ; and they very nearly squeezed my hand off. " Now," said I, " let me hear what you have to complain of, and what has tempted you to be so disobedient and disrespectful to your teacher." Thereupon they all commenced talking at once, and made themselves out to be the most abused boys in the world. " Such long lessons ! Couldn't go out and play in the wet snow ! were sent to bed for nothing at all ! " & ut ed ges. 1. THE CHILDEEN'S BIBLE PICTUEE BOOK Illus- trated with 80 engravings. 2 * TH Stg^^ RE t^ 8 pi CTUEE BOOK OF ENGLISH Hlb 1 OK Y. Illustrated with 50 engravings. 3. THE CHILDEEN'S PICTUEE BOOK OF GOOD AND GEEAT MEN. Illustrated with 50 engravings. 4. A PICTUEE BOOK OF MEEEY TALES. Illustrated with 47 plates. 5. 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