THE HOME FOR THE DYING.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:9
Sts,—Rather more than a year ago the attention of your readers was, through your courtesy, drawn to one of the most beautiful and touching of our smaller institutions,— " Friedenheim "—the Home for the Dying at South Hamp- stead. The appeal then made by Miss Millman for plants and flowers for its wards was most generously responded to, and the sympathy awakened byher letter has not yet died out, for but yesterday I was shown newly.arrived gifts,— ferns, palms, and other foliage plants; tall chrysanthemums in pots standing by the beds ; lilies and other cut flowers in vases on the tables. So that the wards, which are, moreover, amply decorated with pictures, texts, and so forth, seemed really not like hospital wards at all, but like rooms in a loving home, where a passionate sympathy has done its utmost to smooth the passage through the dark valley. Truly, the friends who send flowers to "Friedenheim" have done and are doing a good work. Another source of infinite soothing and comfort to these sufferers is music, and often, in the afternoon, when all the morning's work is done and all the dinners are over, the nurses will sing in the hall, with the doors of the wards set open so that the hymns may, as far as possible, reach all the inmates. Bat at present they have to sing to a very poor harmonium, and a really good American organ for the hall, the sound of which would penetrate further (to say nothing of a tone and sweetness not attained to at present) would be a most welcome gift. The cost of such an instrument would be, I believe, about C50,—a sum which, of course, could not be spared out of ordinary funds. If any of your readers feel inclined to help in conferring this great boon upon "Friedenheim," subscriptions marked "American Organ Fund" will be gratefully received by the Hon. Superintendent, Miss Davidson, Friedenheim, Upper Avenue Road, Swiss Cottage, N.W. In visiting the 'place there came back to my mind an expression of one of the most gifted of our living poetesses on hearing of the death of a friend whose life bad been gentle and whose end tranquil. "He has passed," she wrote, "from peace into peace." It is thus that they pass in "Friedenheim," amid scenes of beauty and the tenderest ministrations of sympathy. Shall we not help those who help them P—I am, Sir, Sze.,
ELIZABETH RACHEL CHAPMAN.
P.S.—I understand that a second-hand piano—there are so often good second-hand pianos "going begging" l—would also be most acceptable for such songs as cannot well be accom- panied by a harmonium or American organ. The organ, how- ever, should be new and of the best.
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