Life — June 28, 1923 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LIFE A Little Story of Well-Doing WEALTHY gentleman coming through the Grand Central Ter- minal one morning some years ago was attracted by a considerable crowd and excitement near one of the gates lead- ing to a train about to leave for West- ff ern Connecticut towns. The crowd was ‘ E made up mostly of children, about two hundred of them, running from five- to twelve-year-olds. There was a sprinkling of what were evidently mothers, teachers and settlement workers. The children were poorly dressed but scrubbed faces and slicked hair showed that effort had been made at least in tidiness. One man and his assistants were busy getting them in line to go through the gate and incidentally to pass a hasty final inspection by a young man evidently a doctor. The gentleman was sufficiently interested to make in- quiries and learned that this was one of Lt Fresh Air Fund parties s.arting off for a fortnight’s stay at the Branchville Fresh Air Farm, Although he was a man of big affairs he made further inquiries and became satisfied that he could help the work by giving the Fund another farm.’ Whenever he tried to buy one he found that the seller, learning of his identity and wealth, immediately boosted the price to prohibitive figures. Being also a very busy man he put off the purchase from time to time until it was too late—death claimed him before he had carried out his intention. But this gentleman left behind him a son who had be- come interested in what his father had meant to do. He refuses to let Lire make known his The gentleman who insists on remaining anonymous has deeded the land to Lire’s Fresh Air Fund and paid for a large part of the buildings. The remainder of the cost and the equipment of furniture, bedding, dishes, etc., will be defrayed: from the reserve which Lire’s Fresh Air Fund has been accumulating against just such a contingency. None of it is taken from the trusteed Fresh Air E: dowments. The financial details will be shown in the annual statement of this year’s transactions, OW comes a most important detail. To take care of all these additional children means a largely increased expenditure—roughly, ten dollars a child. Lire has never been disappointed in the generosity of its readers. They have given fresh air outings to more than forty thousand poor children, Still fresh in memory is their magnificent contribution to the care of the French Orphans of the War. They have established more than two-hundred ani fifty Fresh Air Endowments, each of which gives in perpetuity a fortnight’s summer outing to a poor city child. In view of these things Lire feels no anxiety about the future of the new Farm, Just the same, now is the time for every reader to do his or her duty. Make your choice—$200 for a Fresh Air Endowment to which you may give a name—$10 to send one child for a fortnight —or any sum you like for fractions or multiples of a child. Checks, if you please, to Lire’s Fresh Air Fund, 598 Madison Avenue, New York City. Further interesting (and valuable) information will be found on page 29. identity but there is one fact which can no longer be kept a secret. About July first Lire’s Fresh Air Fund will through his generosity, aided by that of previous contributors to the Fund, open a completely equip- ped additional Farm which will enable us to take care of two hundred and fifty more children every two t HE new Farm is about 110 acres in extent and is located up in the Somerset hills near Gladstone, N. J. New buildings have been constructed consisting of a stone and brick dormi- tory, a combined mess-hall and kit- chen, a play pavilion for stormy weather, a bath-house and a sanitary building. In addition a farm-house on the place has been completely remod- eled for the superintendent’s quar- ters. There is an electric and refrig- erating equipment and a_ bountiful supply of pure water. Best of all for child enjoyment, there is a stream deep enough for wading and small swimming but too shallow for drown- ing. There are no automobile high- ways, but meadows and trees and wild flowers and plenty of room for all sorts of games. And there are no policemen. Mr. Bug (indignantly) : ABOUT THIS AUTO SPEEDWAY. THAT'S THE SEVENTH BUZZ WAGON THATS BEEN PUT OUT OF COMMISSION BY FALLING STRAWBERRIES THIS MORNING. ON THE BUGVILLE TURNPIKE WHOOP! THERE'LL HAVE TO BE SOMETHING DONE comicbooks.com