1883] ale (Robinson. 
that period, his usual exercise in walking and driving, 
and causing thereby a corresponding diminution of 
appetite and strength. This great change produced, 
naturally, doubts in his mind as to his previous antici- 
pations of his life being much longer extended, not- 
withstanding the assurances of the Spiritualistic medi- 
ums consulted by him, and a gradual though slow 
improvement in his health and appetite during the 
spring and summer of 1882, by visits to the Saratoga 
and Richfield Springs and the Coney Island baths, near 
New York, and these doubts caused him to consider 
and act on the presumption that he and those who 
looked to his life being prolonged were probably mis- 
taken, and the early and close consideration by him of 
such a will as would carry out as nearly as practicable 
his views. 
He had frequently in previous years, asked my 
Opinion as to what I would do zz zs place, and with his 
views; that is to say, if I were unmarried and had no 
children and my near relations were all in easy cir- 
cumstances. I had always replied to the inquiry that 
I knew of no charity which, in my opinion, would be so 
beneficent and valuable to Philadelphia as an institu- 
tion having from the Legislature paternal powers to 
take up little boys and girls, neglected or abandoned 
by their parents, and who were crowding our streets 
either openly as beggars, or in the guise of “ News- 
paper boys,” or on other pretexts, and who would 
necessarily grow up unfitted for any useful occupation, 
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