Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-10-17
HRROISFs OF THE EPIDEMIC.
nissss Matte sstevsnssn, of Illinois.
and LaIa wfIkinson, of Memphis.

mlaneo mottton OF itilnoAhs
and LuIs Wilkinson. of Memphis.
In the midst Of so much suffering, dis.
may and confusion many noble acts are
unrecorded, and many a hero or heroine
uAheard OF except in the chamber OF
sickness and death. Some Of these are
brought to notice by mere chance, others
will scarcely be heard OF until the great
day OF final accounts. They can well
afford to wait, for an approving con-
science is more to be desired than any
reward or plaudit Of the world.
There are two names, however, which
deserve more than accidental fame;
two girls who have risked their lives
more than ever did Florence Nightin-
gale; worth more than thousand flip
pant advocates OF woman rights on the
rostrum. They both lie dangerously i'll
with yellow fever, at the Walthall In
frmary, heroic sufferers in the cause of
humanity.
Their names are Matte Stevenson, OF
Touawanda, ILL.,, and Lula Wilkinson, of
Memphis--mere girls, scarcely twenty
years cid. When the fever broke out
here and the fact became known,
Miss Stevenson was on visit to
New England among some relatives,
Cha .a.olvad "a ooooa hara N uurca tho
sick, and without informing any one of
her purpose lest her friends might inter-
fere, she left them, and came directly
to Memphis, paying her own way, and
rendered her services to the Howards.
The President sent her to the Lehner
House to await orders. That night DR..
Blackburn had desperate case, men
tioued in the LEDGER at the time,
Scotchwoman who died of the fever,
unconscious that dead babe, which
had just come into the world, as yellow
as saffron, lay by her side, when he
sent to the Lehner House for nurse, the
evening before the woman with the yel-
low fever babe died. He was astonished
to she a young, delicate girl not ap-
parently eighteen years old, present
herself. No one else could be had, and
she promised to do all she could. All
night long, after the very evening she
came to Memphis, she staid by the dy-
ing woman and performed the part of
faithful nurse. She knew by instinct,
as it were, what was required After
ward she was assigned to other patients,
and in every case was faithful, efficient
nurse.
Miss wilkinson is Memphis girl,
although we know little Of her history
except that she is an orphan. She, too,
offered her services, and was most assidu
GUS in her attentions to the sick. DR..
Blackburn will testify that more efficient,
skillful and enduring nurses never stood
around the bedside of a patient than
Miss Matte Stevenson and Miss Lula
Wilkinson.
But they worked too much. Both
took the fever, and they now lie danger
ously i'll at the Wslthall Infrmary, the
pets Of DR.. Blackburn, who knows what
noble souls they are, and receiving all
possible attention at the hands of the
most skillful attendants. Both are
thought to be improving. 1t is to be
hoped they will both recover, and re-
ceive the recognition they so richly de.
serve a: the hands OF our best people.
They are entitled to a brighter badge
than ever bestowed upon a member of
the Legion of Honor, and when our
troubles are ended we hope they will
have troops Of friends TO award them the
praise they so richly deserve.