Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-03-12

See room in cots, DuS
more a. e LAID IN
cradles before the open fireplace, and some
are placed on top OF the stove like FRI ncn
dish laid to stew in a Balm Marie, ana soiiie
have spray playing upon their faces ana
down their threats; some are sleeping, some
are sucking the hoit.e, and some are lying
broad awake, their grave eyes staring straight
before them, as if nothing that goes on OF
side the crib has the least interest Tor b. by
Here and there sits q mother, her child Lii
her lap; but there are not many mothers
present. and about the ward all day and al
night perpetually hovers the sister When
one first visits this room there happens
curious dimness to the eyes, with choking
at the throat, for thinking of the nnocents
suffering for the sins of their fathers and the
ignorance of their mothers. Presently this
feeling passes away, because one percelves
that they do not suffer, and one remembers
how good it must be for them to be In such
a ROOM with pure air, neither too hot nor TOO
cold, with the sisters careful hands to nurse
them, and for the first time in their young
lives holy calm around them To the elder
children. in the ward above, the quiet, the
gentle ways, the tender hands and the kindly
words are full of lessons which they will
never IOrgeU. w NV uOG lOA tu0 AAlduOo, ooot
The sister in this ward wore a gray
WOODEN dress with white apron, which
covered the whole front of her dress, a bib
apron white collar, and white ca and
no cuffs. because cuffs interfere with turn
ing up the sleeves. She was young, Tut
grave of face, with sweet, solemn eyes, and
vet a uuickly-moved mouth which looked
as if it could laugh on small provocation,
were it not that her occupation made
laughing almoss impossible, because babies
have no sense of humor Her name in The
world was Calista Cronan, and she was the
daughter of DR.. Hyacinth Cronan. of Cam
den Town. As for her age, she was twenty
two, and as for her figure, her stature, her
beauty and her grace, that, dear reader,
matters nothing to you, because she is the
next thing to nun, and we all know that
q nuns charms must never be talked about.
1t was q Sunday morning. morning in
early Juue-when outside there was a di-
vine silence, and even the noisy highway
of the Thames Yves almost quiet. The sis
Ter was lettering round the cribs in her
ward, all the babies having been looked
after, washed, put into clean things, and
made comfortable for the morning. Two
or three mothers-but not many, because
there are household duties for the Sunday
morning-were sitting with their own babies
in their laps, thing which did not inter-
fere with Sister Calistas catholic and uni
versal maternity. Every thing in the ward
was as it should be; the temperature ex-
actly right, the ventilation perfect, the cases
satisfactory. Presently the door opened and
q young man came in. AS he carried no hat
and began to walk about the cribs and
cradles as if they belonged to him, and as
the sister went to meet him and talked earn
estly with him over each baby, and as he had
an air of business and duty, it is fair to sup
pose that this young gentleman was con-
nec,ed with the medical staff. He was, in
fact, the resident medical officer, and his
name was Hugh Aquila-
Mr.. Hugh Aquila had passed through his
hospital course and taken his medical de-
grees with as much credit as is possible for
any young man of his age. Merely to be-
long to the profession should have been
happiness enough for him, who had dreamed
all his life Of medical science as the one
thing, of all things, worthy of mans INTEL
lect and ambition. There are in fact, other
things equally worthy. but as Hugh was
going to be medicine doctor it was good for
him 10 believe while he was yos ng, that
there was no hing else So the young inner
fol ow but his kind of art; and the physicist
considers himself as the Professor of the One
Thing No lie and Necessary-all in capitals
But the fates are unequal, and one mans
| cup brims over while anothers is empty To
this fortunate young m love had been
| given as well as the profession which he
! desired, and a measure of success and repu-
| tttion-love, which so often is kept by for
| tune for consolation cup. and bestowed upon
| those who have lost the race and been over
| thrown and trampled on in the arena and
| have got neither laurels nor pra Sc, nor any
wreath of victory, nor any golden apples.
| Yet this young fellow had actually and
| already obtained the gift of love-though
| he was as vet no more than five and twenty
| In addition to his other gifts graces, and
prizes Perhaps it does not seem a very
| great thing to be resident medical officer in
| a childrel's hospita'. But ii You happen to
be young man wholly devoted TO your
! profession, and if you are already in good
repute with your seniors, and if you have
faith in yourself and firm belief in youi
own powers. and if, further, v GU see great
Possibilities in the position for study and in
crease of knowledge then you will under
stand that to be resident medical officer in
| the Cnildr MS Hospital at Shadweu may be
a very great thing indeed,
When this resident medical had completed
his round and finished the work which ha,
every day to be begun sgain, he stood for 6
moment at q window looking out into the
silent street below. 1t had been raining and
the pavements were wet, but the sun was
bright again, and there were light clouds
chasing across the sky Within and without
everything was very quiet.
The eyes of the young man, as he stood Al
the window. had a ar-of look.
''You look tired, Hugh said the sister.
These two were not brother and sister
They were not even, so far as they knew
cousins. Nor had they known each Other
from infancy Yet they addressed eacl
other by their Christi ian names. To be SUR
Calista was, professionally, the universe
ulster But Hugh was certainly not the uni
vsrsal bro; her. This singn .arity might hay,
given rise 10 surmise and gossip in the ward
but for the fact that The babies took no NOR
4 notice of it than if it had never occurred a
| Ill ~ &c q NAV with hahies Tho sister uro