The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-01-25
To the New Murdoch Free Hospital.

BY A. M. TRIGGs, n Patient.
This new Hospital, you say,
VIII be finished on the first of May.
A noble structure tits and grand,
Finely located, and well planned.
Large enough for all,
AS It contains 3o,000feet of floor.
OF its kind the only Hospital
supported by one Individual
Without contribution or taxation.
In all this great aud glorious natiOni :
From sill to eave-fr0m wing to wing,
The structure seems a living thing.
In living tones 1t seems to speak:
81 am an ayslum for the weak,
And burdened and distressed.
The helpless, struggling and depressed,
Deserving daughters OF Mother Eve,
Beneath my roof will find relief;
Though many here may often come
Filled with sad thoughts of friends, and home
Their hearts with sickening fear be rife
To come beneath the surgeons knife
Filled with the dizzy, nameless dread
That haunts the etherizing bed.
Their tears and fears will melt away
Like dew before the orb of day.
Kindness Will wipe away the tear,
Experience Danish doubt and fear,
And cheerful word and pleasant smile
Shall many lonely hour beguile.
For none can here position I'LL
In whom kindness does not blend with skill.
No surgeon here who is not kind,
Skilful gentlemanly and refined
And faithful, punctual to each call,
To rich or poor, one and all.
No attendant here upon the sick
Whose heart Is not warm, deep and quick
To feel for, relieve and sympathize
With pain, and tears, and sleepless, eyes,
To sOothe the tired, throbbing head,
To soften, cool the fevered bed,
Remembering Him who favOrS rain,
For the cup of water in His NAME"
How glad this founders heart must feel!
How full of pride and holy zeal,
To see this noble work go on
To see the healed leave one by One-
To h1lOlD none in the white cots lay
Worrying the doctors bills to pay,
To hear the conyalescents sing,
Theil laughter make the fine wards ring;
The thanks that from glad hearts they pour,
The "God bless him" as he leaves the door,
To feel that what he can he giUes,
Sees it in good use while he Iiues.
Not waiting till he has turned to dust,
He sees, he sees, full wen ne knows
Where and how each dollar goes,
Not boarded, Squandered, vainly spent
But wisely used, and freely lent
TP HIN who sag df 9 f the e three
Another name enrolled shall be
On the pages of philanthropy
Would like him were many more
Who would freely, wisely use their store
OF useful knowledge, and growing wealth
For the good, and aid and light Of health,
So many unheeded day by day
In crowded cities would not fade away
For want of skill, and pure fresh air,
And rest and n0uriShment, and loving care;
So much want, and suffering, we would not meet
In garrett, and alley, in shop and street;
So many young mothers doomed to die,
Their last earth memory their childrenS cry,
Who, left to the waves of hardened world,
Nor so many girls of pure soul, fine brain,
Left to drag out hours of Smothered.pain,
Without the means for the time to stop.
For rest from store, or desk, or shop
Their strength still falling their last hope gone
Still bravely trying to struggle on.
When timely skill and care would save
Many flower from an early grave.
God shower his blessings on every one
Who works for the good, and the light of Man,
And happy make the hearts tonight
OF those who labor for love and right,
And of those bright souls who have ever sought
To lift, enlarge the plane of thought
For the cause of science, and skin, and Truth,
Or for the alienation Of Age and Youth
From sickness, suffering, error, wrong,
Or to lift the fallen, or lead the strong,
Comfort their souls at the last great call,
Forget not this Founder among them ALL
Give him happiness, peace and light,
Strength to Keep the path of right.
Bless him, Father, in thy own sweet way
And ''raise him up'' on the final day.
Boston Traveller, November, 1885.
janis WS&Mtf