San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-16

there Is no counterfeit presentment Of
health in the long. emaciated hands that
lie so nervelessly on the bedquilt. By
the side of the bed is little stand: upon
1t Bible and mug Of wster-that is all
Mary was breathing in low gasps. Her
! lips were parched. her eyes despairing.
Suddenly they fell upon the visitor. In q
moment she was transformed. When that
visitor laid on the little table q slice Of
ordinary white bread and butter and Q
big orange the girl half raised herself on
her elbow to look her gratitude. The
luxury expressed In that slice of bread
and butter nc one can imagine until they
look at the dark. sticky stuff CREASED over
that is called by that name in the hos
pital. Then the gentle missionary read
and talked to the girl. who listened
eagerly mo one else comes to see me
but you. she said. simply. land the days
and nights are so long"
is there anything you would ikeY'
asked the lady.
"Yes, ma am. if you please. should
&C like little mixed candy" said the dy-
ing girl You see. the medicine tastes
so bad. and we don't have nothing to take
after it" The candy was promised. and
with her heart in her voice the lady ut
tered little prayer and left the sufferer
COM posed and comforted- It Is dark
day in a patients life when the doctor
says she may have anything she likes
that is. that visitors choose to give her
and many and singular are the petitions
showing the sufferers idea of luxury.
One sinking from the effects of an opera
ton begs for taste of mixed pickles,
another wants lust one bologny. ma am"
a third asks for glass Of ginger ale, and
an old woman begs for "a cup of real
tea
Going from one ward to another it is
the same story told over and over again
of suffering. for the most part dumb. Of
moral blindness and mental misery. It Is
curious, though. to note the difference Of
reception given to the mission visitors by
the new and old ones.
In the surgical wards were many des-
perately Ill women. One of them near
the door was nearly over the threshold Of
life Her glazed eyes were fixed upon q
child-her only one, brought to her for
farewell kiss The little fellow crowed
and capered about merriy in the lap Of
the woman who held him. unconscious of
the meaning of the scene. As his mothers
eyelids fell he was laughing outright
with delight 1t would be painful and
dreary to go even in pen from one ward
to another in this stronghold of suffering.
1t seems as if the very walls of it would
weep and the sights weigh down the
heart of the outsider.
A few of the branch charities are the
loan relief, which lends rubber cushions,
invalid chairs, hot water bags and bed
rests to the poor convalescent; the
mothers meeting. where good advice and
Bible reading go hand In hand with sew
ing. the Thanksgiving fund, which sup
plies ftty-fve poor families with good
dinner on that day; the bucket trade,
which. when the mother is working out
By the day, supplies her little ones with
! pail of good hot food; the kitchen garden,
where little girls are carefully taught,
and the protective work. which aims to
care for the female stranger from the
| country or abroad until she finds work.
| Mrs Robert P Porter In New York
Press.