The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-12
SISTERS or CHARITY.
Hou THET SOLVE TIE PROBLEM Oh
HUMAN HAPPINESS.
Something About seattle.s Fine Hos
pifsl-Chat by = Patient with the
Noble Women whs Care for the
Sick and Wounded.

IL may not be generally known that
Seattle possesses the second largest
hospital on the Pacific coast, but such
Is the fact Providence hospital &
only exeelled on the coast in point al
dimensions By the county hospital a,
San Francisco, and the institution has
become SO well aud favorably known
throughout the Sound country. that
there is not much spare nom. Al
present the hospital houses from rs
10 10 patients. including about 20 nm
der tfe4tment for typhoid fever There
seems 70 he q ate an epidemic Of IT,
phoid fever Of mild type throughout
the city, and the physicians attribute
u 10 combination OF cause.-the
chief Of which are lack OF proper sew
erage and the unusually large amount
OF excayating which Is being done By
street contractors.
There are only fourteen sisters OF
charity az the hospital 10 attend TO the
needs OF the large number OF patients.
An addition 10 the staff Is expected
IN lev weeks from Montreal. Nearly
all OF the sisters at Providence hospital
lish il slightly broken with a de-
ilghtiul soft accent. They are kept
busy. from 5 O'Clock mornings until
y clock evening", when the lights are
turned out. During the night there il
a Waterman on each floor. who adj
ministers medicine To the patients ac-
cordins 10 directions left By the sisters,
and frequently the sisters are up more
or less nights. Besides the sister
superior, who has general control OF
the. institution, there is a sister for
each nOOr. who acts as director.
The writer, while lying in szowy-
white bed in a large sunny room, well
furnished, at the hospital for several
days recently, wondered ii the demure
and hard-working sisters we're content
with their life. Finally, day or two
ago, while Sister F., a petite little
woman, who is a general favorite,
was reiigionsly removing the last speck
of dust from the furniture. the writer
preached the question: Sister j.,
| should think this constant and in
terminabie effort TO keep things clean
would become uncomfortable after
WHILE
She looked up slightly surprised and
then replied with merry little laugh
and half apologize tone, "oh We
cannot help il, Won know
Don't you ever become tired of this
uneeasing hospital work.
"oh, no, indeed | like it ever so
much. When | was "A little girl l
always liked to attend the sick and
am perfectly contented now
do YOU think you are as happy as
Won would he out in the world ?"
Yes, indeed We are all Just as
happy as we can be and would not be
so well satisfied anywhere else. Out
in the world, people are always want
ing something they canuot get and are
never satisfied. Here We have all We
want and are at peace with every one.
Why, il everyone knew how happy we
are they would all want TO become sis
tiers. So YOU see. it Is good that they
don't know about il. don't you think
SOP
We'll. YOU are the only class | have
ever met who seem to have solved the
problem OF human happiness. Won
der il ! can't become a sister,
"Hal hal I'm afraid not, but you
might be a brother"
Don't YOU sometimes think you
would like to 60 back to your old
homer"
mo; made the sacrifice for life
and | want to do nothing else but
stick 10 it. Every letter from my
friesds in Montreal asks me TO come
back and see them. NY father did
everything he could TO keep me from
becoming sister. but | am so glad he
did not accomplish it. You see We
have two wears experience as novices
before we take the robe of sisterhood,
and we can determine in that time
whether we are going TO like it or not.
II any one does not like it she can
turn back then.
Later in the day Sister W, an
other member OF the dark-robed, mild
hammered sisteThood, was asked:
Don't you sometimes think it was
too much OF a responsibility TO take
vows TO devote your whole life 10 such
work? ?"
'Ne indeed. was the cheerful and
earnest reply. lam very glad, indeed,
that il is so We are all SO happy here
that would not want to live other
wise"
"Well, IL has always seemed % me
that woman's proper sphere was in the
domestic circle. -
u don't know. only know thank
the Lord every day for calling me for
sister. although | know am not
worthy. II is very happy life.