The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-12
CHARITY HOSPITAL.
AN sceNES AMONS AN UNfOe'
INMATE CLASS or PEOPLE.

! ROof-A Dying Gir'-Nobie pee"s vs.
cAar,ty-Outsids Work.
The ladies' OF the mission gathered up
their packages and papers and divided IN
two part ies -one to visit the Penitentiary
and do there the beautiful work when
Fl,,airth Fly Initiated. tho other TO tho
Charity htspital. and with the latter
vent A small room Is set apart thero
for the use al the mission The tables III
IL we're already covered with baskets OF
fruit glasses OF Jelly. bottles OF beef tea'
cans OF oysters. and various other deh.
s.e,es By each basket lay number OF
oapers and religious tracts. After brief
csliRious services the Indies separated
sacb taking her own basket and readihg
matter to the ward she WAS assigned 10
Q.,a under this one roof. are 900 human
bdnRs. 10 every conceivable stage vi
suffering The pangs Of poverty are III
creased q hundred fold when disease
sasse. In Its cruel clutches the unhappy
victim. Few people are fortunate enough
70 escape the knowledge OF oodiiy pam
Nost indeed. can recollect at least one
peason Of physical wretchedness. 10 oe
sure. there was a soft bed ana sh@oeo
shadows skilled care and loving atten
lions. doctors who said pleasant things ana
disg,,issd their doses. delicious trines tnal
appeared by magic. and thousand IN
Rsnious surprises 10 create an appetite Ut
vim q smile With all that. something
Ake a shudder comes over one Mt the
thought OF a repetition of the experience
To 20 through ward in theCbarity hos.
pital cOnvinces you that the primer OF
misery has ye, to be mastered by the rest
Of US Imagine yourself on narrow ana
lumpy led, the light from row OF DIG
windows beating in your eyeballs, the teet
Of the con valescents shufiiing and scut'
ding over the bare floor. the whi'ewashcd
walls devoid of even wall paper pattern
70 be deciphered the callous young doctor
70 whom you are but a bit of experience
and the food such that II well your
stomacb and senses would revolt at H.
A. to flowers. books, music and bright
colors. they como only in dreams
After all no amount of moraliZing brings
the truth home like single individual
oase and there was one patient In par
ticular that made profound impression
upon me-a girl in the last stages OF con
sumption. Illness had robbed her face OF
tht coarseness it may have had in health
Through the veil that death is drawing
over II shine splendid black eyes and g
skin painfully brilliant In coiorlng
heavy uass Of short black hair falls over
her forehead. nearly meeting the large
dark brows that seem TO have been
painted rather than grown on the marble
akin There Is something curious and
shock,nQ in this dread makeup OF dis
s.se that reminds one Of the stage, but
there is no counterfeit presentment OF
health In the long. emaciated hands that
lie 10 nervelessly on the bedquiit. By
the side OF the bed is little stand upon
II Bible and mug of water-that Is all
Mary was breathing in low gasps. Her
lips were parched. her eyes despairlng
Suddenly they fell upou the visitor In
moment, she was transformed When that
visitor laid on the little table slice OF
ordinary white bread and butto and
big orange the girl half raised herself on
her elbow to look her gratitude Inc
luxury expressed iii that slice OF bread
and butte, nc one can imagine until they
LOOK at the dark. sticky stuff CREASED ovci
that u called by that name in the hos
initial Then the gentle missionary read
and talked to the girl who listened
eagerly mo one else comes to see Inc
but You" she said. simply, "and the days
and nights are so long
lis there anything you would hker
asked the lady .
"Yss. ma am. If you please. should
% like q little mixed candy, said the dy
Inc GIRL lyon see the medicine tastes
10 bad. and we don't have nothing to take
after It," The candy was promised, ana
With her heart In her voice the lady ut
tered q little prayer and left the sufferer
composed and comforted Ii Is q dark
day In q 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
One sinking from the effects of an opera
tion beos for taste OF mixed pickles,
another wants lust one bologny. am;
Athird asks for glass OF ginger ale. and
IN old woman bcgs for "a cup of real
tea
Going from one ward to another 1t Is
the same story tod over and over again
Of suffering. for the most part dumb, Of
moral blindness and mental misery 1t 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-
perateIy III women One Of them near
The door was nearly over the threshold of
Nfe Hei glazed eyes were fixed upon q
child-her only one. brought to her for q
farewell kiss Tho little fellow crowed
and capered about merrily in the lap Of
The woman who held him. unconscious OF
the meaning Of the scene, AS his mothers
syeIids fell he was laughing outright
With delight 1t would DO painful and
ftet,