Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-08

or both-in those times, and to pass some
| OF his time in hospital, some of his memoir
| les are sure to cluster about the part which
kindly women took in this portion of his
experience.
How would he have Jared but for the
helpful work they did? No need TO specu-
late about that, for they did the work, and
would be sure to do it again in case of such
need, and again and again, as many times
as the need might arise. They were the
soul of sanitary commissions, and they were
the heart and the hand of volunteer nursing
systems. More than once, to my knowl-
edge, Southern women came in among the
wounded in Federal hospitals, bringing
flowers and good things to eat, and pleas
ant words, which were better than either.
To be sure one of these Southern women
got mixed in her impulses one day, and
staid away ever alter. 1t was in Louisville.
A very pretty and spirited girl contracted
the pleasant habit of frequently coming in
among the wounded men of a certain hos
pital ward, and Frightening an hour for
them. She would bring them flowers; she
would bring in nicely cooked dainties for
some of the worst cases; she would sit BY
some helpless fellow half the afternoon, and
read to him or write letters for him. Alto
gether she was a delightful visitor, though
she took no pains to conceal the tact that
she was Confederate, out and out.
SANG THE WRONG SONG.
By some strange chance there was q piano
in this room. One day, by way of COM
pleting her charming visit, she sat down be-
fore the piano to give US some music. She
sang admirably. But the very first, and
the very last piece she sang was "The Bon
ny Blue Flag p And she sang it with such
vim and such audacity that every one of US
had to applaud her. We were all sorry she
did not come back,
But it was not of her set out to speak,
but OF a woman whom the war made almost |
as famous as it made General Sherman
Mother Bickerdike. 1 saw her first at some
point on the Mississippi river. She had
come thus tar with large shipment of sani-
tary supplies, prominent among which were
sundry barrels of onions. She was impetu-
ously eager to get to the hospital she was
bound for so that cher boys'' could
have the benefit of those onions
right away. But there was some
difficulty about transportation for her.
and her freight L don't think such a Diff
Guilty ever stood very long in the way of |
Mother Bickerdike. 1t certainly did not |
on this occasion. She mastered it with such |
promptness and energy that she was on her |
way down the river-or wherever she wanted |
out how it had been done.
AN ANGEL IN TIE HOSPITALS.
Eved among the soldiers who had never
been in a hospital Mother Bickerdike's
name became as familiar as household
word, and more than one of them wished
she had the ordering of the particular cam
paign which might provoke his criticism.
But the boys in hospital got another view of
her character.
And how tenderly lovable was the side
of it that was turned toward them! They
learned to love and revere her as particu-
larly enterprising and eminently practical |
saint. No difficulty was sufficient to daunt
her will and courage when "her boys" were
to be benefited. And it would be interest
ing to know how many useful citizens of to-
day were brought alive out of the war by
the untirlng energy and the motherly ten
derness of "Mother Bickerdike.''
A WIFE IN THE HOSPITAL.
But after all the woman who brought the
greatest good and the greatest happiness
into hospital, of all that remem ber was
one whose name was never known outside
her own small circle of acquaintance. It
was shortly after battle in which many
fearfully many-men had been wounded.
One of these hapless men sat at the lower
end OF the long ward, shot through the
breast in such manner that he could not
lie down, but had to be kept propped up in
, chair. A doubtful case the surgeons
,alled him.
One day a woman came alone through the
loor at the upper end of the ward, cast a
Iuick glance all about, and then, before
teward or nurse could ask her errand, she
tarted swiftly and silently toward
he man in the chair. He
i'd not see her coming. He
lid not know that his wife was near him
Until her arm was about his neck and her
,isses were on his face. Even then he did
lot speak to her. How could he? He was
rying so in his joyful surprise that he
ould not utter a word. And nobody else
ttered word either; but every man there
id great deal of thinking.
The nurse spoke some very serious words
D the wife alterward about the danger of
hook. But she knew what she was about,
nd the event proved it. That man began
D get better that very hour, and was soon
ut OF danger. And the rest of US, who had
o wives, had to suffer in loneliness, and get
etter the best way we could.
JAMES G, PURDY,