The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-06-26
SWEET SINGER OF THE HOSPI


charge of the women managers OF the
Especial Diet Kitchens" connected with
the hospitals all along the front lines. 1t
also devOlved on me to select the women
for these pOsitiOns-twO for each kitchen.
They directed, under the orders of the
ward surgeons, the preparation of the
food for the very sick and the severely
wounded. In some of these special
diet kitchens, more than a thousand pa
tients were supplied with carefully pre-
pared food, in great variety, three
times day. 1t will readily been seen
that competent women were needed to
properly manage the work in these i'm
portant kitchens. They had not only to
control force of from twenty to thirty
men, and direct their work, but they had
the responsibility of securing proper pre-
paration of food on time and without
confusion. Their official positions also
required that they should be women of
culture and social standing, who would
command the respect of the officers and
surgeons in charge. 1t is greatly to the
honor of the patriotic women of America
that scores of accomplished women
volunteered to perform this difficult and
arduOus service. Great care was taken
in their selection, and none were ac-
cepted who were not highly endorsed.
Washington a young lady from Paw
tucket r. l. She was twenty-five years
old, as | afterward learned, but she was
so youthful in appearance that she looked
much younger
81 am Lizzie Billings" she said by
way of introduction. 81 was ready and
waitingy and as soon as l received your
letter containing the pass and orders to
come, started"
Myheart sank within me. l was ex-
pecting Lizzie Billings, but anticipated
meeting very different looking person.
Every letter of recommendation had
said:
although Miss Billings is young in
years, she is mature in character, and
represents the highest type of American
womanhood. She will command respect
anywhere We commend her to you as
one of our noblest women, one who will
be equal in any position, and who will
never falter or fall in the line of duty. "
had therefore expected to meet wo-
man of commanding presence, whose APP
pearance would indicate experience and
inspire confidence that she was equal to
any emergency. But she was small and
childlike in her appearance and plain and
unconventional in her manners.
Although much disappointed, l re-
ceived her as graciously as possible; but
when she inquired "where am | to go? ?"
did not feel safe in assigning her to
hospital duty. So answered:
you will stay here for the present.
My courage, however, almost failed me,
when she said:
81 brought my little melodeon with
me; thought it might be useful"
And sure enough, when her baggage
was brought up, the tiniest melodeon |
have ever seen was taken out of the box.
"What shall we do with that dearinno-
cent child from Rhode Island and her
little melodeon ?' said privately to my
secretary, little later. But she could
not solve the problem When the heavy
work of the day was over, we joined Miss
Billings in the parloT. After some con-
versation she inquired with childlike
simplicity;
"Would you like to have me play and
sing?
We assented, and she at once took her
seat at the melodeon. We were charmed
and amazed. 1t seemed as if the cur
tains of heaven had been suddenly drawn
apart, and the song of an angel was float |
ing down upon us. The tones of the lit |
tie instrument were soft and clear, and |
the voice of the singer was remarkably |
sweet land sympathetic. Her notes |
thrilled one-there was life in them.
After listening to her for an hour, all |
our own WEAKNESS and anxiety were
gone, and we knew just what to do with |
Lizzie Billings. There were tens of
thousands of burdened souls all about |
us, and she, with her wonderful gift of |
song, could lift some dropping spirits, |
and pour the balm of peace into some |
,ynuOIaJ fointinrr bnartS
The next morning l toek her and her
little melodeon in my ambulance over taL
Campbell Hospital, and requested nTT 70
sing as she had opportunity. The sick
and wounded were quartered in great
wooden barracks, eighty feet long There
were two rows of cots, one on each side
of the room. That very day she went
into one of these long wards. She had
never been in a hospital before; ana
when she entered and saw the long rows
of cots, and the pale and earnest faces,
all turned toward her, she grew faint
and dizzy, and her courage almost failed
her. She was powerless to do anything
but walk on down the aisle. At last a
soldier called feebly to her.
Say, miss, can't you write a letter for
me P'
1t was great relief to have the silence
broken and to have something to do.
She seated herself beside his cot and
asked:
"To whom shall write ?"
my mother" and he thrust his thin
hand down upon his pillow and drew
forth letter and handed it to her. She
read the tender messages of his mother {
and the others of the family with tears
in her eyes; it was so pitiful that those d
who loved him so should be far away
when he needed them most.
"Tell her." he said, that the doctors
say may live week or two yet ~
"Oh you may get well yet !" 7
mo, have fatal disease, and can
never get we'll"
"Shall l ask your mother to come to q
you?"
mo, she is too poor to come; but she j
is praying for me-"
"WOuld you like to have me pray for a
your" '
yes, miss, if you will"
Lizzie Billings took one of his thin, ,,
cold hands in her own, and knelt there !;
beside his cot and offered up one of ;
those tender prayers that come from the
heart and go straight to heaven. When G
she arose every man who was able to be d
about the ward was standing around the
tears they could not restrain. IL
Would you like to have me sing some
thing ?" she questioned. h
"Oh, do !" they all entreated; and she "
sang one OF those sweet religious songs
that she could sing so we'll OF course h
they were delighted, and urged her to n
come again.
81 have a melodeon," she said as she ~
left them, land, if the surgeon will 4
allow, will come tomorrow and have +
that brought in" r
The next day the little melodeon was =
brought in, and Miss Billings sang for q,
them. The surgeon in charge was so de- %
lighted with her singing and its effect
that he gave orders that she should be al
allowed to go freely into the wards to n
sing. From that time on she devoted e
her whole time to singing, going from al
ward to ward, till all the thousands in y,
that great hospital had been soothed and 81
cheered again and again by the sweet Ii
melody Of her voice. Il
The effect of her singing was so up
lifting that | extended her field, and had ri
an ambulance detailed for her use that "
she might visit other hospitals. From a
that time she had her regular circuit. a,
going day after day from hospital to q,
hospital to cheer the suffering and sor- n,
rowing ones. Men who had been strong n,
in battle to do and to dare, but now lay K
helpless and sorely wounded, with heart "a
and flesh ready to fail, were made to for D,
get their agony for time, and 10 mount
upon the wings of hope, leaving despair
and death below them. Mothers and OF
wives, who watched hopelessly by their So
diving ones were helped to lift up their 81