St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-01

gave way. 1t would almost seem as though
she had been divinely led into phianthropic
work, for the first step was taken without
generalization. Her brother had been made
prisoner by Gen. Buffers troops, and she
resolved to try to secure his release by ap-
pealing to Butler. Before starting for the
front, she announced in a Massachusetts
newspaper that she would receive stores and
money for the wounded soldiers, and would
distribute them personally. There was an
overwhelming response, and she found her.
self with work ON hand onerous beyond all
expectation. Until the war closed, she never
left the field, but continued nursing the sick
and relieving the suffering, besides distribut-
ing large quantities of supplies that came to
her from many parts of the Union. She
worked quite alone and Independent of any
existing organization, and when hostilities
ended, Clara Barton was known throughout
the world as the soldiers friend.
Peace brought no cessation to Miss Bar
toms labors. During the next fifteen years,
she did effective work ON all the great battle
fields of Europe. And the little Yankee
schoolma'am conquered the hearts of other
nations, just as she had done at home.
Kings, queens, emperors and potentates We'd
with each other in their desire to do her
honor, and she was literally loaded with bril-
liant decorations, crosses and rare jewels.
Just thirteen years ago, the American Ma
tional Red Cross Society was founded, and
Miss Barton was chosen as president. Under
her leadership, it has grown to be the great
est philanthropic organization ever known in
this country, and the splendid work it has
accomplished during periods of great nation
al suffering and disaster, would alone make
a thrilling and voluminous history. In the
Mississippi floods in 1882, the Ohio floods
the following year, the Louisiana cyclone, the
Texas drought-famine, the Charleston earth
quake, the Johnstown flood, the Russian
famine, and latest of ALL the Sea Island hur-
ricane, Clara Barton and the Red Cross work
ers have stood between many thousands of
sufferers and death by starvation, injuries or
disease.
During the whole of the present winter,
Miss Barton has had her headquarters Sin
the field at Beaufort, s. c., where the Red
Cross established itself for work among the
Sea Island population. There, in lonely
and wretched section of desolate country,
she undertook the herculean task of relieving
population of nearly 10000, scattered over
district fully 100 miles square, giving the
people cheap but wholesome rations, and
helping them to rebuild their ruined cabins.
In this latest field the Red Cross has ex-
pended between $40, 900 and $50, OO0
No woman ever lived who knew more of
the human heart and how to reach it. than
Clara Barton, and none has enjoyed wider
or more deserved confidence, for everybody
likes her. Her Washington home is draped
and festooned like a royal pavilion with
silken flags from score of different nations.
Even the portieres are flags, and the stair
case is also hung with them. In her pretty
salon, above which is her private office, it is
nothing unusual to find her receiving as
guests many, of the foremost ladies' of the
nation, wives of senators and of members of
the cabinet. Mrs. Cleveland, too, pays her
an occasional visit; and when any great ca
lamity or disaster calls forth the efforts of
the Red Cross, these elegant society ladies
hover about the Yankee schoolma am and
undertake the committee work she outlines
with eager pleasure. Said one of these la
dies to me recently:
''She is the sweetest, most unSelfish women
in the world Thousands of people owe
their lives to-day to what she did years ago.
The old soldiers regard her as an angel al
most. 1t isn't wonder that her name
should awaken our enthusiasm. Her hands
heart and brain have been busy with works
of mercy all her lfe."
BLANCHE ELLIOTT.