The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-05
SHE IS GROWING OLD.
NIGHTINGALE's SEVEN
TY-FIFTH BIRTHDAY.

Noble Work as Nurse of the wounded
and Dying Soldiers in Crimen.
There Was Romance in Her Life.
Soldiers Kissed Her shadow and
Queen Victoria Decorated the He
roic wOman-StiII at work With
village Mothers-Her Quiet Life in
London.
From the Ladies' Home Journal, April.
There are very few instances on record
of great public woman, and particularly
a great heroine, having throughout lived
up to her reputation. 1t too often happens
in these days. when notoriety is easily OBJ
tanned, and when the public is so ready to
worship the celebrity of the moment, that
a public woman fails to keep pace with
public opinion and to maintain her posi-
ton in public esteem through half cen>
fury of years
A great exception is Florence Nightin-
gale. on the 18th day of this month she
celebrates her 18th birthday-as great a
woman and as great a public benefactor,
and as much of heroine as she was forty
years ago. when she went forth from her
comfortable home in England. not as a
mere nurse to attend to the wants of the
wounded and dying British soldiers in the
Crimea, but as a fearless organizer of
great field hospital system.
No one had thought of the physical
sufferings which would have to be under,
gone by the brave soldiers who were sent
out with the prospect of long winter cam
paign before them, without any adequate
hospital arrangements having been made.
When the great mistake was realized it
was woman who came forward to recti-
fy the terrible blunder; and it may easily
be imagined that obstacles were thrown
in her way by those whose carelessness
and heartlessness it was her mission to
involuntarily expose But even in those
days, when news Travelled slowly and
when newspapers merely recorded bare
facts of news with but little comment,
public opinion was soon aroused and
when Miss Florence Nightingale arrived
at the Crimea with her band of nurses she
had the whole British people at her back.
Few are aware that there is a pretty ro-
nance attached to Miss Nighungale'S
journey TO the Crimea. 1t was gener-
ally known among her friends at the
time that she had bestowed her affections
on young officer in one OF the first regi-
ments 10 proceed to the seat of war. Al
though it was equally well known among
the same friends that in any case Miss
Nightingale would not have hestitated
lot a moment TO accept dne TeSpOnSlDll-
tiles and hardships of the position offered
to her, there is no doubt that the labor OF
love was not only one of love of humani-
ty and of doing good, but was also to
some extent inspired by a desire to be
near one whom She loved as a man more
than as one of mankind.
More than one generation of English
girls have reveled in the story of Miss
Nightinsales work at Scutar; have heard
how the sick and wounded would pray
for her as she walked through the line
of cots each night, lamp in hand, and
how within the space of a fortnight
1900 patients, wounded or sick. were plac-
ed underkcharge. One of the private sol
diers whom she lursed said of her: "She
would speak to one and another. and nod
and smile to many more; but she could
not do it all, you know for we lay there
by hundreds; but we could kiss her shad-
ow as ii fell on the wall at night and
lay our. heads on our pillows again. con-
tent They have heard, too, and cannot
hear often enough, the story of the din
ne! given TO the officers of the British
army and navy on their return from tho
east and how, when Lord Stratford suy-
gested that every guest should write on
a piece of paper the name of the person
! whose deeds in the Crimean war would