The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-03
A MODEST HEROINE.


Not easily can l forget the sadness
OF my first visit to this Montauk rail-
way station. In a long boarded struc-
ture next the ticket Office were about
fifty soldiers, stretched on benches or
on the floor or sitting up weakly,wait-
ing. a lonely and desolate company. Ri
fles leaned against rough beams, can
teens and haversacks were strewn
about, and many heads rested on
blouses rolled up for pillows. There was
no grooming or complaining, but there
were wistful eyes and white, pinched
faces.
Presently a soldier on the floor was
taken with a fit and began TO kick and
struggle, his mouth twitching. Three
OF his comrades knelt on him while "A
little plain-faced woman chafed his
wrists and tried To force some liquid
between his teeth. Soon he grew quiet
and was left fiat on his back, hand
kerchief over his face 10 keep the flies
off.
on n bench near by, huddled i'm
blanket. was a boy scarcely over sew
enteen. His face was fair as girIs.
He wore glasses. and the warrior hat
on his smooth brow seemed pathetical-
ly out of place He was shivering so
with a chill that his words came In lit
tie gasps when / spoke to him.
How long have you been here, my
boy?" | asked.
''S-s-since n-n-nine O'clock" he said.
and his lip quivered at the kind word.
IL was now nearly five in the afternoon.
A train was just leaving for the city.
but he could not take it, his furlough
papers were not ready yet. The best he
could do svould be to gget the seven
o'clock train. and IL was chance
whether he did that.
Across the shed tall Swede lay on
n bench, Red Cross pillow under his
head He had the color of a corpse;
wet cloth was on his forehead and the
little woman noticed before was fam
ming him. When | came near he whis-
pered: "I was strong. sir. this morning.
| but | had to stand in line so long that
| ] got weak"
"Did you come from the hospital?"
eyes sir. I had fever"
"Did you walk down."
81 got ride part way on an army
wagon. | walked the rest
The little woman put n cup Of milk
| to his lips, and he gulped down few
swallows.
Another soldier staggered In. held
| by two comrades. They stretched him
| on the floor. and at once he began TO
vomit The little woman hurried to
him with basin. She laid him back
| tenderly and bathed HE face: then she
gave him stimulant. 1--WE been throw
in blood ALL day." he said. II didn't
! think I'd ever get down here I wouldn't
have. either IL the boys hadn't helped
| meg
He closed his ewes weakly, and the
little woman worked her fan over him.
| Presently she moved down the line.
| stopping here and there to moisten a
compress. to give milk or port wine. TO
speak n word Of announcement. She
wore neither army-ha nor Red Cross
| band and her manner was almost hum
| BILE. as If she were apologiZing TO every
| one for not being better-looking. or
| better-dressed, or more skillful in her
! ministrations. All this was in pleasant
| contrast 10 the style of certain aggres-
sive phlanthropists ! had met in camp
who let their right hands know with a
brass band what their left hands were
| doing.
May I ask your name?" I said.
,"Oh," she replied. I'm nobody in
particular. I'm just trying to do little
for the boys"
Are you with the Red Cross people?"
mo. sir: they didn't want me.
wrote 10 them first, but they said they
had all the women they needed. So
came any way. and helped Mrs. L..
| of Brooklyn. You know Mrs. L.?
She organized this work at the station.
| | remembered Mrs. L. as the LADY
who had instructed all the newspaper
men to report at her tent daily at a
| given hour.
Where is she now?"
Home in Brooklyn, sick. She work
ed too hard"
"And you are running the whole
thing by yourself?"
"Im doing as much as I can, but
have to go away every night about nine
because there is no place here for me
to sleep. and that leaves the boys alone.
Besides. I am not a regular trained
nurse. I only know a little about TAX
ing care of the sick"
Wont you tell me your name?"
asked again
After n moments hesitation she said
she wo uld rather not give mesher name
she would rather not give me her name
State: she was glad " she had been OF
any use: there was nothing else TO say
/ Cleveland Moffett in Leslie's Weekly