The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-07

ganizations which aid by active service
in the field is the American branch OF
the International Red Cross league.
Miss Clara Barton. the Florence Night
ingale of America, Is at the head OF the
work, being president OF the national
league. She but recently returned from
Cuba. where as the chief representative
Of her society she superintended the
distribution of food, clothing and med
ical assistance to the sick and starving
reconcentrados, and there, under the
protection of the American government,
she almost Immediately returned with
shipload of provisions. The hospital
ships, too, all are fitted out with Red
Cross nurses and fly the Red Cross nag.
Miss Barton's chief aid Is the sister
in chief of the Red Cross corps OF
nurses. Mrs. Bettina Hofker-Lesser.
Mrs. Lesser, or Sister Bettina, as she
is lovingly called by her coworkers. is
a young woman and very lovely one.
OF medium height, slender, sweet or
face and gentle In tone and manner, she
is Just the sort of woman that one can
imagine commanding the respectful
worship Of a hospital full OF grateful
soldiers or the admiration and loyalty
of train of subordinates. 1t II not
perfect face, but one that womaniy
sympathy. unselfishness and love or
humanity have nodded into beauty.
Sister Bettina-and America is inter-
ested in her because under Miss Bar
ton she has direct charge OF all the wo-
men who care for our wounded soldiers
in the field--is a German by birth and
spcaks English with a slight accent. In
the early part of 1888 Sister Bettina,
then Miss Hofker, became interested
in the poor of New York city and de-
voted q portion of her time each day
to caring for the sick in their tenement
homes. That she might At herself the
better for this work she entered the
Mount Sinai Training School For
Nurses. In 1893 she graduated, carry
ing off the highest honors In her class.
BY this time she had become much In
| terested in the work of the Red Cross.
| but as there was no institution IN
| America, as in the countries OF Eu-
| rope, for the special training or nurses
| for the work of the society the found
| ing OF such hospital in this country was
suggested To Miss Hofker. She inter-
ested a number OF prominent people In
| the idea, and a fund for IL was prom
| ised. Miss Clara Barton was then ap-
preached and her interest enlisted. The
| new institution was TO be located In
| New York and TO be known as the Hos
| pital and Training School For Red dCross
| Sisters. its work In times OF peace In one
| department TO be the care OF the needy
sick. The plan was pushed to rapid
| success. Such eminent surgeons as DR..
| George II. Shrady and DR.. Gailiard
Thomas are now on the hospitals list
of consulting physicians. with Drs. A.
Nj. Lesser. II. A. McNicholl, c. n. ELL
son. steger and Zeh I'm special lines.
II was shortly after the opening cS-she
institution that DIR. Lesser. who had
| long admired Sister In Chief Hoflser, In
| duced her TO become not only his assoc
ciate in Red Cross work, but his part
ner for life.
The Red Cross headquarters In WASH
ington are constantly thronged with
women eager 10 enlist in the work OF
the order No less earnest II the long
| line OF serious faced women that walt
daily in the reception room OF the New
York Red Cross headquarters orr sit
through long hours Of lectures.
or these women few finch when they
learn the arduous duties imposed on oil
| followers OF the Red Cross. The socie-
ty has nothing 10 do with circumscribed