The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-27

Of a Red Cross nurse, a kerchief about
her neck caught by a pin fashioned in
the likeness of a Maltese cross. Miss
Wheeler paused In her self-appointed
task just long enough TO tell of her ex-
perience in Santiago. Frequently her
story was interrupted by the need Of some
patient She told 1t unaffectedly, think
ing naught Of the part she played
What can 1 tell you of INTEREST,"" she
asked. CAN I know anything about Ia
patients and fevers and thermometers.
When the war broke out 1 wanted TO
do what 1 could. I could not fight the
Spaniards as my father was doing All
L could fight was yellow fever l went
to Cuba on the Lampasas. l wanted ia
be near papa. 1 was not a trained nurse,
but had had some little experience nurs-
ing at home. The rest had to learn"
When we got to Santiago they refused
to let me land and told fearful stories Of
hundreds dying in the streets and hospi-
tals. was not an immune and they
thought it would mean death for me to
land. In spite of my appeals they sent
me on to Guantanamo.
i sought out Gen. Miles and begged him
to let me land. He looked into nv eyes
a moment, then he said 1 could do as
thought best. So 1 passed the lines and
went into the city.
When l got there found the men with.
out any of the comforts which belong to
the i'll. Cots they had none; blankets had
been long since cast aside and lost There
was nothing for them to eat, poor fellows,
but the scantiest or army ratlons-hard-
tack and the like
Il was placed in charge Of a hospital
which had formerly been a boat-house. 10
was a building extending out over the wa
ter, with veranda running around II. IL
was, comparatively speaking, cool.
In a few days the Red Cross supplies
began TO come in and l got cots for my
men. They We're remarkably fine cots Each
one had four pillow cases, sheets, rubber
blankets, woollen blankets and mosquito
netting. We also received many delica~
cies.
II think the happiest hour of my life
was when 1 got my patients off the floor
and into those comfortable cots. You ought
to see their eyes shine. Many man alive
to-day owes his life to the Red Cross"
Miss Wheeler paused In her recital long
enough to give some medicine to a typhoid
patient.
My boys were the private soldiers" she
went on. Il found the officers had ser4
wants to wait on them and plenty of at
tention. But the privates were alone and
helpless and neglected. That was the sort
L had come to help. And oh, they were 50
grateful, so accomplishing, so heroic! IL
was beautiful to see the gratitude shining
in their faces over the smallest things that
L could DO for them. They used to follow
me with their eyes.
Il wrote letters for them and I remems
Der one case of a very brave man, Fred
derle of the Eighth Ohio. When the doc.
tor told him he had yellow fever he smiled
and asked me if l would write to his wife
and children.
Tell them that am slightly Ill, but on
the road to recovery he said And l wrots
that brave white lie intended TO spare
them suffering. God bless him. They took
him across the bay that same day to inc
yellow fever hospital. He was a very SICK
man, but his was the indomitable grit tnas
conquers disease by sheer force of char
acter, and the last heard of him he was
getting well'
She had ninety patients. She was on her
yet from a. m. to p. m, and had 10
time to catch the fever. One day seventeen
yellow fever patients came in wagon,
but she lived through 1t all and saved many
lives.
THE voyage north on the Olivette was
pleasant" she said, but l had my hanus
full with the ill., the dying. Eight moie
poor fellows went 1t was piuful TO SEQ
their sheeted forms go overheard, TO rear
lie that after All they had gone through
and suffered they would never see nouns
again. They had fought so hard TO NV
that they might at least reach nome
There was no chaplain on board 20
read the burial service for the dead. hel
the bells rang In the englne-room ana w
went on once more"
But patients In Ward were getting reg
less, and Miss Wheeler said she must in.7
no longer. Two other daughters Of "flehl-
Ing Joe" are coming here, and It Is beie'-
cd they too VIII go into the hospital.