The evening times., 1899-06-02

of suffering and need which must present
themselves to the orphan children and the
most helplessly sick of the widows OF the
old reconcentrado element: this having
been the work requested Of the Red Cross
by President Mckinley six months before
the war-thus it is merely the remnant
of an old-time request of cur honored Ex-
ecutive that We are attempting to carry
cut, and if possible to close out by the
present work.
Il found on my y-arrivaI here, May 5,
that cur field agent, DR.. J. B. Hubbsll, was
at work in the vicinity OF Guines with a
small force of practical women nurses and
a Cuban physician, DR.. Garbanelle, of this
city, as assistant, establishing. or rather
| in common parlance we would say, max
ing up" asylums in the various towns
along that section of the country. taking
only the full orphans of recOncentrados.
found running about the town, without
shelter. food. clothes. place to sleep. Or
person to care for them; begging at the
station Of travellers as they passed, until
one stepped down from a car with difEcuI-
ty. unfit to be seen. and unsafe to touch.
The first move was to call the attention
of the mayor and municipal authorities to
the subject; each saw the fearful ccndi-
, ticn, but no one could see way out of it.
They were too poor, too tired, too long
| suffering. and discouraged to start any
| thing of themselves. 1t was one of ttose
cases where an impetus must be given.
! ! where little help meant much; like the
stone on the brow of the hill, once loos-
ened and touched it would roll itself.
| "a house of sufficient size on the out
| skirts of the town, with land for a garden
| or greater cultivation, Is first asked for,
| and readily found and given free, disin-
| fected, whitewashed, made thoroughly
clean, safe. and useful. The number Of
! children ascertained, dormitcry of clean
canvas cots, with sheets, pillows, and blan-
kets arranged by the nurses, q kitchen pro-
vided with cooking utensils, a dining room
| (generally with homemade tables}. cups,
plates, knives, forks. and spoons for all.
"A small shipment of supplies is. or
rather has been. sent from our warehouse
in Havana or Santa Clara. Of food. rn-
/ made clothing In the material, calico. ging-
ham. cotton. jean. The children are gath
! cred up. or more properly gather them
! selves up in the strange hope that some
thing has come for them. Taken into their
| new home. shaven If need be. washed.
| treated for their vermin, sores and cuta-
neous diseases, their filthy and dangerous
rags burned until no clothing is left. when.
| il no other made garments are at hand,
| they are put TO bed till the ladies' of the
town who flock joyfuliy with their needles
| and sewing machines can make the neces-
sary one garment for each child. which
| takes them out of bed clean and whole
/ some.
1.-THE second day always finds them all
| up, dressed, fed, clean. and happy. Some
| times there are not over thirty. in 9TH
| er places seventy-fve or eighty. The
| people of the town are 80 delighted with
the change they cannot do enough to help
the thing along The women and especial
| ly the young ladies'. volunteer the making
and mending of their clothes and go con-
secutively and teach and assist them IN
the work of the home. for they will largely
do their own work under instructions. The
farmers volunteer to plow the gardens and
more land when needed, assist them
| in planting the small seeds, such ~
children can do; We send the seed