The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-24

ma Hospital and Its Needs-An
Opportunity for the Philanthropic.
Its Maintenance Depends Upon
the People - Magnificent Work
That It Is Doing in This Com
munity for Suffering Humanity.
Incidents of Every Day Occurrence.
Clang! Clang! Clang! 1t is the am
bulance gong and the community as
sociates its harsh echoes with sorrow
and suffering. The galloping horses
are hurrying through fashionable
avenue. Men, women and children n.
windows and on porches see the SOM
bre vehicle as 1t flashes BY.
Not a breast but pulsates with the
deepest sympathy, although none know
who will be carried to the hospital on
the returning trip. The next morning
the papers tell the story OF sad ac-
cident that befel a carpenter by the
giving away of a high scaffolding upon
which he was at work. The item Is
read, some one says: "Oh, chats where
the ambulance was going yesterday"
and the incident is forgotten by the
hundreds whose sympathies were
stirred by the echoes of the hoarse
gong on the day before.
And yet this is only natural. HUI
manity loves the sunshine not the
shadows. There is no less sympathy
for the stricken mechanic in thu homes
and hearts OF the wealthy and fash
ionable today than there was yesterday
when the ambulance flew By. Their
sorrow Is assuaged by the knowledge
that the victim is being kindly and
skilfully cared for in the institution
which is largely maintained by the
contributions of the rich.
A PICTURE REVEALED.
But here is a picture not revealed to
the masses. The man who fell from
the scaffold lies upon an easy cot with
a broker leg. BY his side sits a pale
faced woman with a look of tender
love and nervous anxiety in her eyes.
She holds one hand of the sufferer
and manifests a devotion born of the
truest affection. She Is the wife Of the
man who is doomed to lie OF. that bed
for weeks, perhaps months, patiently
waiting until the bones shall grow to-
gether again.
And of what is she thinking? OF a
home where little children will miss
the cheering voice of a loving father
for a long time to come. OF demands
that will come in the passage of time,
for the support of the dear ones who,
until now, never knew what distress
meant. The husband, now so sorely
afflicted was never an improvident
man.
But he has been forced to endure
the stringency of the times which
made many idle days for him and
prevented the harvesting for the rainy
day.
But brave woman is the wife that
looks SO lovingly down upon him. She
has health and friends and nimble fin
gers. The time has come for An ex-
hibtion of that latent courage that
has been slumbering in her bosom.
The stricken man has been thinking
of the future, too. Ever since he has
been laid upon the hospital bed with
his own comfort fully assured he has
been thinking what was to become Of
those he loved during the long weeks
able to bare his arm again in the
strife for their support.
HER WORDS OF CHEER.
But the woman who sits beside him
bends tenderly and whispers: Don't
worry, dear: we shall not suffer.
can earn enough until you are on your
feet again. You thank God, as 1 do.
for the inspiration that evolved this
noble institution. Here you will be
cared for as could not care for YOU.
Gentle nurses will anticipate your
wants and skilful physicians will do
their best to heal you up quickly. 1t
is great burden that is lifted from
both of us and heaven be praised for
it,"
Down in the Lackawanna hospital
such scenes are frequently revealed.
They touch the heart of the beholder
and send the cynic away with a signif-
cant reminder that the world has a
great deal of good in it after all. That
there are women in humble life who
are heroes and that there are such
things as honest love and supreme
domestic virtues. That the hospital
itself represents the embodiment of
the highest Christian charity and that
communal eXaltation is best revealed
in the establishment and maintenance
of such institutions.
And again the cynic, If he cares to
investigate, will find in the history of
this hospital much to convince him
that the good people of Scranton have
never forgotten its great and growing
needs, They have, through their in
fluence and money, endeavored to Sc
cure as time has advanced the most
modern appliances for the relief of af-
tiicted ones committed to its care, as
well as intelligent service in every re-
spect. Hitherto the state has done
much in the way of contributing sup
port. There have been times when
the benefactions Of the commonwealth
have rejoiced the hearts of those most
deeply interested in this hospital.
Such generosity meant much for suf-
fering humanity But now a Mace
DOMAIN cry arises and each clang of
the ambulance gong should stir the
hearts of the community with a deeper
and more impressive sympathy.
HOSPITAL OVERCRoWDED.
Men are employed in the most dam
gerous occupations hereabouts. The
risks are constant and many. Bleed
ing and broken forms are daily knock
ing for admittance to the hospital
wards. These are overcrowded now.
Nearly a hundred more patients are in
the surgical department than there
should be. 1t is an appalling condition
of things. Political pollution. legisla-
tive eXtravagance, or what you will,
has compelled a cutting down of char