The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-07-26
Two BRAVE ARMY GIRLS.
One Noble Sister Who Nursed the
Other Through Yellow Fever.
FATHER DIED OF DISEASE IN CUBA

Major CIendenIn Victim of Black Jack a,
His Daughters Sailed Away-Miss
Helen Caught the Disease and Miss
Ella Devotedly Nursed Her Back to
Health-A Tale OF womanly Heroism
New YonK C;rY (SpeciaD. OF the hero.
ism Of the men OF the army. volumes have
been written. With this heroism the story
following has nothing to do. 1t treats Of
the herotsm CT two "army girls" brave,
true hearted Yankee misses, whose lives
since they have been out OF pinafores have
been spent in barracks, within the sound
OF drums and the rumble Of feet tramping
in cadence.
The name o; these "army girls" is Glen.
denim. They are the daughters OF martyr
to duty and they are martyrs themselves.
One Of them Is slowly convalescing from an
attack Of yellow fever on Swtnburne lsl-
and; the other Is recovering from the strain
OF nursing her sister through the illness
that threatened her life. In trench out
side Of Boniato Camp, near Santiago, the
body Of their father has been buried,
though at first they did not know It.
Paul Clendenin was physician In Gales
burg, ILL.,, fourteen years ago. He had two
little daughters, Helen and Ella, and to
them he was father and mother, for his
fulness OF his af1llction, but he eoul not
gain 1t in the drowsy atm mosphere OF Gales
burg. Naturally fond Of nomadlc exist.
ence, life In the army appealed to him.
He applied for position In the Medical
Corps, passed brilliant examination and
became an assistant surgeon in November,
1886.
When the war with Spain broke out Dr..
Clendenin had reached the grade Of cap
tain, and was considered one Of the best Of
the army surgeons. He made application
to be allowed to enter the volunteers, and
permission was granted. In june, 1898, he
was made brigade surgeon with the rank
OF major, and was assigned to General
Fitzhugh Lees command.
Major Clendenin had his hands full.
The hospital was fall OF soldiers the winter
through. From general to private the
army fought of the fever, and right In the
denim girls. But the fight was futile-the
fever came, and cne Of the first to feel Its
effects In the Santiago district was Major
Clsndenin.
he battled with the disease with all the
skill and strength OF q trained fighter, but
1t conquered him. Late In June he told
his daughters that they must get out OF
Santiago.
What! 20 to the cool breezes OF the mid
die west and leave their father swelterlng
under the Santiago sun, Ill perhaps! The
Clendenin sisters said "no" to the PROPOSE
ton, but their fathers arguments overcame
their scruples.
Arrangements were made for the Glen
denim girls to 60 to New York on the trans.
port Mcclellan, together with nearly 100
others hurrying from the fever infested
town On the day before the Mcclellan
sailed, Major Clendenin was stricken down
with the fever
He said nothing to his daughters about
leave him. Not until the ship had sailed
did he give way.
On the first day out from Santiago Helen
Clendenin became Ill. The ships surgeon
told her that she had yellow fever, and so
she had. In spite OF the protests OF Ella
Clendenin she was not allowed to nurse
her sister. But she was allowed to sit near
the door Of her cabin and talk to her.
Through the voyage she scarcely left her
post. The other passengers formed
watches and took turns In keeping by the
lonely girl.
Df. Doty, when he boarded the McClel-
Ian at Quarantine, was told OF the condi-
tion OF affairs on board.
miss Clendenin?" he said. "Is she the
daughter OF Major Clendenin, who died in
Santiago?"
"s-s- h!" said Captain Brickley. "They
do not know"
And so, when Helen Clendenin was taken
off the Mcclellan and transferred to Swim
burne Island she was told that her father
was well. Ella Clendenin insisted that she
be allowed to nurse her sister.
"If papa should have to hear that she
was nursed by strangers" said the brave
girl, chs would not like It,"
Down to Swinburne Island went Ella
Clendenin. Night and day she watched ut
the bedside OF her stricken sister, and not
until DR.. Doty absolutely insisted that she
should relax her vigilance did she consent
to taxe protracted rest. Thanks to the
strong constitution OF Miss Helen and the
excellent treatment she has received, both
aboard ship and on the island she is now
on the road to complete recovery.
1t was pathetic to hear these two brave
army girls talk OF their father. Both we're
overjoyed in the false belief that he eur
vived his illness and Is again the strong,
courageous worker they have known from
childhood.
'In the course OF my service as Health
0ff1cer," said DR.. Doty, 81 have had many
unpleasant duties to perform. I would
willingly have gone through all OF them In
succession rather than to have told those
two brave girls the truth"