Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-18

by midday 10 fine huts were standing
ready for occupation on the slope of the
western hill. The real work was now
about to commence. Summoning to my
assistance those men and women who
had volunteered to act as nurses, had
number of stretohers made, and on
these conveyed the sufferers to the hos
pitals. Four patients went to each hut.
The men l sent to those on the right
hand of the street, the women to those
on the left. By this means 48 persons
were disposed Of, and by o'clouk suffl-
cient huts were at my disposal to con-
tain as many more.
By sundown every sufferer in the
place had been removed, the nurses
were duly instructed in their duties and
installed, and the real combating Of the
disease had commenced. But at this
juncture serious problem was present.
ed for our consideration. Having re-
moved the owners to places Of safety,
what were we to do with the old houses
and their contents? Taking Allie into
my confidence, / explained the situation
to her, told her how loath / was to de-.
stroy so many good buildings, but at
the same time pointed out to her how
imperatively necessary it was that every
dwelling and any article likely to har-
bor infection should be got rid Of. To
my satisfaction she met it in the proper
spirit.
eff it is necessary for the safety Of
those who remain, there can be no doubt
at all as to what course we should pur-
me," she answered. "The houses must
CO. And that being 3d. must endeavor
to make it up to the owners when they
shall require them again. Will you give
the necessary instructions?'
did 30 forthwith, and in. less than
half an hour no less than 80 houses,
with their contents, we're blazing on the
plain. ~,
And 80 the week went q I'D the
next after that, with hardly break in
the routine Of work. Out Of 100 cases
treated 80 succumbed in the first eight
days, 10 in the remaining six, while 10
more were added from the township
during the same period.
And now I must say something about
the care and attention bestowed on these
patients by those who bad volunteered
for the arduous task of nursing. Indeed,
feel justified in saying that no better
service could have been obtained in any
London hospital. Fortunately sincere
bond of affection seemed to bind all
these people together, and this, taken
with the influence exercised by the
wonderful woman at their head, made
it's power thoroughly felt in everything
they did.
And here I should also like to put on
record Allies wonderful devotion to her
people during that time Of awful anx-
iety. Day in, day out, night and morn
ing alike, accompanied by her dog, she
was occupied about the different huts,
helping and reproving, ohiding and en-
couraging. Her presence was like a ray
of sunlight which seemed to light the
place long after she had left 1t. The
convalescent derived new vigor from
her touch, the dying were soothed by
her voice. Never once throughout the
whole of the time did she think of her.
self. The path of what she considered
to be her duty lay before her, and the
Beautiful White Devil, the notorious
adventures, the abductor Of rich mer-
chants, the terror Of the China seas,
trod it without murmur or complaint.
It was wonderful exhibition Of wom-
anly gentleness, forbearanoe and endur-
ance. And when saw her, tired and
almost dispirited by the results of the
struggle, and noted how she put all this
aside, assumed a smiling face to speak
words Of comfort to some sufferer, and
then remembered the accusations and
stories to which I had listened in the
Victoria hotel that first evening, I felt
almost as mean and contemplate as it
was possible for q man to be.
TO BE CONTINUED.