Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1901-05-03


and no work for the members of the
Red Cross, during the last few years,
there is where you will find you are
mistaken. Talking with the "angel of
mercy" the other day, she said: "There
is much hard work about it, Polly, but
a great deal of satisfaction as well to
make up for loss of time and the ordeals
that one must pass through. Iremem-
Der one incident that put me to bed
almost a nervous wreck because of it.
1t was soldier from one of the Eastern
States, mere boy, and he laid in the
Preside hospital dying from nostalgia,
or, in other words, pure honesickness.
The mention of home or parents brought
torrent of tears, and his constant cry
was, 1 want to go home! / want to
go homep" Cant you do something
for that boy?" asked the "angel of
mercy" of the physician. 1--WE have
done all we can, and there is nothing
the matter with him now but home
sickness and it's going to kill him."
Off posted the "angel of mercy" to
Colonel Girard to see what he could do
in the matter, and after hearing the
story he went with her to the ward to
see the boy. "Well, what do you
want?" asked the Colonel, whose heart
is as tender as woman's IN spite of his
soldierly gruffness. al want to go
home," said the boy. You are not
able" replied the Colonel, while the
boy buried his head in his pillow and
gave vent to storm of tears. "That's
very strengthening" said the Colonel,
ironically, as he turned to the nurse
and asked how long he had been there.
Securing the desired information he
strobe out OF the room followed by the
angel of mercy" who waited until
they had got beyond hearing and then
asked, "Well, what are you going to
do about that boy, Colonel Girard?"
" You get nurse and see about getting
him ready for the journey and 1 will
have the necessary papers ready to
start him off tomorrow evening""
Back she flew to the sick boy to tell
him the glad tidings, and for the first
time in many days he smiled and
seemed to wake up to the fact that life
was worth living after all.
Then everything was hurly-burly
until time to start for the boat next
day. Everything seemed to go wrong,
and there was so much red tape to be
They were late getting
started for the boat that was to connect
with the overland train. But reclining
in chair in the back of the covered
wagon with the "angel of mercy" and
the nurse who was to attend him, sit
ting on either side of him, tanning him,
giving him stimulants and speaking
encouraging words which they did not
feel, they made the long drive from the
Preside to the ferry. Noneof the party
believed they could make it in time,
and they knew the sick boy could
never stand the disappointment or the
long drive back to the Preside. HE
won't live through the night if we do
not get him off on this boat" said the
nurse to the driver, who renewed his
efforts to make the distance in the few
minutes allotted to them. "Saved,"
said the "angel of mercy" as they
drew up at the ferry; Twelve got just
seven minutes" She dispatched one
man to check the trunks, while they
lifted the sick boy tenderly from the
and hurried him to the gate.
Here another disappointment met
them. His chair would not go through
the gate. They pushed and pulled,
and finally had to seize the chair and
run around to the freight gate, the boy
laying back, white as death, and only
his quick breathing and drawn face
showing the agony of the suspense he
was enduring. At the last moment
another obstacle sprang up-the busy
baggage-masters paid no heed to the
one sent to check the baggage. Back
went the "angel of mercy" and APP
pealed to them. "Please check this
baggage; it's for dying boy, and he
must get off on this boat" she said. 1t
had its effect and the next minute she
was speeding back with the checks,
and saw her charge safely ON the boat
with his nurse, with just two minutes
to spare. She got back home almost
Frustrated by the nervous excitement
she had been enduring and went to
bed, crying and laughing by turns
and wondering how her charge would
stand the awful strain he had been
under, and whether he realized how
near he had come to being left. The
dream of the soldier boy must have
been sweet and peaceful that night, for
every turn of the wheels brought him
that much nearer home and mother.
The next morning the soldiers friend
was at her post bright and early, and
speaking words of encouragement here
and there, and bestowing smiles that
are like beams of sunshine in a sick
room. "But what of the boy?" you
ask. did he live to get home and did
he entirely recover his health?" l will
quote few words from a letter recently
received by the "angel of mercy" in
which he says: ~ owe my life toyou, for
l would have died if II could not have
reached home 1 have entirely recov-
cred nv health andu-hut it is not for