The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04

eGvoW OFTEN has 1t not happened
H }na, Quilted arasfra young n!bt and ID
EsEHFn9 the midst of whrl of dancing
EEx}sLs3s and festivities and five or six
VkihllD hours later met her again in
the street bundled up in a cab In sim
pie, unobtrusve gown! Whittier was she
going?
TO the hospital.
1t was not TO exptate fault that she
went Qor she could not have committed
any. but to perform q work Of Chris tan
charity. 1t was entirely. voluntary on her
the least 10 do so. It was simply a per-
sonal undertaking, without pay, with
out any other reward than the approval
or her own conscience.
1t was rot to gain the esteem OF the
world, the act being altogether hidden
from the public, for those who 60 to give
their IN, services In the hospitals are care
The patients themselves do not know
the hand that cares them. Such philan-
thropy as this is a discreet philanthropy.
the, most beautiful and unselhsh Of all,
and Is, moreover, consderate for the
feelings Of the poor.
Nor must it be mistaken for the regular
orSaniza ton Of hospital service. The lat
ter Is not philanthropy; It is debt which
the State pays to society, a sort of con-
stitutional debt which is obligatory and
avoids. Hence we also see it established
everywhere with the Sisters of Charity In
Catholic countries, such as Italy and
In y Gland. vlere they are tr,,ied in
mare ii ar SOC professional schools, With
Protestant deaconesses; as in Germany:
by the Princess Komatzu in Japan.
The society woman who enters n hos
rital to tend and console the suffering
mot fung any duty b or
tarily TO the poor and out Of Difference
to the wants of her neighbor; and 1t is
precisely from this point Of view that
how rt nm lie nm nm hco1 ~ II
This sort of charity, 4 believe, had its
birth in France. The number of charit-
able WORKS which depend upon it is in
Red Cross work, which is Il display OF
international patriotism and wrlch has
crossed seas and deserts flourishing as
Arthur and New York 1t is work
whose d!spensaries have been long ago
opened everywhere and In which the la
dies Of e h 5 s9ele,y 90 e m
war
am speaking of those Institutions
which have no other object but the relief
but a love of humanity plays the leading
role: Here is. an example of Hospital
work" as It IS called. The fashionab BILE
pitals of the city or State; they replace
no sick-nurse whose business 1t is to
bind UP wounds or to administer drugs;
they go to the sick-bed and inquire, kind
ly into the suf1'erings and needs OF each
patient, glide some money into their
hands, take the name and the address
abandoned in some garnet. and then
promise to visit them and help them.
Another example is that Of THE Work
of Calvary" which Is still more merit
orlous for those who join it,, as 1t is eX-
clusively for widows, who alone are ad-
mltted. These ladies actually become sick
nurses for the time being; they a tt TO
every wound and render every service
with devotion that borders on h he ft;aI.
voluntary associations for the relief OF
human misery.
But space is wanting; the examples
have given suffice to excite our admira-
ton for these young and charming an
gels Of comfort whom we sometimes
imagine to be nothing but selfish crea--
lures and who conceal under an outward
appearances mundane frivolity the hearts
OF true heroines. If, my dear Indies. you
admire them, it may be that you might
be tempted to follow in their footsteps;
and this is the grace that / wish for
Wi