The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-17
WHERE DEATH IS
 ON EVERY BROW No Cures Effected in Rosary
 Hill Hospital PATIENTS HAVE CANCER Thirty Destitute lnoursbles Live There Life of Constant Pain, But
 They Are Still Cheerful
 and Palliative.
PATIENTS HAVE CANCER
From the Washington Post.

for" Ii was a victim of incurable cancer facing death to be expected in few weeks at the latest, who said this. It was Thanksgiving Day. There was a pleased light in her eyes-young eyes, but very weary from pain and sleeplessness. And the speaker was destitute. Or rather she was destitute until Rose flaw thorne Lathrop, daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne and now called Mother M. Alphonsa Lathrop. admitted her to Ros- ary Hill Home at Hawthorne, N. Y, open ed nearly five years ago by Mrs. Lathrop for the relief or destitute incurable cancer patients. Since then every day has been thanks giving day for this patient. she says. Hers was not the only thankful heart at Rosary Hill Home, either. An atmosphere of cheerfulness, unmis- takable as the sunshine which flooded the building, pervaded the sick rooms. Yet of the thirty patients none can be cured few may hope to live six months and all must suffer pain til the end. The strains of "Cavalleria Rusticana" 1oated down the corridor and the odor of turkey and mince pie routed that of drugs and dis infectants.
 In an easy chair in one sick room sat woman contrivlng Christmas presents out of a piece of fancy satin, brocade which had seen better days. Some Of 1t is almost as good as new" said the wo- man smiling.
 Tn another room an old German woman was making patchwork. A third patient, not able to sew grasped the nurses hands and thanked her beamingly for "the fine Thanksgiving dinner"
 Chatting of Better Days. Two old toll worn looking women sat 1 chatting socially about days in the old l country when they were young-the days before the promise of a better home and fortune in the New World beckoned all luringly Even in the few rooms where patients sat with swathe faces or lay with eyes turned away from the sunlight, too weak to talk or to be talked to, there was no gloom In one of these a canary chirped briskly in his cage. Was he, too, giving thanks? Perhaps.
 Tn Rosary Iill Home there is little sug- gestion of hospital. There are no wards. In the mems wing there are three patients in each of two rooms, and the one other patient occupies 8 single room.
 Tn the wonian's section not more than two natients are in one room. Aside from two cheerful sitting rooms there
 
 the not more than two or three double rooms. Single bedrooms are the rule.
 Contrasted with the small tenement fiat which Mrs Lathrop rented nine years ago as a home for two destitute cancer patients for whom she was caring. Hos- ary Hill Home seems palatial.
 q can accommodate forty patients here r she said land 1t is only lack of money which keeps me from filling every Inch of space.
 % Indeed my great fear of late has been that I might have to curtain my work or not be able to provide patients now here with all the comforts they need. got this building and farm very cheap, paying only 5000 down and it Is ideal for my purpose both as to architecture and situa- | tion.
 "Rut I had no idea so much money would have to be spent to make it com fortable. The heating apparatus and plumbing alone meant frightful bills-at least they seemed frghtful to me.
 "During the last year fifteen ceilings had to be renewed with metal work-re- newed at once and without waiting to beg for the money necessary to pay for the iob because plaster began to fall near bedrdden patients
 Mother Alphonsa's Burden.
 ",rhe annual cost of running this place from now on need be only about s60O0. heoause we pay no salaries except to the men working the farm. In return the farm gives us more than the mems wages in produce.
 "rhere are twelve sisters of the Do- minican order associated with me, and to- gether we do all the work of the house } and care for the patients. Up to the pres ent. time, however, on account of install ing A suitable equipment, making re- pairs. putting -.ip double windows for winter use and so on, the annual outlay has been about SlO.UO.
 'sWere it not for my strong faith that I vas led into this work because 1t need ed to be done, and no one else seemed to want to do it. I might feel depressed about the empty condition of my ex- cheouer just now" and Mother Alnhonsa's face clouded little Tor I simply must have $500 by the first of the month which is tomorrow and as vet there Is only single one hunoreo dollar check toward it.
 "T owe bill of sl200 for burials, and although the undertaken Is generosity ano : patience personifed, he cannot aHor' 10 go on indefinitely giving his service for nothing.
 and at the little house. 426 Cherry street, which is my New York headquarters and
 accommodates ten patients, die eacf
 year and as none but absolutely desti tute incurable cancer cases are taken . in if means naturally that, barring life ! ;nsurance policy or some unexpected ! vindfall. we must give these unfortunates | decent burials as well as try in every way we can to palliate their sufferngs | .1I tbe epd comes V