The San Francisco call., 1909-04-11

known occurred during the time of the Klondike
rush. One day baby brought to us by man
who instructed to keep it until called for He said
the parents up in the Klondke and this child
had been born there had barely existed since
its birth, and each day they thought to lose it. SO
that finally they decided to send it south.
The father, however was too busy to leave just
then and the mother weak to travel, so this
man had volunteered to bring the baby along with
him. The baby was the tiniest punes little thing
you imagine. but there really was nothing the
matter with it except malnutrition and the inability
to stand the rigorous climate.
So the baby Immediately started to improve and
soon fat and hearty and became the pet of the
hospital. His name was Jack, but we called him
the Klondike baby" and because he entirely
alone every from the orderlies to the head
and the visiting doctors, took personal interest
in him.
Every week or heard from his mother-and
what charming letters they were, so girlish spon-
taneous and loving. You could just feel the young
mother heart yearnng for her first born She wanted
to know everything about him; how he looked, was
he fat enough to have Bracelets his arms" did
laugh did he coo, could he say mammal" The
tinest detail was of enormous Importance to the
mother so far away.
For two years the only news she had of her baby
through our answers to her letters After time
she wrote to that baby girl had come. But this
did for minutef drive little Jackie out OF her
mind Then the baby died, after the first cry of
grief she seemed to brood than ever over her
boy
AT last we learned day that they had struck it
rich and were coming home. Such sweet, foolish let
ters got from her them Please talk to Jackie
about us. Please make him glad to see u.s." But 1
can hardly believe she happier more excited
than Each of us tried to think of something
10 do had
youngster with big blue curly golden hair pretty
as picture and lovable a little angel Nothing
was ever the matter with him. but all took parcu-
lar care of him now for mother was coming"
She was expected FRIDAY remember the ex-
act day. On Sunday Jack developed slight cold, on
Monday pneumonia had set in and by Thursday Jack
was dead
Early on Friday morning the mother and father ar
rived. He stopped at the Office but she ran right
through the corridors and up the steps, crying "Oh
just can't wait minute | must see my baby!" 1
confess that stole away with the others, for
feared might have to tell Der. One of the physicians
caught her before she reached the ward and asked
her to step into the reception room for minute.
1t still hurts when recall that day. can see now
the wild uncomprehending look the mothers face
when, after these many months, she looked at her
baby. And somehow I can remember that
they had struck it rich in the Klondike" | can
only remember Jackie
There was another lonesome little fellow in our
ward at the time. He seemed to have no one
in the whole world, and day he confded to me
that his father had killed himself drinking beer"
He was dear, quaint. little chap, and he used to
say every day, Please, nurse hurry with my dinner,
| am as hungry a pig in the woods" whatever de-
gree that Is. He had tubercu1ar glands. and one
night as | was standing by the bed next to his l
heard him whisper, God almighty, you know | used
to 0f1f
better After he operated on, his dressings for
a time particularly painful and when the sur
geon would come in the morning he would regularly
order, Now, wait mnute-wait till I grit my
teeth Then giving a big, ndrawn breath from be-
hind his tightly cenched teeth, he would say Now
go ahead" He did want to get well, poor little
chap. He used to tell all the things he was going
to do, and to see, and to find out when he got big
Life meant so much to him, and yet he died.
And in the next ward a young man who was
tired of life and twice had tried to put to it.
and we pulled him through That is when the in
justice hurts and bewilders you
The recovery of this young fellow was really re-
markable His sweetheart had Tilted him. so he had
sought consolation in razor and had cut his neck
almost through They brought him to the hospital
and we put IA stitches in him and started him on the
road to recovery much against his will One day
when he had finished drinking some milk he broke
stitches before he could be stopped And we forced
him TO live. | have often wondered what became
OF the man. and whether he ever grateful to us
for giving to him his life whether he eventually
succeeded in thwarting us
This man used to be particularly impatient and ex-
acting; he kept the run all the time As
one nurse said, 1T made wish for the wings OF a
dove except for the additional bother dsinfecting
them There are many patients like this constantly
petfy de rdJe of
one else thinking that he she is the only person
the hospital to be attended to. They consider that
they are paying their good money, why should they
not be waited upon?
Peggy had patient once who always demand
ing attention. She in private room and her bell
was continually ringing. and there seemed to be al
ways something to be done for her every minute One