The Washington times., 1910-03-20
CHILD'S STRUGGLE
FOR LIFE is WON
Margaret Nugent Will Re-
turn TO Parents Easter
Sunday.

After nine weary months Of illness,
the greater part Of which was marked
by intense torture. Margaret Nugent.
eight years old. viii go back 10 Alex
andrla at Easter 10 join her perents
and brothers and sisters from whom
she has been separated since last De-
cernbe-
Weak and weary she lies at Provi-
dence Hospital, slowly, but surely re-
covering from the results Of Injuries
she received in a Fourth of July cele-
bration, and a subsequent surgical
operation which succeeded where SINH
lar operations rarely bring about the
desired results.
The story Of this little chlH is one Of
courage. gentleness and patience, al
most past belief II is the story Of how
a viii 10 live, backed by a fortitude
that few mature persons could equal,
and by all the magic Of medern surgery.
conquered over apparently hopeless
forces. II is the story of how a woman.
in the last hours OF her life. gave, un-
knowingly, new life 10 a sulferi.C child.
Great Fortitude Shown
From the time the little gicI was
picked up in the streets of Alexandria
last July and carried into her home
limp. and almost lifeless, her tender
little body livid from burns she had
lust received, TO a time not long ago,
when she was pronounced out OF danger,
Margaret Nugent has made a fight for
life that aroused the admiration Of all
who witnessed her wonderful struggle.
Physicians. nurses and friends join in
expressing their praise for the beautiful
fortitude shown by the child.
Time and again during her long Illness
death stretched its cold fingers out 10
clasp her little heart and end forever
the pain that at times so tortured the
frail little body that II wrtthed n agony
and forced the trained watchers at her
bedside TO turn away in an effort 10
overcome the emotion that threatened
TO render them inefficient in thN per-
formance OF their duties.
But death had no meaning Tor Mar
garet Life she knew-not - life, the
abstract. but as life the concrete life
that meant playing happily about the
streets of Alexandria with her brotners
and sisters or coming home tired OF her
play to receive the mother comfort that
lights alike the modest dwelling Of the
Door and the splendid palace OF the
I-ich-and the child longed and hoped foI
the return of that happiness which
meant life 10 her. So she fough' on
again and again the freezing strip OF
death from her heart
Patient Still Weak.
Az last the crisis Of the wonderful
surgical operation passed and the brave
little spirit cre7t out from under the
shadow that had lowered menacingly
over Il for so long II was tired
spirit. worn and weary, but stil brave.
AS the little child moves weakly about
the hospital ward in the listiessness OF
c0nvalescPnce she strives 1nW and again
70 smile. The long fight h1s left her
silent and more or less different 20
what goes on about her. Yet every day
Ehe shows Improvement She and the
surgeons and nurses ana the one woman
have conquered
But tie one woman. she who did more
perhaps. than anyone else, TO save the
life Of the little child. She died with
Ilp her hold on life in utter unconscious
ness Of the fact that by doing so at the
time she did. she brought JOY into one
modest household.
Skin Is Grated.
In October blood poisoning set in. and
delirium came again. But still the
brave spirit Of the child held on. tho
small fame Of ner determination burned
steadily. IN December her parents de
cided the child would have 10 90 to a
hospital. so sle was sent TO Providence
The surgeons at Providence saw al
once that skin grating was necessary
II the Cnilds life was to be saved.
In the hospital woman lay ill., She
had struggled hard for her life. but the
.Cdds were against her. An amputatiOn,
the surgeons decided. might save her
life. II the meantime the skin from
her leg was grated on the back OF
little Margaret NuRenf The grating
was successfully done before the woman
who furnished the little chfld with new
life died. But her condition was such
that the surgeons could not tell her of
f. And she died without knowing Of
The good deed she had done when the
gates Of death were closing on her.