The Washington herald., 1911-12-25

Convalescing from an illness which
recently threatened to terminate her
life, Miss Clara Barton, founder of the
Red Cross. will spend to-day at her
home in Glen Echo in a dual celebra-
tion, observing the ninetieth anniver-
sary of her birth and the happy Christ
mas anniversary, meanwhile reading
hundreds of congratulatory missives
from all parts of the world. wishing her
4 merry Yuletdc and many more Of
them
EXTENDS NMAS GREETINGS.
A reporter who was greeted by Miss
Barton Yesterday afternoon in the sick
room, made Christmaslike with sprigs OF
mistletoe and punches Of holly and floral
tributes from her scores of friends and
admirers in Washington, was given brief
note. written in her own hand and signed.
in which she extended the greetings of
the season to all the world through The
Washington Herald.
Not many days ago Miss Barton was so
dangerously i'll that even physicians feared
she would not live TO see her ninetieth
Christmas but that remarkable vitality
of four and q half score winters carried
her through to partial recovery, which
to-day permits her to sit in a big chair
by a window and gaze out upon the trees
and the silent river flowing at the foot
OF the hill
About her in piles on tables are hun
dreds of letters, kilograms, and cable
grams from all parts of the world where
the Red Cross is known and recognized
and its founder loved and admired. The
messages are to Miss Barton the most
valuable of her possessions, bearing elo-
ruent evidence of a worldwide love and
admiration such as no woman probably
ever has known.
VIII Not Miss Turkey.
Probably the most frequent visitor at
her home in Glen Echo is DR.. J. B. Hub
bell. who guards Miss Barton night and
day against a relapse. He allows her TO
partake of soft boiled eggs. broth, cereal,
milk and crackers. and Miss Barton is
not at all unhappy. She says she has
enjoyed turkey for so many years at
christmas that she does not miss the
deliracy so much as her juniors might.
DI. Hubbell has ordered NO visitors"
and the order is Obcyed. Though many
persons. some Of them prominent not
only in this country, but abroad, called
at the little cottage nesting among the
y
with sending a message Of cheer and good
wishes to Miss Barton. The attending
physician fears that any excitement may
cause relapse.
Few women in America have had a
more interesting career than Miss Bar
ton She was born December ., 1871, at
oxford, Miss and was the daughter of
capt. Stephen Barton, who fought un-
der Gen. Anthony Wayne. In her early
career Miss Barton was a SChOOl-teacher.
She founded a free school at Borden
town, y. J., which, beginning with six
pupils. quickly grew until 1t numbered
nearly 600. This work she gave up to
accept a place in the Patent Office here.
which she held until the outbreak of the
civil war.
Appeal Literally Answered.
Giving up her government position.
Miss Barton advertised in the papers of
Worcester. Mass. that she would re-
ceive stores and money for wounded
soldiers at the front, which she would
personally distribute. Her appeal was
literally answered, and thus she began
her great relief work. She continued
with the soldiers in Virginia during near
~ the entire period Of the war, being
head nurse Of the hospitals in the Army
IF the James.
In 1869 Miss Barton went TO Europe,
and was abroad when the Franco Prus-
sian war broke out She lost no time
In going to Strassburg and beginning the
work of nursing the wounded soldiers.
She proceeded later to Paris and rem
drred assistance in relieving the distress
after the fall Of the Commune. In 1881
the American Association of the Red
Cross was formed and Miss Barton
chosen its first president. which position
she occupied until the reorganization of
the society In 1905. Realizing that she
was no longer young enough to direct
the affairs of the society, she yielded the
management to otner hands and retired
% private life TO her little home in Glen
echo.