Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-04

do not know of its work, for to hno"
of it, is to be interested.
1T was my privilege 10 spend a day
with the visiting nurse in her rounds
Of duty. 1t was a perfect day in early
September when the asters and the
dahlias were in bloom and the golden
rod shed its golden glow Ger field and
meadow.
Billy, the horse. evidently was not
in trim with he beauty Of the day or
else was not pleased with his extra
burden. as the nurse had to remind
him occasionally of the many calls
awaiting her, by a gentle tap of the
whip. urging him on to faster gait;
for over the hills of Rock Island it
takes time TO reach the many homes
to be visited scattered as they are,
franl one end of the city 10 the other.
Our first call was made in the out !
skirts of the city where there are 20 |
many beautiful hilly spots around /
Rock Island. This patient was in the
last stages of that dreaded disease, |
consumption is the oldfashioned name |
for il and as | am old fashioned | will /
call It that. Here rude 5hanty had |
/ been constructed for the patient where
he could have fresh air and sunshine
in abundance. These people were -
/ teiligent and refined and just ike
other people, but misfortune had over
/ taken them in the form of a long il
ness which is liable TO come to any
/ enc. What would they have done
" - r-fgi
AS | saw the nurse tripping over
those hills carrying warm WOODEN
blankets, fresh eggs and other supplies
to the worthy family these words rang
IN my ear, inasmuch as We have done
il to the least of these my brethren We
have done it unto me- The words OF
Jesus as he spoke to the multitude
centuries ago.
From that family we next called
upon dear old lady with a strong
English accent which tod plainly of a
birth in a foreign land, and voyage
across the sea to our beautiful Amer
lea. Before reaching the house the
nurse remarked that she didn't know
whether she would find this patient in
bed or up Dlacking her stove as she
was q victim of asthma and dropsy.
But We found her up ami CHEEKY, able
to come out to the buggy and greet
me. and she was so grateful to nurse
for her kindness and was so hearty in
her thanks FOR her supplies and sincere
in her praises of the helpfulness of
the Visiting Nurse association.
The mex call was a revelation to
ne for did not realize that the visit
ing nurse visited the homes of the col
ored people too, but why not? Isn't
this Christ's work? and he was no re-
spector of persons. These words
came before me, 4 was hungry and We
gave me meat, was thirsty and ye
= gave NE drink. naked and ye clio he'd
p me, sick and We visited me- In this
home there was a dear little co-orcd
girl so thin, and sick-looking. and such
: nice old colored nanny of the old
! slavery days, grandmother of the little
2 girl. Such hearty welcome as the nurse
Z received here and again such gratitude
= was manifested that il chcered my
q heart through and through and thank.
r ed God all the way that there was
such an organization as the Visiting
g Nurse association to care for these
: people
The great sun smiling down upon
q us told as that it was MONDAY, so VIC
3 wended our way up the hill homeward
e to be refreshed by the midday meal
y and little after-dinner rest for me
while nurse was making an extra call
and then came our visit to the fai
west end, or Shantytown; and truly
/ did not know such a place existed il
o our midst.
"On orr way We passed the Wes
Il monument to the noblest work in oui
v city and joins hands with the work o
: the visiting nurse on every side. Thu
good that the West End Settlement il
doing in our city can never be est
y mated in this world; only eternity cal
" tell of the lives saved the little chill
dren rescued from lives of wo
and pointed TO a nobler and highe
= life. But let us go back to Shanty
e town. | almost exclaimed in surprise
- What! DO you go in here, Miss Giles
o But in this squalOr and dirt and poV
~ erty were bright little child faces
beautiful, too, if clean. and how tn
= little faces did beam with happiness
=, and when Miss Giles gave them eac
i an apple, some plums and grapes. nc
one forgot TO say Thank you and ]
y was hearty and sincere, too Ny hear
~ was saddened at the thought of thes
= dear children growing up in these SUI
roundings. but as we drove homewar
and the West End Settlement loome
up before me. and the public schoc
and | thought of the faithful, refine
teachers and the settlement, / was no
in despair, for the lives of these chi
dren are being touched every day b
] these influences, and who knows whs
! the future may bring forth?
I But what of the visiting nurse
1 She goes in the poorest of homes
1 where all sorts of conditions exist
takes on coat and hat and goes to tn
\ bedside of the suffering patient, n
4 matter what the disease or condition