The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-27
The chiIdren's Ward.
BY ALExANpER BLUME.

ny ALEXANDER bLUME.
Hush tread softly; this is halowed ground See.
little lie on their white cots they suffering.
How pale they SEEM how patient and accomplishing.
And when they cry, how it strikes deep into our
hearts and the tears unbidden spring to our eyes.
Babies in pain What cruel wrong man has wreaked
upon the innocent Pure, sacred little Souls yet warm
with the breath of the Creator how soon mans her
tage of pain has forged your soft bodies in its rend-
ing heat
Silently and swiftly the gentle nurses move about,
smoothing pillows hot from fevered heads tenderly
caressing wan hands. We have just come from the
other wards and have touching spectacles but
what compare with these for utter sadness. Men
bring sickness upon themselves through their sins and
follies Babies are helpless victims of stern and
just world. How shall hide our heads in shame
from the piercing glance of higher Judge when we
are told many of these sufferers bearing the sins
of their parents? II only we could dc something to
relieve them; something to stem the tide Of their
physical anguish and bring calm and comfort pain
racked bodies
The head nurse is speaking: "Yes, nurses
would rather work in this ward than in any other.
You just can't help loving the little ones; they
enduring and resigned, and they give us very
little trouble. And I'm afraid the cardinal principles
taught the in training schools are very often
sympathy in their work; to always appear calm and
even. But of what avail are instructions when one
lifts up sick child torn from its mothers for
the first time since it came the world and feels
its little clingng to her and hears the whimper
ing for very homesickness. I'm afraid the rule is
often broken.
These little sufferers have it rather hard at their
homes Their parents are of the poor classes and
can't give them the and attendance they require.
It's very touching to watch the mothers bring their
babies here and leave them. They impore the
TO for their little in such pteous
that hardly lead them away
You would suppose one would become hardened
such frequent occurrences but that is the
You see that dark-faced baby; she is Italian. Her
mother couldn't speak word of English but seemed
to understand in charge here. She came to me
and fell her knees before me- speaking swiftly in
her native tongue. | don't understand Italian, but i
knew what she saying to 1t is the mothers
plea, the appeal to for her baby; recognizes
it in every language She have understood that
/ promised when she saw the tears in my eyes.
That little girl in the end bed has been here for
months She has disease of the hip. but she's
always smiling angelic smile pathetic for its very
sweetness 1t is very foolish and unprofeSsional of
a head nurse suppose, but I'm simply afraid to look
at her. She follows my every move with her eyes,
smiling divnely the while that just can't bear to
leave her. know the little one loves dearly and
wants to have near her And her life is so lonely
she can't sit up for the weights attached her leg
She has mother her father is a laborer and can't
come very often When he does. he sits very quietly
alongside Der bed and they look each other for
hours without saying anything, but l know he is
crying.
There many touching sights we have to wit
ness in silence but we feel than repaid when We
have safely brought baby through the
valley of the shadow of eeath and given him back to
his mothers arms, well and strong again.
But must tell you of mothers devotion Her
boy. the first child. i'll with pneumonia but, de-
spite the doctors commands. she wouldn't give him
to the hospital until the baby nearly gone Then
she with him through binding snowstorm, only
wrapped in a shawl, and brought him here. But it
too late The child died early the next morning
She wouldn't quit his bed but remained fearless and
silent until the end. We wanted TO send her home
with the body in ambulance, but she wrapped him
in her shawl and carried him back home She was
fral grlmother and he rather large and heavy
but her love had given her strength"
The chidren's ward is the one bright room for
ever blessed; consecrated by the suferngs of spot
less white souls; sacred with the presence of Great
Physician.