Evening journal., 1916-07-26
MRS. SPEAKhAh IN
French HOSPITAL
Succumbs to Strain and
Overwork Over Preparing
Wilmington Ambulance
MRS. JOHN BANCROFT
GETS WORD FROM HER

SpealSman, who went abroad With the
Wilmington ambulance, which is TO 80
into the American Ambulance Service
In France, her husband. Dr.. sPealunan,
being an oral surgeon in the American
Ambulance.
Since arrival Of me letter, Mrs Ban
croft hse received word that Mrs.
Speakman is in the American Ambulance
HoepitAl with severe cold and attack
Of neuritis, result Of strain and over
work, connected with preparation of the
Wilmington ambulance before her de-
paxturc for Europe. However, II is not
FELT her condition it serious, and she Is
uiOw ca the mad 20 recovery.
1Ers Speakman's letter is 90 follows;
Paris. France, June 76, 1916.
Care Morgan. Har1ec q Co.
W Dear Mrs. Bancroft.
I can hardly realize that we have
been IN Paris for almost three weeks.
Wo hrought all the supplies safely
win us and have disposed Of them
eoecmding 70 your wishes. The Arnar-
inen Relief Clearing House has for
wnPded the cases 20 their respective
addresses. Mile de Tragormains
paeNsgs was LETT at her house. Upon
making inquiry and looking carefully
into the matter we found that the
baaw from Dover were fully enough
euutuDed TO supply more than one
mao and 80 we took the liberty OF
saray1king them and Masking more
baekages, thereby making more men
hapNy. I shall write Mrs. Richard
Doa Of Dover shortly, thanking her
and letting her know the details OF
neudinK her bags 20 the front Some
a. ehe bags have gone 10 the Amerf
oan boys at the Aviation School at
Buc (nesr vereaifIes), who wei
cDfnsd them jcyfuIly, coming from
home. NJ. vallery Radot welcomed
us a 80 rue Reuilly where we saw
the wonderful work that he is doing
Tor the blind. We lett the money
(10o dollars) sent by the War Relief
Of Wilmington. aud needless to say,
4 flled want. Let me tell you OF
nnuditions as found them.
TO begin with; the French govern
nent gave NJ. Radot the buildings
aud the rather spacious grounds OF
the former Hospital des Quinze'
vingts for his organisation called
Les Amis des Aveugles (the friends
OF the blind. We entered large
building where. we we're ushered into
what might be called the waiting or
reception room where we found some
81 the soldiers visiting with members
Of their families. A large plain room
with no furniture but a few plain
wooden chairs and 70 US, more oless'
ed with eyes that could see, how
bare and cold that big room looked.
Yet the atmosphere prevailing was a
happy one, for Il meant home TO
these poor sightless creatures, some
Of them so MANNED that one didn't
like looking at them and strange 70
say. we found them whistling and ap-
parently making the best OF Il for, as
later one man said. mo, no, madam,
IL is not bravery 10 tight at the front,
but 70 endure this. that Is dinerentl
Leaving this room and crossing a
large courtyard, we came TO the
grounds and garden dotted all over
with frame sheds, where the men
were busily employed learning their
trades. a nurse IN attendance to min
lister 10 their comforts and assist
them with her eyes should they need
her. In one house we found them
making brushes and brooms OF every
description; in another Gaming chairs;
IN another working on parts OF auto
mobiles Moreover. we found them
making barrels OF every sort. The
little tables IN the over garden we're
surrounded by men learning 20 make
mecrame bags and net bags Of every
description, but what 10 us was most
interesting was watching the men use
the typewriter. being dictated 70 by
the attendants. This seemed 10 bt
the height OF their ambition, for Il
means SO much 10 their future wei.
fare. Upon becoming proficient the
blind soldier Is given his machine, and
be goes home, where his wife and
family help him IN preparing copy
Sometimes he is fortunate enough tc
get a position IN a store or ONCE, all
this depending upon the individual
more or less You must understand
that the opportunity OF learning the
machine Is given 10 very few because
they are so limited in regard 70 the
machines We saw but FIVE machines
The Remington is used, as II is most
universal. and Il costs 200 francs. Here
We found an apparent need and the
cry, II we Just had more machines.
From a military point OF view they
were all we'll cared for and most OF
-Nc4 NN-4 4dl tldeotc+ luOSt uOl
doing so we're the unfortunates who
were so horribly dishgured that their
noses we're gone and they had no way
o. supporting a glass.
Al about o'clock a bell sounded
II was the time for tea. They dropped
their work almost AZ once and rushed
s1ong N most independent wav n
the diningroom. They all had canes
OF course, 70 direct the road turnings
lcr Trey used them 70 feel tho road
ont with Il all their self-reliance wa
wonderful. We learned that thi. I
a part OF NJ Radots training tor a
be afterwards said 20 ne You mn,
never take away from them a sens
OF usefulness and never make the
feel dependent" They never lead
man; he must find his way. and I
likes the knowledge that be can.
NJ Radot encourages the marriaj
OF the bachelors and gives each Of
500 francs and = rich friend OF 4
cause gives the bride the same tn
starts them on life's journey and Civ
. feeling that life is worth while.
Hadot is usually called upon 10 a
as best man, and already has Gel
sbYated ten weddings since the begi
ming OF the war.
To be sure. the blessed inst'tuti
OF the "Marraines~ holds good I
the blind as we'll as for the soldier
the front These women como a
take them out when they can (sonl
times. unfortunately not NOR. III