The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-28
I(continued.1


 study of the psychology of the sick room. They endeavor to make their hospital wards cheerful and pleasant, and the great majority Of their train ed nurses are trim, nice looking girls, whose air of coquetry an austere sur geon seriously informed me is deemed helpful to the patient
 was pleased to find in this hospital that the chief bacterio1ogist was a wo- man and that the system of surgery was highly conservative. Unbelievable effort wSs made to save limbs, and their method of treating wounds from firmly embedded bullets was to leave The bullet undisturbed wherever pos sibIe
 Of all projectiles, they told me the Russian bullet is the most humane. Slim nosed and speedy, it usually dis infects the wound in passing through. 50 that gangrene and other infections from Russian rifle fire are almost un- known. I was assured also that the American made shrapnel fired from ing wounds.
 The ward in the hospital known as the prison ward'' was a dreary sight. 
 they were not wanted and were bur den, their faces were drawn and pale. and all the bustIing cheerful atmos- phere of the other wards was lacking. Though humaneIy cared for, they keen ly felt the absence of a woman's hand, as all the attendants were men, and men, too, who rarely understood the language or the needs of their unhap- pv charges
 The saddest memory of those days is the burial of a, French officer He had been my patient, and I was reluctantly given permission to pay my. last re spects by attending his funeral The ceremony, although he was an enemy, was simple and dignifieds The pine coffin was borne to the grave by six German soldiers under arms, accompa nied by 9 chaplain. On the coffin was placed wreath with a broad ribbon in the colors of the German lag inscribed with the words Dem tapferen Krie- ger's (ssTo the brave Warrtor1 It was lowered gently into the grave, a brief service read, the grave filled with earth and wooden cross placed at the head which gave the name. date and rank of the dead soldier. The wreath was laid on the new made grave. Then the soldiers stood at attention, raised their rifles skyward and fired a last voI1ey. As was leaving noticed they were burying German soldier with exactly the same ceremonies.
 One afternoon was giving massage to one of my patients, very high Ger man officer, who, except for a slight paralysis, was about well. He had an unusually keen sense of humor. to which nothing was sacred, and, truth to tell, I enjoyed hearing him talk im- mensely.
 I had been with him but few mo ments when, putting his fingers to his lips. he whispered in French: They're letter writing in the next room If we are quiet think we can hear. It's very funny. I listened. They were talking about matrfmony, discussing 1t as a pure question of market value. There seemed no shame about 1t at all They were reading matrimonial adver- tfsements from German newspaper. General von T. said to me: saThe war has changed the attitude of young girls and older ones, too, who have means and are seeking suitable mates. They have greatly increased their efforts. while marriageable men have become correspondingly- shy. The women are getting less particular in their require ments, he ehdckled "A girl with 25o0O marks would hardly have adver- tised before the war for anything less thah an officer of the army or navy; now she will gladly accept what is technically described as better gen tleman. sn
 At that moment heard the nurse reading T call you who belong to me in the world; you too, are seeking in marriage sanctuary to find in your wife, as I in my husband, the best thing in life. Here I am-true, I am forty y-two-but presently shall have considerable fortune" They evidently did not care for this, the young officer seeking wife and the nurse, as I heard them both laugh. Then she read another: q seek you. my friend and my husband. I have a simple and sunny nature and hate the ordinary humdrum of life; all that am and de- sire will give purpose to your exist once. Social and financial position as- sured. z
 4Nichts fur mich" the young man laughed.
 A moment later she read: 'eWeIl born. tall, pleasing In appearance. thir- I ty-two years old, seek suitable compan- ion for life, having in my own right a large fortune; no anonymous communi- Scations and no agents" We fancied that one proved interesting to him, as he lowered his voice and seemed to be dictating an answer.
 The colonel said: -sI suppose all this sort of thing. with your American ideas, shocks you very much; but you know that in our service if an officer desires to marry he must find-love or DO love-a girl who can produce the necessary minimum. Because there is a sum fixed by the admiralty and war office regulations. which any girl who desires to marry an officer must pos sess. She may have more, you under stand. T tlaughing, but she cannot have less.y looked up. struggling to keep out of my eyes the question whether he was married or not. He must have sean it hnKaYar. for ha aaid: ..Yas