The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-12-21
One Of These Helpful Women
Writes of Work
DOING A SPLENDID DUTY
Miss Louise kieninger Relates
How Thankful Soldiers Are
To Them
From Fridays Daily.

from fridayS Daily.
One of the Red Cross nurses in
France at this time is Topeka girl,
Louise Kieninger, of Tyler street. She
writes to Miss Elizabeth Wilson of
that city letter which gives some of
the interesting details of the nurses
life on duty for wounded soldiers.
She is sister of Edward Kieninger
of Mankato. She says in part:
- am happy because l always am
happy, no matter where l am placed,
and also because, over here in this
great field where we are always do
ing for others and where we have
ever before US war heroes, self is
forgotten. We have nothing to COM
plain of. Our petty trials are so
trivial compared to the great events
taking place about us, that we are
really happy, though our happiness
is tinged with sorrow because we are
brought face to face with the hor-
rors of war and with mentally and
physically suffering wrecks.
Patients Are Wonderful.
But our patients are wonderful.
Never have I seen such fortitude, such
appreciation and courtesy. These
men bear the worst possible pain
without a murmur, only grateful that,
instead of a shell hole and sand
bag, they have bed to lie in and
some one to speak to. To the in
quiry of how they are, they usually
reply, Not too bad, sister, Yet we
know they are suffering tortures
They never want any demonstration
of sympathy, and it is never in words
that we express anything like that.
They are grateful for what the Ameri-
can doctors and sisters do for them.
eve are all sisters to them.) like
the name. Their 'Good-morning, sis
ter and Good night, sister, is said
with such deep feeling. 1t makes us
forget the hard day and the tired,
aching muscles after our work is
done.
Could Not Make Trouble.
Tonight | made a glass of lemon
ade for a dying patient. / asked him
if it was sweet enough. He answered,
Sister, thank you. cannot trouble
you for more sugar.
"These wounded men are wonder
full, and what splendid women our
unit viii be when we get back home,
broader in mind, with self in the
background. Our chief nurse is an
inspiration to all she meets.
when we have time off we leave
the hospital and camp and wander
about to see the beauties of France
We go through the old parts of the
city, with it's narrow, dirty streets, its
dirty children, it's smelly odors, and
quaint architecture, and we fancy we
are reading book instead of actually
seeing what is before us. Our city lies
in valley. A short walk brings us
to pine forest with its spicy air and
soft pine-needle carpet. Any street
car takes us to beautiful spot in hill
or valley, and around us are the blue
hills with their chateauX and villas
The Seine runs through our valley
with it's innumerabe islands, the foil
age of which nearly meets the trees
on the banks. The cathedrals are
marvellous, with their exquisitely coll
ored windows. Inside, women in deep
mourning and men and children may
be seen on their knees at prayer.
Friendly Feeling For Americans.
THE French people have a fine
lIlSHuly IeellHS toward us. In6y love
Americans and show it in a hundred
ways. How their faces light up when
we meet them!
81 am on night duty in charge OF
the medical division with hundreds
and hundreds of patients. 1t rains
most of the time. Can you form a
mental picture of us in rubber boots
two-pound wooden stockings, rubber
coats and rubber hats-lanterns in
hand-making our rounds Our patti
ents are taken care of in tents, eight
to nine tents in line, and from 112
to 125 on a. line. Our hospital is To-
Gated on the race course, and there
is lot of tramping to do. The sta
bles have been fixed up as kitchens
We are just as healthy as we can
be-we all look better than when we
came.
"The sunrise this morning is love-
ly. The sky is all colored in pastel
shades, and the light through the trees
shines like satin through lace"