The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-05-05
To My Sweetheart
SOLDIER
Every Girl Should Read
These Wonderful
Letters.

Ny Beloved:
I have had q wonderful day AZ
- Hospital The minister's poor
wife has entirely given out with 20
much vaccination to contend with,
and the doctor consulted with me,
and we decided that weeks rest in
the hospital in q cool, quiet room.
with the luxury OF alcohol baths
and attendant nurses, would be just
the thing for her. Our mothers and
the generai-bless all their hearts
made the expense possible, and to-
day took her into the city. The
hospital is a wonderful place. After
the minister's wife was estab-
lished in her comfortable room and
had gone to sleep with a long sigh
Of content, and relaxation, the head
nurse conducted me through the
different departments. 1t was
amazing to see the operation OF that
great silent plant-the efficiency,
the noiseless, pervading efficiency
Of that greatest Of all businesses,
healing broken bones and bodies! I
was specially interested in the ward
for incurablesl Here were old
ladies, looking like dried seaweed-
gossiplng gayly-and talking as IL
It were still 1850, and they were
just taking up their knitting once
more after q night OF sleep! Such
knitting, such busy, skillful fingers!
The garments grow and grow, and
the nurse says II is almost impos-
sibls to keep q supply Of yarn on
hand.
What a blessing to the old ladies',
alsoI Each one feels that the sue
cess OF the army depends on her
own Individual effort, and what .
saving thought that Is! Poor,
eager, busy old ladiesl Never to
know the Joy OF life again except
through this blessed ministry to
others! One old lady looked up and
smiled sweetiy, and held out for
my inspection a beautifully fash
lone sweater. This 10 my one
hundred and forty-seventh sweater
since America went into the war"
she told me proudly. The only
thing that reconciles me to the
war Is that now can knit on Sun
dayi Pa was q Presbyterian
preacher, and we never were al
lowed any liberties on Sunday. But
now knit all day long on Sunday.
It is for the soldiers-it Is Gods
work. You don't think 1t Is wrong.
do your" She looked at me anX-
iously. "No, dear lady" an
swered, as I took her beautiful
worlk-worn hand. at Is not wrong;
It Is a blessed ministry. God will
bless every stitch"
Even the men were knitting
awkwardly to be sure, but valiantly
and with pride. Down in one cor
ner was a vIYil war veteran. He
couldn't knit-both arms were gone,
but his happy voice rang out, en-
couraging the rest-"LoolI here,
boys, we are scheduled to advance
our frontier along the Rhine In a
few dayAs Those Huns will be Civ
ing us back our territory, little
by little, tfll we stand free once
more. Three cheers for the nag,
boys, steady Dow!" The enthusiasm
was a beautiful sight-each mans :
face shown with joyful pride as
though he himself were foremost
In the line, and the lost province
would be restored to him in person.
In the children's ward, It was
the same thing-busy knitting I'm
gers and eager hearts, One little
boy, eleven years old-a hopeless
cripple-strapped to his bed. was
smiling bravely, and knitting a
sweater so big that II almost hid
his little suffering body. Il
wasn't made to be a hero. Some
thing was forgot when my back was
put together, but I'm helping, see?
Some big. strong soldier will wear
this and fight for me" Poor little
crippled child-and yet so happy
doing his duty-and smiling. What
a lesson for US older children, who
sometimes CIV!
As 1 started for home, I stopped
at the florist and sent back a big
box OF red roses to the hospital.
marked for the dear old lady who
has knit one hundred and forty
seven sweaters for the soldiers"
And I put in your card, and wrote
on II: From a soldier who is
fighting in France"
Goodnight, my Beloved.