Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-27

~ ALTIMORE, Md, Sept. 23.-In the beautiful
X suburb of this city known Roland Park,
- is a group of handsome buildings, surround
ed by spacious and delightful gardens. Gloom
never pervades this place; no darkness enters it
but the friendly darkness of night Yet those
who live here have eternal night for their portion.
1t is the estate of Mrs. T. Harrison Garrett,
wealthy woman of Baltimore, which, for the period
or war, has been taken over by the government as
a hospital for blinded soldiers. 1t is known
General hospital No. z. There are now twenty
sightless patients at the hospital.
If the veteran who has much of war, who
has fought with his comrades dropping about him,
who has beheld from all angles the cruel suffering
wrought by war-if such soldier asked what
he most feared, very likely he would
That may lose my sight"
1t may be that these men who in the
hospital at Roland Park held something of the
fear in their hearts. 1t may be that realiza-
ton to them first with terrible and over
towering of helplessness. But if they had
grief, they hid it WELL and now they have genuine
ly lost it. They spend their time learning things
which will fit them for the rest of life, desper
ately, but cheerfuliyA and with cheerfulness not
born of stimulation.
A middle-aged man, accompanied by a young
woman, was leaving the hospital few days ago.
Before passing through the gate the man spoke to
George is happy he said, almost with a
smile. Eat first thought he didn't want US to
know how badly it hurt him But now l believe
he's really happy"
He spoke of George Calvert, of Syracuse who
lost his sight in the fighting of early June. His
father with daughter was in Detroit when a mott
fcation from the department reached him that
his son had been blinded and was invaded home.
The journey to Baltimore filled with heart
breaking misgivings. He fancied his son crushed
under the affection which had befallen him. He
pictured him hopeless and helpless for the rest of
his days. He found him confident, cheerful with
a boyish eagerness to display the things he had
learned in the hospital These things will form the
means of independent livelihood after his dis
charge.
Without exception, this attitude is true of all
the patients Dependency often disappears after
the first week in the hospital This may be
ed by association with similarly afflicted, or by
the realization that they may regain place as use
full members of society. Perhaps it is both.
visitor offered his arm to one of the patients
who was going from a barracks to the mess hall.
You needn't do that" said the soldier gently.
81 can show you anywhere in the hospital
Among the patents at Hospital No 7, is Ser
geant William H. Zimmerman, the first American
soldier to be blinded in action. He in charge
line, when the truck overturned and pitched him
into she'll hole. Most of the truck fell atop of him.
"I'll again." said the sergeant, but
l hope it won't be that I'll never work again.
There's chance for me to get back into everyday
life and mean to make that chance good.
when l went over 1 had a girl. My first
thought when they told me was blinded for good
was that I'd have to give her up. 1 didn't know
blind could make living. I'd always
thought of them selling lead pencils and shoe
laces."
It has been said that adversely makes strange
bedfeIlows" 1t might better have been said that
common affection makes for closer communion be-
tween man and man. Among the blinded soldiers
at Roland Park are three known to the officers
and nurses and the rest of the patients as the
soldiers of misfortune is strange as it is COM
plete The three were widely separated when mis-
fortune came to them, and it came TO each at
different time. Each is of distinctive American