The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-01

pital and meet. Mrs. Sanford, the capable and efficient head of the institution, and have her tell the little human interest stories about the babies, without thrill without the heart being touched. It al- most makes you feel as if you'd take the food from your own table in order to give something to those dear little sick babies.
 ''EspeciaIly pathetic has been the sit uation over at the hospital,' Mrs. Meyer said, during and since the dreadful spanish influenza epidemic Some of the
 most pathetic instances may be cited of tiny little babies being brought to the hospital by fathers, to be taken care of
 the mothers being prostrate in their hum
 ble homes with the disease. 1t has not been uncommon for a message to be received two or three days later that the poor little mother was dead and the father stricken with the awful disease. A few days rore-and another message comes to the hospital that the father , las also been called to his last reward. And what of the baby? The little mother less thing is left to the care and pro- lection of the hospital: no relatives; no claim on anybody; too young even to know that the best friends that a child ever has-father and mother--are gone. It is the most pathetic thing ever wit messed.
 Somehow it reminds one of whitcomb Riley's:
 Little orphint Annies
 Come to our house to stay"
 and we've got to make room for her, to welcome her and make her feel as if she is not d stranger, without friends or loved ones," Mrs. Meyer continued. sT think. this conSfion appeals to everyone who knows the circumstances under which the Children's hospital Is con ducted, Every one of these little children is cared for, nurtured nourshed, watched -loved-under the tender mercies of Mrs. Sanford and her splendid corps of CO., workers.
 T wonder if many people realize,' Mrs Meyer observed, "that the Chil- dren's hospital is the only institution of it's kind in the state Of Alabama? If not, that is something to reflect upon. Many of the physicians take their own pa- tients to the hospital to operate because there is no other hospital in the city for children, exclusively and absolutely for children It is one of Birmingham S greatest assets-something of which peo- pie should be proud and are proud. I've found this out conclusively since work ing as chairman of the Victory ball. When you ask for anything:-when you mention that it is for the Children s hospital, the most cordial response is im- mediately given the crowded condition of the hospital now on account of the influenza is much deplored, so much more of everything is necessary and, of course, that means so much more money; and
 we are making every effort at the Vic tory ball to raise a sufficient sum to enable the good work to go on. Always it is just from hand-to-mouth, so to speak, that the hospital goes on-the, doll bazar once year, augmented by private donations, it's sole source of revenue, and with sickness stalking abroad in the land so alarmingly-we must exert ourselves to raise an adequate sum of money to care for these dear little babies Our Victory ball has been exquistely planned by Mrs. William H. Kettig, whose beautiful taste and rare artistic judgment is unequalled anywhere. While the plans seem quite ambitious, when | asked how we are to carry out the ideas without spending a great deal of money on the ball-and why not give that | amount to the hospital, just plain so,
 may answer, by saying, that practically everything has been donated; decorations,
 supper, features, entertainment, dancing | specialties-I just can't begin to say how