Evening journal., 1918-11-16
BY MRS. BETTY DISHON
Famous Newspaper Woman, and a
War Bride)


SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Nov. i6.-Mrs.
Mary Ann Foster, Of oakland Cal, is
81 years young. She has actually been
trying earnestly 10 get a chance 10 "go
across" with the Red Cross, TO care for
the boys on the battlenelds of France.
70 would not be as a novice that this
volunteer would offer her services, II
the Red Cross age limit permitted. II
would be as a veteran saver Of life.
In 1861, when her brother fell III at
Fort Leavenworih In the Civil War she
left her invaldied husband and her
little girl at her mothers homo, and set
out TO nurse him.
For two years she stayed at her self
appointed task, the only nurse for over
800 desperately III men, working against
total lack Of sanitation, with only
the most meager supplies and serving
without pay. She learned the meaning
Of war nursing.
mo one who has ever been through
lt can imagine what It MEANS" she
said. III they could, Uncle Sam would
not need to ask twice for nurses. He
would have more than he could use.
when / arrived at Fort Leaven-
worth those many years ago. l found
conditions worse than could have
imagined Hundreds OF men, suffering
from all manner OF illness, lay on cots,
beds, on the 1oor-anyvhere where
there was space. They had not even
had their faces washed. Caked with
mud and dirt, they waited for some
sort OF attention.
There was no linen supply. There
was no sanitary arrangements. The
only place we had TO heat water or
cook their food was on open fireplace.
THAT was what ! was up against.
But the knowledge that these men
were suffering and that they needed
me, spurred me on. Sometimes / did
not have my clothes of for days.
never had a full nights sleep. Many
times ! went to sleep standing, per-
haps holding the hand OF a dying man
who thought in his delirlum that | was
his mother or his wife.
III was impossible properly to care
for them. But just to do what I could
was God-send to them. II could only
wash their faces. they were as CRATE
ful as though ] had saved their lives.
''The cOnvalescents helped. and we
managed to get through the first win
ter. After that it was better, but the
knowledge Of what It meant TO those
men to have some one about who cared
whether they got well or not. some
body who would give them every care
in her power, was all the reward
wanted
"The memory Of It has stayed with
me through all these years. And II
only were younger, I'd do It all over
again. It Is an experience no woman
will ever regret. All my life / have
remembered it.
"The woman who has been through
that doesn't come out the same. She
couldn't. But she comes out a better
woman than she went in. All the lit
tie things, the pettiness Of every day
life, are swallowed up in the fact OF
the big things that matter. She comes
out with the wonder in her heart that
trifles ever fretted her-and they never
VIII again. She has lifted the veil be-
yond for a brief time
III the women OF today could have
seen what / saw, they would not hold
back. They would go.
Undermine their health7 Fiddle
stcksl Do look as II my health was
uhdermined2 And do the boys who go
INTO Dattle stop to think Of their health 4?
teil you, women don't think They
} poht fealize. And II they could only
snow lhat all their lives they will profit
~ ane eNperience-that it will make
'neln Digger and stronger and better
they would not hesitate.
I I'D give my life gladly IN hel, con,
!. / 10
their lives for me. Why notsr 10