The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-11-09
A Red Cross Story.


brought on by his being gassed in the
Argonne offensive. A heavy cold
caught during the trip home and cold,
damp and malnutrition were speeding
him toward the grave, aiding the raw
ages Of tuberculosis.
Ignorant of the impending tragedy,
three young children and a baby had
only a sack of coffee and some corn
between them and starvation. The
husband could do nothing save lie on
ragged blanket all day and watch
the sunbeams play about the peaks of
his beloved mountains. The nearest
humans were at the village store, five
miles across the mountains. Not
even the mail man came to see the
little family.
The mountain mind has a certain
grand simplicity almost unknown in
this day when everything has its
price. 1t never occurred to the ex-
service man to ask his government
for assistance. His country had call
ed him in time of need and he had
gone. Comrades had given their all
in the trenches and on the sea. He
was making the final sacrifice at
home. In the end it was all the same.
A bit hard on his mountain mate and
the kids. But women and children
always had the worst Of it in war.
Thus he reflected through the long
days and nights as he lay on the
shabby blanket by the cabin door.
But news travels, even in the thin
lily populated mountain country. The
tale of the family's plight came event.
ually to Red Cross worker in town
nearly a score of miles away. She
promptly saddled her horse, loaded
the saddle bags with flour, fruits,
vegetables and rode over the noun
/ tains to the humble cabin which was
home to the man and his family.
Holding the tiny skeleton victim
Of malnutrition in her arms, the trou-
ble-worn wife met the Red Cross at
the door. The other children were
too weak to rise and greet the new
conner, the first visitor since their
daddy had come back from over the
sea. Only the dying husband mus
tered smile because of the Red Cross
on her uniform, which he had learn
ed to recognize through the weary
trials of the war.
The Red Cross worker spent the
night, soothing and ministering to
the patient. The children were given
wholesome meal, their first in days
and weeks. She comforted the wor-
ried and heart-sick little wife and
lent her money for groceries.
She learned that the man had filed
no. claim for compensation. He did
MT know he rated it, hs painted. But
he was right glad, on account Of his
wife. The next morning the worker
rode back along the mountain trail
to send the claim papers she had
filled out to Washington. They went
and eventually compensation came
back. Sixteen hundred and fifty dol
lars back pay for total disability.
But it cane too late. The humble
mountaineer who had given his all
cheerfully for his country was rest
ing in fifteen feet Of mountain earth.
The gentle ministratiohs of the Red
Cross worker had only made the way
a little easier. Back went the check,
for not even the government can pay
out money to the dead.
But the Red Cross was not through.
A home was found for the three old
er children and the mother and babe
sent to hospital for few weeks.
The worker then found a job for her,
at which she could earn enough to
support herself and the baby.
This was but one Of more than
100000 instances in which wives and
children of ex-service men, and men
themevsles Of course, were aided by
the Red Cross through its chapters
in the Southern Division during the
first seven months of 1922. Many
lives have been put back on the right
track by timely assistance from the
"Greatest Mother"
In the hospitals Of the veterans
bureau scattered through the eight
states comprising the Southern Dl-
vision, Florida, Alabama Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North and
South Carolina, there are several
thousands of disabled ex-sevice men
whose otherwise monotonous lives Of
pain are frightened by Red Cross
medical social workers and their ac-
tivities. Nearly 100000 is being
spent this wear by the American Red