The Lexington record. [volume], February 01, 1891, Image 2

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AUNT JEAVN LFITJUX.
l'rolestant Infirmary, Home of
I lie Friendless.
JVurses, Donation, Prospects
Notes mid Incident.
Dear Fricmh:
Our "House Beautiful" is in our
hearts and on our minds from one
letter to another, is it not? ' And
is not the Infirmary a house
beautiful in all that makes up the
true beauty of living? -Aye, and
of dying; for death spares not all of
our suflering ones. Father Mor
gan whose dreadful affliction once
saddened this page, is sheltered
now in the Everlasting Arms.
Others have gone out cured, and
the doors stand open to yet others,
even to all fur whom there is
room. The Christmas season was
one of blessings. Our hearts were
as those of little children, soft and
tender and irenerous. ' for the
Mighty One was once a child Him
self, and who would not be like
Him? Little bv little the substan-
-j
tial things of this world cO ne in
till in the retrospect they consti
tute a grand sum total. Since
my last letter Mrs. Woolfolk has
twice sent papers, some for reading,
others for the many uses to which
old papers may be applied. Mrs.
Maria Dudley has given a'glass
lemon squeezer, two meat dishes
and cranberries, which are so re
freshing at this seasou. Mrs.
Fra.nent a lot of papers, a
t fil celery; and realizing the need
of mental relaxation, she also sub
scribed for The itecord and the
Ladies' Home Journal, for the In
firmary. Mrs. J. W. McConnell
sent turnips and old linen. Miss
Johns sent jelly,, oranges and one
dozen light rolls, which gave a de
licious bit cf home cookery for
those who feasted on them. Mrs.
Didlake gave a soup tureen. Mrs.
Warren, true to her English tradi
tions and the yule tide spirit, sent
a Christmas' fruit cake for the
nurses, who are all vigorous young
women with good appetites. Also
the' matron aud housekeeper, who
shared the holiday, feast. Mr3. It.
McMeekin, whose brother died at
the House Beautiful, is continually
place where he was so carelully
nursed till the end. At different
times she has sent during the month
seven gallons of buttermilk, five
and a half gallons of sweet milk,
three and ajialf pounds of butter,
oysters and squab. Dr. Jos. Bryan
gave surgical silk, probe and
forcens. Mrs. Dr. Edar sent
two pounds of butter and two
gallons of buttermilk, a very
scarce and acceptable article at
this season. Mrs. J. II. March
sont fifty pounds of Hour. Dr.
Harrow sent eighteen sponges
aud a bandage roller. An un
known friend sent a bag of Hour.
Mrs. Alford sett croquettes,! del
icacy in a hospital cuisine. Mrs.
oodloo contributed oybters, an-
r seasonable relish. M'i3s
Dean sent mihco pies, jelly and
pickles. Mrs. Williamson gave
five pounds of candy, two pounds
of tea, two bottles of catsup, two
of sauce, and one extract of lemon.
Mrs. Ben Bruce sent a cake, Mrs.
W. F. Smith an English plum
pudding; Mrs. Lync, Charlotte
Ilusse: Mrs. Shelby, bowl of
cranberries; Mrs. Maria Bacon, a
cake; Mrs. Winston, bowl of
jelly; Mrs. Simonds sent three
dozen oranges, bowl of ambrosia,
grapes and two dozen eggs; Mr.
I. Hutchison sent one dozen
lemons. Ho isa stanch friend to
the Infirmary. Mr. C. S. Johns
sent a glass calendar. lie is an
other true friend. Be not only
contributes in this way, but ad
vertises in The Record. Mrs.
Plunkett gave six little cream
pitchers. These will match with
the pretty individual teapots
which she gave some weeks ago.
Mrs. Reed gave one cask of native
wine. Mrs. Ockford gave old
flannel and cotton; Mrs. King
gave old linen; Mrs. John B.
Huston sent a fire screen and a
pair of crutches.
THE TRAINING SCHOOL
Is prospering even beyond ex
pectation. Miss Jenkin3, the
head nurse and superintendent,
reports for the ten months as fol
lows: "We have tour nurses
employed. During the time of
our existence we have furnished
fourteen weeks of private nursing
outside of the hospital, for which
have you reflected that compara
tivcly few of our citizens are ac
quainted with our "House Beau
tiful ?" Will you let me suggest
a plan? You who go every
'Week, taking your turn day after
day, invite .norne one outside to
go with you, not to interfere with
the dutiful part of your mission,
but to share its pleasant features.
A Charity Ball, a , Loan Art Ex
hibition, the comedy of The Rajah
by Lexington amateurs, aud a
w - w
Dickens Festival, arc in view as
ways of meeting the debt for
w v.
tho new building, as well
as to found a fund for the chaTity
patients in our public wards!
Earnest, zealous, faithful women
are giving time arid money to the
work. Be not disheartened. Al
ready the genius of success sits
enthroned around about us. And
when our friends in other church
es shall become fairly acquainted
with this refuge, they too will
help us with might and main.
CASH CONTRIBUTIONS.
A friend whose name was not
given, sent $25; Mrs. Dr. Sweeney
sent $5; Capt. Fitzhugh, $5; Mrs.
Qoodloe, (30; Mrs. Woodward,
$10; Messrs. Andy and Ben Gratz
each sent $10, Mrs.' Swift, 50;
Miss Ann Pickett, , 25; Mr.
France paid his-annual contribu-
tion of 100. The box stationed
inside the postoffice yielded $2.00.
Mr. Seelbach sent $2 to be ex
pended for delicacies for the sick,
and a small amount was gathered
have paid out to the nurse3
salaries, only $48." (The pupil
nurses are furnished a home,
washing and uniform and paid a
small salary besides. Ed.) "From
patients and nurses the income
has been $064.25. Entire satis
tacl ion has been given in each case
of outside nursing. Dr. Barrow
began the course of lectures by
the city physicians on the 3d of
January, 1891. The number of
patients treated, 55; women, 24;
men, 31; number of surgical oper
ations, 14; deaths, 5. Of the pa
tients 12 are Episcopalians; 5
Christian church; 6 Presbyterians;
0 Bap.tists, 6 Methodists; 6 Ro
manists; 12 unknown, and two
belong to no church." (Of the
ox at the In-
what is best for me, and lie makes,
no mistakes."
Then she laughed and told how
Flip, tho dog, had caught at her
stick with his teeth, frolicking
about when rIio tried to hit him,
and how ho stole Aunt Patsy's,
carpet rags and ran off to chew
them up. "Well," said Matron
Mary, "you won't let mo give
him away.. Everybody wants,
him. In fact, I could sell him
any day for ten dollars he is of
good blood." No, the old ladies
scold Flip, but they like his wil
ful ways and saucy bark. Just
then Aunt Amy came in to "wa
ter her sheep' she said. Twice
a day she brings water to the old
Mother Steele was not quite as
placid as usual. Years ago she
had a son killed on the railroad,
and every like .accident brings.
back her sorrow. Even as we
talked the bell of St. Paul's was
tolling the knell of Jimmy Kane,.
who was killed at Cumberland
Gap, and the funeral train was.
slowly passing the window where,
sat the old blind, bereaved moth .
er. Matron Mary, too, was sad
and worn, from watching beside-
Nannie, her daughter, who is ill
with malarial fever.
It .was but a step through the
next room where sat two more
inmates, Mother Cronleigh still
nursing her lame foot, on through
the kitchen where more of them
"were busy, aud on out to the
sunny back pavement where Dick
showing an abiding interest in the nurses Miss Jenkins is a Metho
dist; Miss Larkin, Christian; Miss
Brown, Baptist; Miss Westcott,
not reported; Miss Haley, the
housekeeper, and Mother Taylor
are also members of Protestant
churches, holding different theo
logical tenets from the Board of
Managers. Ed.) "Thirty-seven
different diseases have been
treated."
Tllfi ANNEX.
When the annex of seven
rooni3 is completed patients will
probably not bo turned away for
lack of room. This annex is of
brick and is fast going up. It
will cost $5,000, and must be
paid for this year. Surely if
$14,000 came at our call the first
year, tho second will bring forth
financial fruits. Dear friends,
THE HOME OP THE FRIENDLESS
Wears its winter garb. Homes
have been, found for the three
youngs girls, aud the old ladies
arejogging on in their peaceful
routine. Aunt Patsy's trouble
yesterday was a pain in the side,
and for once her hands were
folded; but I suspect if she had
had any rags to " cut the pain
would have grown small. "I'm
going to make that silk rug for
you," she said, "when I can get
some pieces. Tell vour friends
to send me some old silk pieces
and old soiled ribbons. I can put
things in a rug that are not nice
enough for a quilt." Aunt Patsy
is 91 years'old and she says she
wants to live long enough to
make another carpet. "This is a
mighty good home, I don't want
any better," she said, when refer
ring to tho kindness of friends.
Blind Mother Steele wa3 walking
about, guiding her way with her
stick. Without Aunt Patsy to
cuther rags she cannot sew. It
is wonderful how she helps her
self. I asked her thread her
needle. She took oil' her black
sunbonnet and removed a string
from her neck to which waa tied
a key. With this she unlocked
her trunk which stands eloac be
side her arm-chair, and took
therefrom her thread and needle.
In a moment she had joined tho
two. Site said, "Nobody knows
what it is to be blind. But I
don't complain. The Lord knows
corn was shelled out to him. At
first he daintily hopped over it
as much as to say "I want green
corn or none at all." But smil
ing Aunt Amy chewed up a
grain or two, and' then shaking
his red comb he pecked at it with
more interest. Flip looked on
with mischievous eyes, "hut did
not dare approach. Biddy was
very busy hatching out her brood,
but they do 6ay that she refuses
to go" on her nest unless Dick is
near. - Little Massie Denny took
the old ladies some oranges.
Their Christmas donations were
most liberal. Dr. Edgar has
since given wine for the sick and
vinegar to supply the whole es
tablishment. Go to see Jhem,
friends, and take something-
dainty from your own tables.
Many old persons like fruit and
candy as well as children. Take
old half-worn black gowns if you
do not wish to give new material,
and your faded housekeeper's
apron would look well enough in
that modest, simple abode.
Yours, in loving fellowship,
Aunt Jean.
Mrs. J. AV. MoConnell, the zi alous
founder and business manager of Tho
liecord, will upend the months of Feb
ruary und March in Memphis, Tenn.,
her ill home. Her health sutlers under
tho rigors of our climate ia winter. L'nt
though absent her heart and services
are with us.
The
Kecord and. tho Ladies'
Home Journal only 1.75