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    AN HOUR IN THE HOSPITAIi. 411

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    "The Sick Are In A Better Case Than The ...

    " There ' s very little hopes of lier arm , " "whispered Ann fearfully ; ** they keep taking * little bones out of ifand perhaps it will be

    amputated altogether ; and then it ' s like enoug , h she won't be able , to bear it . She suffers dreadful .

    Near the fire was a very merry group , they "were having * tea between two beds ; the invalids were an old woman and a very lame

    girl , with , a crutch , a pretty pale face , and a low laugh that was sweet to listen to ; and one of their visitors was a little girl in a

    ¦ whi te frock , who seemed to be eating an unlimited supply of bread and butterand occasionally tumbling over on the slippery floor .

    They old were creature , spendin dreadfull g a happy burnt hour , her no ques arms tion and . neck At our tied left was and a poor up

    y , , looking _* very ill ; her visitor presented the strongest contrast , being immensely stoufc and rubicund , and apparently patronising . I

    overheard her racy description of the way she had smuggled things into the wards , "in spite of the _searching and . how she never should

    forget her feelin ' s when them two horanges bust in her boosom !" Oranges are among the forbidden thingsand from the time of

    , the apple downwards , fruit seems to be a not-to-be-withstood temptation to ladies of every age .

    Beyond her crouched a girl with red hair , and a pained look on her facewhichhowevercleared up considerably as a

    stiffly-, , , made man , with something soldier-like in his bearing , appeared . He kissed her kindly , and produced some clothing , and for a

    little time the sun shone ; but _pei'liaps some allusion to home , or God _knoivs ( ah ! yesPie does knowpoor souls !) God knows

    what , brought on a torrent , of bitter , weeping " . The nurse drew near , and they talked to and condoled with and advised the child ,

    for slie was about fourteen perhaps . I believe she felt with Job , " No doubt but ye are the people ; " she had g _* ot her pain to bear ,

    and " miserable comforters were they all . " The nurse moved away , and , stemming the current of sobs , they talked quietly

    again ; but alas ! ifc was but a sunshine of last June , the showers came again , and in very great wrath the stern father

    got up and walked stiffly off , _tdte-leve , not even giving- her a parting fish kiss . creature I felt very V M angry consolation , and said was to myself he would , " So suffer like a for man it ! if sel he

    had any latent feeling y , for I subscribe , to the couplet , " More Than offend from any from wan wan t t of of feeling thoug ; " ,

    or offend from , want of temper , as in this instance . " Yes , he will suffer , for long as he will to see Ms little lass , no one will be

    admitted again , until next Sunday ; it will be a good lesson for him . ' I am Another a severe disci child plinarian with a ! burnt arm presently drew near her ,

    poor and the sobs grew less and less audible : they would soothe one another .

    All these little observations I made while listening to and chatting '

    vol v . 2 : d 2

    An Hour In The Hospitaii. 411

    AN HOUR IN THE HOSPITAIi . 411

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Aug. 1, 1860, page 411, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01081860/page/51/