Part 12 (1/2)

”The light is my child and I knohen it needs me, even if I sleep

This is hoood Lord will take ranted In the last week of October, 1911, she fell asleep in the lighthouse on Li, lulled into an eternal repose by the wind and waves, which had for many years been her beloved coht which she had for so long kept tri sent out its rays far beyond the little bay where Ida Lewis lay asleep

Patriotisleaht flashes inspiration and determination to our hearts to-day

CLARA BARTON: ”THE ANGEL OF THE BATTLEFIELDS”

For several weeks the sound of hammer and saw had been heard on the Barton far built The frameas almost up, and David Barton and his little sister Clara, with a group of friends, were eagerly watching the carpenters, ere just fixing the high rafters to the ridge-pole

”I dare you to cliroup

David Barton, as known as the ”Buffalo Bill” of the neighborhood, always took a dare Aliven his coat was off and he had started toward the new building aroup of young spectators ere always thrilled by his daring exploits Only the little sister Clara protested

”Don't, David,” she exclai was not heeded Up went the sure-footed athlete until he had almost reached the topave way under his feet, and down to the ground he was hurled, landing on his back on a pile of heavy boards Liorous youngonly a few moments earlier, and the accident seemed to paralyze the faculties of those who saw it happen It was not the builders or the older persons present who spoke first, but small, dark-eyed, determined Clara, who idolized her brother

”Get o for the doctor, quick!” she commanded, and in less time than it takes to tell it the entire Barton family had been su over the unconscious rown-up sisters, hastily obeyed the doctor's orders, and made a room in the farm-house ready for their injured brother, while Stephen Barton and one of the workently as possible and laid him on the bed which he was not to leave for many weary months Examination proved that the injury was a serious one, and there was need of careful and continuous nursing To the surprise of the whole faest of them all, as still a baby, when Mrs Barton e of the sick-rooure seated by the bedside, with deter on every line of her expressive face

”Let me take care of him! I can do it--I want to Please, oh, please!”

pleaded Clara

At first the coveted per take care of a dangerously injuredwore away and it seemed as if there would be no end to them, from sheer exhaustion the older members of the family yielded their places temporarily to Clara Then one day when the doctor cae, the sick-roo nurse was so clear-htest order, that when she begged hiave his hearty permission, and Clara had won her way

Fro ht and care was centered in the invalid

David was very sick for such a long tireat co Clara near him Hour after hour, and day after day, she sat by his bedside, his thin hand clasped in her strong one, with the patience of a much older, wiser nurse She practically shut herself up in that sick-roo too hard for her to do well and quickly, if in any way it would make David more comfortable

Finally a new kind of bath was tried with success David was cured, and Clara Barton had served her earliest apprenticeshi+p as a nurse

Let us look back and see ent into the ive two years of her life to a task like that

On Christmas Day of the year 1821, Clarissa Harlowe, as she was named, or ”Clara” Barton, as she was always called, was born in her father's home near the town of Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts Her oldest sister Dorothy was seventeen at that time, and her oldest brother Stephen, fifteen, while David was thirteen and Sally ten years old; so it was a long time since there had been a baby in the fahted over the event that Clara Barton says in her _Recollections_, ”I areat that the entire dinner and tea sets had to be changed for the serving of the noble guests who gathered”

The house in which the Christmas child was born was a si was home-made, even the crib in which the baby was cradled Outside, the flat flagstone in front of the door was marked by the hand tools of the father Stephen Barton, or Captain Barton as he was called, was a man of marked military tastes, who had served under ”Mad Anthony” Wayne in cahter Clara he found a real coained a passionate love of her country and a child's si tales he told her In speaking of those days she says:

”I listened breathlessly to his war stories Illustrations were called for, and we ht thearded Colonels, captains, and sergeants were given their proper place and rank So with the political world; the President, Cabinet, and leading officers of the governratified the keen humor of my father more than the parrot-like readiness hich I lisped these difficult names” That they did not mean much even to such a precocious child as Clara Barton is shown by an incident of those early days, when her sister Dorothy asked her how she supposed a Vice-President looked

”I suppose he is about as big as our barn, and green!” was the quick reply

But though the child did not understand all that was poured into her greedy little er father, yet it bore fruit in later years, for she says: ”When later Iwas suddenly thrust into the mysteries of war, and had to take er to the conditions than most women, or even ordinary men, for that ot my cavalry on foot, orto her father's stories or helping her ood housewife that Mrs Barton was, she took great pains to teach her youngest daughter how to do well, Clara was as busy as possible in some other way In that household there were no drones, and the little girl was not even allowed to waste tiiven time to take care of her pets, of which she had an ever-increasing collection, including dogs, cats, geese, hens, turkeys, and even two heifers which she learned to milk

Dorothy, Sally and Stephen Barton were teachers, and as Clara early showed her quickher according to their different ideas As a result, when the little girl was three years old she could read a story to herself, and knew a little bit about geography, arithht mind must be developed as early as possible So on a fine, clear winterof his strong arht by Col Richard C Stone, a h the new pupil was such a very little girl, and so shy that often she was not able even to anshen she was spoken to or to join the class in reciting Bible verses or in singing songs, yet Colonel Stone was deeply interested in her, and hiswas so unusual that the years with hiest scholar's mind To Clara it was a real loss when, at the end of five years, the Colonel left the school, to be succeeded by Clara's sisters in summer and by her brother Stephen in winter

David was Clara's favorite brother So athletic was he, and so fond of all forms of out-of-door life and exercise, that he was no less than a hero to the little sister, atched him with intense admiration, and in her secret heart determined that so