Part 16 (2/2)

She loved all dumb animals, and they seemed to know by instinct that she was their friend One day she ca asthe cause, found that a , which had broken its leg, and he was afraid it would have to be killed

Going together to the shepherd's hory; but, on Florence speaking to it in her gentle voice, it came and lay down at her feet, and allowed her to exaed limb

Happily, she discovered it was only bruised; and she attended to it so skilfully that the dog was soon running about in the field again A few days later shehad recovered and ith hied its tail as ain”; whereupon the shepherd re, miss, he be so pleased to hear your voice”

The fact that even her dolls were properly bandaged when their lian to run out of their bodies, will show that even then she was a thoughtful, kindly little person

When she grew up she wished very much to learn how to nurse the sick

But in those days it was not considered at all a ladylike thing to do; and, after trying one or two nursing institutions at home, she went to Germany, and afterwards to Paris, in order to et practical experience in cities abroad

Miss Nightingale thus learnt nursing very thoroughly, and when she ca charge of an institution in London By good reat success; but she was too forgetful of self, and after a tied to take a rest from her labours

The time came when the Russian war broke out and Great Britain and France sent their arht like heroes

But it was found out ere manydown their lives for the sake of their country, were being so badly nursed when they were sick and wounded that uns of the enereat cry in Britain; and every one de should be done to res But nobody knew quite what to do or how to do it, except one woale

Mr Sidney Herbert, the War Minister, was one of the very few people who knew anything about her great powers of organisation; and happily he did kno thoroughly fit she was for the task of properly directing the nursing of the sick soldiers

So, on the 15th October, 1854, he asked her to go to the Criements; and in less than a week she started with about forty nurses for Scutari, the tohere the great hospital was situated

All Britain was stirred with admiration at her heroism; for it ell kno difficult was the task she was undertaking But the quiet gentle woman herself feared neither death, disease nor hard work; the only thing she did not like was the fuss the people made about her

Scutari, whither she went, is situated on the eastern side of the Bosphorus, opposite Constantinople Thither the sick and wounded soldiers were being brought by hundreds It took four or five days to get them fro that taenerally unattended to When they arrived at Scutari, it was difficult to land them; after that there was a steep hill up which they had to be carried to the hospital, so that by the tienerally in a sad condition But their trials were not over then The hospital was dirty and dismal There was no proper provision for the supply of suitable food, everything was in dire disorder, and the poor fellows died of fever in enorht about a revolution; and the soldiers knew to their joy what it was to have proper nursing No wonder the men kissed her shadow! Wherever the worst cases were to be found there was Florence Nightingale Day and night she watched and waited, worked and prayed Her very presence was ht to the soldiers

Gradually disorder disappeared, and deaths beca; care and cleanliness; nourishi+ng food, and--perhaps beyond and above all--love and tenderness, wrought wonders The oath in the soldier's h the beds extended over a space equal to four th could do to forward his recovery was being done

Before her task was finished Miss Nightingale had taken the fever herself, but her life was ale has done many kindly and noble deeds She has always lived as h her work has rendered her dear to all hearts

Though she has had much ill health herself, she has been able to accomplish a splendid life's work, and to advance the study of nursing in all parts of the globe

FOR ENGLAND, HOME, AND DUTY