child I ever saw.  Dirty, emaciated, covered with vermin and pitiable to behold, I could hardly help crying when I saw her brought in.  Now, though still unable to leave her bed, she has as bright and happy a face as you ever saw.  The care and tenderness received since she came to us have awakened a new life in her soul, and she exhibits a sweetness of temper beautiful to see.  After I had read a little story for her yesterday, she put her arms about my neck and kissed me, saying, in her frank, impulsive way, ’Oh, Mrs. Morton, I do love you so!’ I had a great reward.  Never do I spend an hour among these children without thanking God that he put it into the hearts of a few men and women who could be touched with the sufferings of children to establish and sustain so good an institution.”

The carriage stopped, and the driver swung open the door.  They were at the children’s hospital.  Entering a spacious hall, the two ladies ascended to the second story, where the wards were located.  There were two of these on opposite sides of the hall, one for boys and one for girls.  Edith felt a heavy pressure on her bosom as they passed into the girls’ ward.  She was coming into the presence of disease and pain, of suffering and weariness, in the persons of little children.

There were twenty beds in the room.  Everything was faultlessly clean, and the air fresh and pure.  On most of these beds lay, or sat up, supported by pillows, sick or crippled children from two years of age up to fifteen or sixteen, while a few were playing about the room.  Edith caught her breath and choked back a sob that came swiftly to her throat as she stood a few steps within the door and read in a few quick glances that passed from face to face the sorrowful records that pain had written upon them.

“Oh, there’s Mrs. Morton!” cried a glad voice, and Edith saw a girl who was sitting up in one of the beds clap her hands joyfully.

“That’s the little one I was telling you about,” said the lady, and she crossed to the bed, Edith following.  The child reached up her arms and put them about Mrs. Morton’s neck, kissing her as she did so.

It took Edith some time to adjust herself to the scene before her.  Mrs. Morton knew all the children, and had a word of cheer or sympathy for most of them as she passed from bed to bed through the ward.  Gradually the first painful impressions wore off, and Edith felt herself drawn to the little patients, and before five minutes had passed her heart was full of a strong desire to do whatever lay in her power to help and comfort them.  After spending half an hour with the girls, during which time Edith talked and read to a number of them, Mrs. Morton said,

“Now let us go into the boys’ ward.”

They crossed the hall together, and entered the room on the other side.  Here, as in the opposite ward, Mrs. Morton was recognized as welcome visitor.  Every face that happened to be turned to the door brightened at her entrance.