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i'HJk POBTVlLLt REVIJSW, 1n•ekidnitadL©r•editn*rrtIT0r-jrdS.wLetter from a Red Cross Nurse in France.ieo-yjha»n■yis.Isit.8-C-ayie.ertailliy3818IV.asndtatrvE.v-srslesam-HOMlu Olive Qreber wntee an interesting letter to her alster. nrs.J. A. Spaugy.U, S. Base Hospital 1132.My Dear SisterI,have not received any letter from you for a week or so. But as we do not get our mail only about every three weeks will get seveal when they I do come. You surely have been faith ful. We all have had an epidemic something like “grippe” and bowel trouble which was severe while it lasted, about three days. I am on night duty and my month is about up. I have the misfortune of not sleep ing in the day time and when the end of the month is near I am near too.I am well but have lost ‘in flesh, my clothes do not fit very well now.We are terribly busy. I have 55 patients. . They represent eleven different nationalites.. I have Africans of three types, Chineese, Algerians, Mo hamedans, Hindoos, Italians, Belgians and French. I have a very black African He looks like the ones you see in the movies. But he is intelligent for everything I say he repeats. I call him my parrot. Tonight when I came on duty he said: “Bon jur MadammosellejGraber, ” the day orderly had taught him to »ay it and he seemed so pleased He gave me his picture.I also have the picture of a Belgian sbldier, whose father, mother, brother and four sisters were taken by the Germans four years ago and he has never been able to hear from them nor does he know that they are living. He is bo sad and there are so many others like him. If we have to sacrifice some of our boys.our women and children will hot have to suffer as these and if we have to sacrifice as nurses it makes me happy to be able to do for those w ho need so badly and those who appreciate so much what we do for them. I am detailed to a French hospital for the allies. It is very interesting but at first it was hard to make them understand, but I am picking up the French very easily.. They all smile when I come in About the first thing you notice they miss their mothers and I. tell them I will try td take her place, some of the nurses say I spoil them but t£ I do I know they are so *p-rreciative they will do any thing for ■me. The allies are —wqm- over HM» and they expect lots from the Americans and they say they are “bowne comrades” meaning good.They say they are going to America when the war is over and even ray black man says he is going to Araer-ici to be a cook and says “ Americans good.” but I hope we will not be over here many years if we are tell Paul I will 1» a foreigner sore.. 1 like towork with our American boys so much we have to take our turns in tbe French hospital think when I come off night duty I will le transferred to the American. In our Amer ican hospital we have a number of American boys, two from Fairfield. Iowa, my home town and boys from Des Moines, Keokuk and Waterloo When I have time will go over to them They are so glad to getDear Sii I 'thii you but til I c piece of aged to 8 . A. you sen when I a surpri We at be in it will be but we drive been ye: few m break o have a i we havlt; I am gl now, it after al 80 Lea he is a to see 5 come 01 I shall Well how yo you are in the Than! weathei bucks a I am well at from tb wonder Often alive a§ that he you wa so here passed places 1 tion to are B Olives, selam. gards e fine bui think t of the ! picture some p as thou of the 1 but the people thing e in thetered wbeen al Don’t ’ again, could i ces but er to sr able t( all son ter I s now 1 out ag cuse 1 wishin best of er andseeMI-IC-sirlaledire•dleesedrosynebyra-heithik-edbylit-odJW»y.ra-ksedha111-nral,ha■atK1890itsramssees-Ishinto an American hospital and to see American people. American boys have been in the trenches for quite a while and Iowa boys were the first of the rainbow division to go over the top It is so cool here really we wear our suits most of the time that is why 1 need my heavy sweater Wo sent, backs many things we need so badly. Of course if the war should suddenly end you need not send me the package But am sure will not so soon. Tell John I will le back to help eat some of the good things he brings homo or I hope to. With the splendid equipped hospituls and the genius of both American and French surgeons, the perceutnge of the wounded saved from death has reached an astounding figure and owing to the dressing stations close to the field of battle gangrene has been kept down to a low per cen-tage and another (Organization is the Red Cross of America. It is doing much to help along these lines and to make all comfortable as well as the patients. As I have said before I am glad to be here and be able in tbe wayI can to relieve and cheer any that come under my care and as time goes on and the tremendous amount I see to do tbe happier I am and the better 1 can understand the words of our Blessed Master when he said: “Even us much as ye have did it unto me the least of these ye have did it unto me.” As it is about time to go on duty again will close with loads of love to you all. I am us ever your sister,Olive Gruber.YOU! IS MIThefi sively theey with 1ods a
Newspaper Details
Postville Review
Postville, Iowa, US
Fri, Jul 19, 1918
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary D.
IL, USA 29 Apr 2017
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