In a few days several more Sisters came to aid those who were in charge. The newcomers met with many vexatious trials on the way. First they were denied transportation, and next barely escaped being lost in crossing a river in a small rowboat, the frail craft, through the carelessness of some one in charge, being heavily overloaded. They eventually reached their destination, however, and were enabled to effect much good among the men. Many affecting scenes took place in the wards. The Sisters were applying cold applications to the fevered men. One soldier, bursting out in tears, exclaimed:
“Oh, if my poor mother could only see you taking care of me she would take you to her heart.”
A man of about 23 years saw a Sister in the distance and raised his voice and cried:
“Sister, come over to my bed for awhile.”
He was in a dying state, and the Sister knelt by his bedside making suitable preparations for him in a low voice. He repeated the prayers she recited in a very loud tone. The Sister said:
“Ah, Sister,” he said, “I want God to know that I am in earnest.”
The Sister showed him her crucifix, saying: “Do you know what this means?”
He took it and kissed it, reverently bowing his head. While another man was receiving instructions he suddenly cried out at the top of his voice: “Come over and hear what Sister is telling me.” She looked up and saw a wall of human beings surrounding her, attracted by the loud prayers of the poor man. In this crowd and on his knees was one of the doctors, who, being on his rounds among the patients and seeing the Sister on her knees, involuntarily knelt, and remained so until the Sister arose. The patient soon after died a most edifying death, receiving the last rites of the Church.
Another poor fellow seemed to have a deep-seated prejudice against the Sisters. He constantly refused to take his medicine, and would even go so far as to strike at the Sisters when they offered it to him. After keeping this up for some time and finding the Sisters undisturbed and gentle as ever, he said, “What are you?”
The Sister replied: “I am a Sister of Charity.”
“I have none,” replied the Sister, “and I am glad I have not.”
“Why are you glad?” he asked, getting very angry.