And what a strange, unusual and extraordinary field of labor it was and how unlike anything I had ever seen before. Let me briefly picture a few of the regular types of "sufferers" besieging headquarters, the old, decrepit uncle of the days "befo' the wah" with white head and bent shoulders; the little one, toddling along behind the young mother, hiding in her tattered garments, with great black eyes peering through the rags; the strong young man, barefoot or with pieces of shoes tied on with strings, coat and pants that looked like relics of a bygone time and a conspicuous absence of under garments; the old-time "mammy" shivering with cold and begging for a little "closen" to keep her warm, all these and more were our daily, hourly visitors, imploring our aid and needing it oh, how sorely! And what heartrending tales of loss and sorrow and fearful destitution were brought to us by these messengers from a stricken people! Many of them, before the cyclone, had comfortable little homes and clothing sufficient for their simple needs; occasionally a sewing machine was owned, and sometimes, in more favored homes, an organ. Now, there was absolutely nothing of all this. Parents, children, friends were gone--not a vestige left of the home; horses, mules, cows, hens swept away, and scarcely clothing enough left to cover part of the family. It was not an infrequent tale that fell upon our ears, that the little band that had left the home were all that could find sufficient clothing to come in and the rest were left nearly naked in consequence. Very early in the morning a motley crowd gathered in the street, in the vicinity of headquarters, and all day long they were coming and going and it was far into the evening before the last one had departed. And, what a good-natured, patient, orderly crowd it was! Seldom was there any loud talking, screaming, quarreling such as is ordinarily heard in a like gathering, in scenes with which I had been more familiar. The shadow of the terrible calamity that had befallen them had in no wise departed from them, and not yet had the dawn of the new day restored the happy, careless, cheery manner that seems to be natural to them. When they were admitted to the office, singly or in small groups, as was necessary, for our quarters were limited, how quietly, respectfully, they made their entrance! No crowding nor jostling to get the best places or be served first, but patiently waiting their turn, entering with a low bow or deep courtesy, they received the slip of paper that meant so much to them and, with words and tears of gratitude, withdrew as quietly as they came.