Barton, Clara, 1821-1912; Nurses -- United States -- Biography
These two courses of lectures covered nearly a month of time. How can
the value of the results of that month, extending through a lifetime, be
put into words? How measure the worth of the ideas, the knowledge of
one’s self, and of others, growing out of it? Aside from this was his
aid and comfort to my mother in her perplexity concerning her
incomprehensible child. I recall the long, earnest talks, in which it
was evident that I was the prime subject, although not clearly realizing
it at the time. Upon one occasion there was no question. I was ill (of
mumps, I believe) and to avoid loneliness was permitted to lie on the
lounge in the large sitting room through the day. Forgetting my
presence, or believing me asleep, the conversation went on in my
hearing, portions of which at this late day I recall. My mother remarked
that none of her children had ever been so difficult to manage. “Was I
disobedient, exacting or wayward?” asked Mr. Fowler. Oh no! she often
wished I were, she would then know what to do, for I would make my wants
known, and they could be supplied. But I was so timid and afraid of
making trouble that they were in constant fear of neglecting me; I would
do without the most needed article rather than ask for it, and my
bashfulness increased rather than diminished as I grew older. As an
illustration, she stated that only last Sunday the child appeared with
bare hands when we were ready for church. Upon being asked where were
her gloves, she reluctantly replied that she “had none. They were worn
out.” Upon being asked why she had not said so and asked for others, the
reply was a burst of tears and an attempt to leave the room. “We would
not permit this unhappy day at home alone, and took her as she was,”
said my mother. All this sounded very badly to me as I heard it
rehearsed. It was all true, all wrong; would I, could I ever learn to do
better?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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