LXI

Two Angels—God’s sweet gifts, one of the Old World, one of the New.—E. May Glenn Toon.

Just as Florence Nightingale was “The Angel of Crimea,” so Clara Barton was “The Angel of the World’s Battlefields.”

Boston Transcript.

Florence Nightingale, who introduced into the world a system of women hospital nurses, was ousted from her Governmental position, she then being an invalid. Later the treatment accorded to her by England was made a national issue, and on that issue her admirers and friends overwhelmingly won.The Author.

At the unveiling of the Florence Nightingale Memorial in the Crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral, as she pulled the cord revealing the beautiful sculpture, Queen Victoria said: “I have great pleasure in unveiling this memorial.”The Author.

Although unknown to each other save in name, the “Lady of the Lamp” and the “Angel of the Battlefield” were indeed sisters.

Constance Wakeford.

When Florence Nightingale labored among the sick and wounded at Scutari, Clara Barton was still writing beautiful “copper-plate style” in the office at Washington.English Author.

When Florence Nightingale had safely returned to her lovely home in England, the great call came to Clara Barton away on the other side of the Atlantic.English Author.

For half a century we have thanked God for what Florence Nightingale has wrought and taught.Constance Wakeford.

Clara Barton’s personal devotion had already planted the idea of the Red Cross in the heart of the American people better than any official bureau could do.Heroines of Modern Progress.

I will not speak of reward when permitted to do our country’s work—it is what we live for.Florence Nightingale.

What is money without a country!Clara Barton.

Clara Barton was born in 1821 and lived to be ninety-one years of age.

Florence Nightingale was born in 1820 and lived to be ninety years of age.

Clara Barton lived her long life without marrying; Florence Nightingale likewise lived her long life without marrying.

Clara Barton is known as the “Angel of the Battlefield”; Florence Nightingale, as the “Lady of the Lamp.”

Although they were strangers to each other, they are known as, indeed, sisters.

Clara Barton had the distinction of being born on Christmas and passing away on Easter; Florence Nightingale had the distinction of having for a name the name of a stately city and a sweet-voiced bird.

Clara Barton as a nurse had her first experience nursing a brother by the name of David; Florence Nightingale as a nurse had her first experience caring for a pet shepherd dog by the name of “Cap.”

Clara Barton on an army wagon seated with a mule driver left Washington to go to the battlefields of theCivil War; Florence Nightingale on board of a vessel with 38 other nurses, sailed from England to go to the hospitals at Scutari, Turkey, in the Crimean War.

Clara Barton continually “followed the cannon” from the camps of the soldiers on to the “firing line”; Florence Nightingale lived at Scutari, but on one occasion inspected the camps of the soldiers at Balaclava within hearing of the cannon.

Clara Barton had for a pet, presented to her, a white Arabian horse and known as “Baba”; Florence Nightingale had for a pet, presented to her, a Russian hound, and known as “Miss Nightingale’s Crimean Dog.”

Clara Barton wore the Iron Cross of Prussia, representing Germany, and presented to her by Emperor William I; Florence Nightingale wore a brooch bearing a St. George’s Cross, in red enamel on a white field representing England, and presented to her by Queen Victoria.

Clara Barton received from the Sultan of Turkey a “Diploma,” and “Decorations”; Florence Nightingale received from the Sultan of Turkey a costly diamond necklace.

The United States Government refused to appropriate one thousand dollars for a memorial tablet to Clara Barton in the Red Cross Building; England conferred on Florence Nightingale the dignity of a “Lady of Grace of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem,” and later the still higher “Order of Merit,” founded by King Edward VII himself, in 1902.

The people of the United States contributed to a fund for Clara Barton—well, perhaps, this is a secret and should not be told here; the people of England contributed to a fund for Florence Nightingale, throughthe Jenny Lind concerts and in other ways, a fund amounting to $250,000, the fund since used to establish the “Nightingale Home at St. Thomas’ Hospital”—a Training School for Nurses.

By her request, Clara Barton was buried near her home at Oxford, Massachusetts; by her request, Florence Nightingale was buried near her home at Lea Hurst, Derbyshire, England.

Clara Barton built for herself, at her own expense, a very unpretentious memorial in her family burying ground at Oxford; Her Majesty the Queen unveiled the memorial to Florence Nightingale in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, where are the tombs of Nelson, Wellington, Wolsey and Lord Roberts.

The plain granite monument to Clara Barton in the country cemetery bears the inscription:

CLARA BARTONANGEL OF THE BATTLEFIELDCivil War 1861–1865.Franco-Prussian War 1870–1871.Spanish-American War 1898.Organizer and President of the AmericanNational Red Cross 1881–1904.December 25, 1821–April 12, 1912.BARTON

CLARA BARTON

ANGEL OF THE BATTLEFIELD

Civil War 1861–1865.

Franco-Prussian War 1870–1871.

Spanish-American War 1898.

Organizer and President of the American

National Red Cross 1881–1904.

December 25, 1821–April 12, 1912.

BARTON

The memorial to Florence Nightingale is a beautiful sculpture in white marble, representing Florence Nightingale bending over a wounded soldier, to whose lips she is holding a cup. A rich alabaster frame surrounds the marble, inscribed above with a legend, “Blessed are the merciful” and below: Florence Nightingale,O. M.; born May 12, 1820—died August 13th, 1910.

Of two famous women be it written:

Their bodies are buried in peace; but their names live for evermore.

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