Old Grumble

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 57, 23 October 1884, Page 3

Old Grumble

FINDS HIS-DECISION IS NOT SO .'UNALTERABLE AS HE THOUGHT IT WAS.

The conviction comes with a certainty sooner or late? to every patec-familia, no matter, how stubborn and unyielding his spirit, that man proposes but woman disposes, and the oft recurring instances of it in his domestic life compels him afclast to acknowledge the fact. As for Old Grumble, .it is many years since ho exclaimed, Vce victi* ! and submitted to his dratiny. Slightly forgetful of it last week in his enthasiastic resolve to become a fireman, Mrs Grumble suddenly brought his exuberance to an end by an acrimonioas, ** Bead that," and upon, a paragraph in the Feildisg Stab she laid the finger she fancifully calls her little one, though Grnmble fails to see anything small about it, and unhesitatingly asks if she thinks he can see through that inimcnso opaque roll. She removes it and he reads, "About one patient passes through to Wanganui i every fortnight." The meaning is significant. Hs is about to take part in the dangerous duties of the fire brigade. Now Gruutbte"believes he is as courageous as most people, indeed it is his reckless disregard of self in. time of danger that makes Mrs Grumble nervous, for he would, gouty *3 he is, gallantly mount three rounds of * ladder provided it was substantial enough to bear his weight, to assist s woman in escaping through the ground floor window of a burning house or help to save any property which might be handed out to him from within, only he would like to know that there was a hospital near at hand in case lie received a Uurt^* No, the forming a fire brigade without a hospital near is too much like defying providence, and Grumble will have nothing .to do with it more than that it is quixotic, for the probability of a reduction in' the rates of fire insurance through their agency will be more than counterbalanced by tlie certainty of increase" of the premiums on their life policies. At least it shall have that effect With Ch'e' company of which Grumble is director... Of course if there was a ho>pital in i%e neighborhood it would be different, as the risk of their dying through the injuries they will receive by falling down the ladders with buckets in their hands will be greatly diminished, and much as* Grnmble' honours the motives that prompted the movement, he thinks the founding of a hospital of more vital tfonSequehce than a fire' brigadejand he would not render it possible that one more victim 1 should be added to the list of sufferers wno have to go so far" to get relief. ..About one patient a fortnight passes through to Wanganui. What an atnountof suffering dp these few words record; a sermon might be preached upon them, ,80') replete are they with painful meaning. • Every other week some poor unfortunate, weakened with disease, or whom accident has crashed and bruised, has perhaps to wait for hoars at the railway station ,bef orb" the train which is to bear him away ..starts; and then to undergo a three hours -journey over fifty miles of road. Peilding, the central town of a populous district of several thousands, Bhould have its hospital, where prompt assistance 1 -could be rendered and delay avoided when delay might mean death — despatch, restoration to health and strength— in hopeless cases the sufferer would have the opportunity of being consoled bythoso dearest to him being gathered round hint, and his last; moments soothed^ by the presence of affection, which- now in many cases is out of their power. --G*unibie doe» >not know if it is possible to found a hospital' in Feildmg, but the knowledge that every other week come poor fellow creatnre might be spared hours of ftsoni and its consequent prostration^hoxtld stif our pifcj and cause us to endeavour ; r be able to dispense so great a charity.