THE HUMOUR OF GIFTGIVING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 274, 11 May 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE HUMOUR OF GIFTGIVING.

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Bv SISTER

One of tn-e amusing things in a Rod Cross Hospital is the reception of gttts. Most of these smaij hospitals receive from the War Office a grant of two shilllngs per day per resident man. This is not sufficient to pay all expenses, and tho local branch of the Red Cross Society makes up the deficiency. Also almost all the lied Cross Hospitals are willing to accept gilts. At first it was difficult for the professional nurse, accustomed to rigid hospital rule, to adapt herself to a condition which permitted visitors to bring gifts of all kinds; it tended to weaken tne. sacred laws of discipline so dear to her heart and she was inclined to condemn the system as bad But now she recognises the habit of giving to a hospital —like giving to anything eke — has its advantages; it undoubtedly benefits Tommy in adding to his table many good tilings ho would otherwise miss.

A SISPICIOIS GIVER

Our hospital is situated in a largo manufacturing town, and the greater part of our gtfts are from the working class, than whom there is none more generous. But they like to teA that their money is well spent and they are sometimes wanting in tact: as, for instance, 'the two ladies who brought some tongue and cake and made a return visit to ask t3ie men if they had had them. Wo often get gifts from children. A wee boy brought half a dozen packets of cigarettes all of which he had opened so that he might take out the pictures. Eight small girls whose ages ranged from five to nine years brought cigarettes and oranges which they had bought with the proceeds of a 'bazaar.' " Wo made three and sevenpence halfpenny nurse, and please we want all our names in the paper," said the little spokeswomen.

List week wc had a gift which was not so welcome. Two children brought a pile of church magazines dated 1874. They artfully told us that " Mother'' was cleaning down and wanted them out of her wav.

ABOUT SALMON

Last summer, two dear old ladies who have taken a keen interest in the hospital since it was affiliated with the 2nd General gav« us two tins of salmon. The samo w,eek brought us a present of 51b. of freab salmon from one of their neighbours, and both gifts were acknow. ledged in the local paper as "Salmon." No* the donor of the fresh salmon could not sej how the Misses Blank could afford to give salmon when it was naff a crown per lb., and arrived at the conclusion that her poor neighbours were getting tho credit for what she had contributed. Then one day salmon met salmon, and fresh salmon asked tinned-sal-mon if they had really had made the hospital such a handsome gift. Poor souls! They felt they had been going under false colours in being credited with- fresh salmon when they could only claimed tinned! A short time ago we had a box of eggs sent to us from one of the schools. On each egg was the name and address of a scholar and a note was forwarded requesting that the men should send a word of thanks to the boy or girl whoso egg they got. The average Tommy hatea writing except to his own folk. So—-lie ate the egg and ignored the request. But nemesis in the shape of the school mistress visited them. She mentioned that the children had not got any of tho lookod for letters. Paddy explained by (Hitting the blame on the nurses who lad " disthroyed the egg shells on which the addresses ov the chilther were written.'' It was all in vain. That school marm had the names of the scholars down in black and white-, and that before you could say —Jack Robinson! "And,"' seid Pat, "it's mcsilf that's sorry Oi ate her egg, fur the price is far away too hoigh."

A LITTLE TOO STRONG.

Writing about eggs reminds me of a dozen a dear old lady brought. She evidently thought the soldiers wore deficient in religious knowledge, and en each egg had written a text. "My .strength is in Thee'' was in all truthful, ness inscribed on the lovely brown one. and I am quite sure our men will be forgiven for giving a meaning to the words different from the meaning intended. Almost all the gifts are evidences of goodwill and sacrifice, from the early days of the war until three months ago ( when it became impossible because of the scarcity of sugar ) our supply' of apricot jam was kept up by two sisters who hatiO given up theatres, chocolate, and fruit so that they might spend 'the money on our wounded men. Another instance was that of four young mill girls who brought us a basketful of fruit and a quantity of cigarettes which thoy had bought with money intended for a little holiday. Tommy is a prodigious smoker, and wo have remarked a very interesting point in his choice of cigarettes In the early days of the war our visitors brought a well-known brand sold at five a and they were the first thing asked for by theßritish wounded who came from .lions and Dixmude. (The Belgians, it was said.would not look at them.) At that time it was not merely that Tommy wanted a cigarette but it must be the five-a-penny kind, 'llien we got men in who had other tastes, and now when w.» are getting the Derby men we are seldom asked for ilie cheap favourite of our Mons heroes.. Strangely enough, our visitors always seem to know what wo want, and the brand has been changed to meet our needs.

Giving has now become a habut, and tlio giver lias tlio sense of sacrifice which afflicted him at the l>eginmng of the war. He now gives Ireeanso he wants to. It is a part of the social change winch has swept over the nation and consolidated the Empire. Who shall predict the results on our national lifo and individual consciousness that may emerge from this gentle discipline ?

THE BLESSING OF GIVING

We have barnt to be thankful for tlio power of bestowing benefits on others, and to have joy in pleasures an which we have no part. It is a common creed in which ethics have no part, and one to which all classes give allegiance. Life is a greater thing now than formerly for all of us. The rich man has found nis soul in his multifarious opportunities of service, just as surely as Tommy, in a different way, has found his soul amid the thunder of the guns. Always oifr gifts have been bestowed, and n every case, the pleasure of doing sonn--thing for Tommy nns l»een delightfully obvious. Donors have nor been following a fashionable precedent hut the diefates of their hearts. High and low. rich and poor, have given as well as done their bit. It is the unconscious acknowledge of the brotnerhood of man which has found birth in our common need and nation's peril.