nt, and appropriated it entirely to the benefit of the suffering
ones around her.

Luxuries sent by her friends for her own use she applied in the same
manner. The four years of her service were filled with self-sacrifice
and faithful devoted labor.

Miss Mitchell spent the first three months in Elmore Hotel Hospital,
Georgetown, District of Columbia. Around this place cluster some of the
pleasantest, as well as the saddest memories of her life. The want of a
well-arranged, systematic plan of action in this hospital, made the
tasks of the nurses peculiarly arduous and trying. Yet Miss Mitchell
records that she never found more delight in her labors, and never
received warmer expressions of gratitude from her "boys." On being
brought for the first time to a place associated in their minds only
with gloom and suffering the joyful surprise of these poor fellows at
finding kind hearts and willing hands ready to minister to their wants
with almost motherly, or sisterly affection, exceeded words and called
forth such manifestations of gratitude as amply rewarded those who thus
watched over them for all their toils. Often as they saw these kindly
women engaged in their busy tasks of mercy, their eyes would glisten as
they followed them with the most intense earnestness, and their lips
would unconsciously utter remarks like these, so homely and spontaneous
as to leave no doubt of their sincerity. "How good! how home-like to
see women moving around! We did not expect anything like this!"

But much as she loved her work and had become attached to her charges,
circumstances of a very painful nature soon compelled Miss Mitchell to
resign her post in this hospital. Very unworthy hands sometimes assume a
ministry of kindness. There were associations here so utterly repugnant
to Miss Mitchell, that with a sorrowful heart she at last forced herself
to turn her back upon the suffering, in order to be free from them.

But Providence soon opened the way to another engagement. In less than
two weeks she entered St. Elizabeth's Hospital. This was situated in
Washington across the Eastern branch of the Potomac in an unfinished
wing of the Insane Retreat.

Her initiation here was a sad, lonely night-watch, by the bed-side of a
dying nurse, who about ten o'clock the following day, with none but
strangers to witness her dying conflicts, passed from this scene of pain
and struggle.

It was about the last of December that she entered here,