The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hospital Sketches, by Louisa May Alcott

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Title: Hospital Sketches

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Posting Date: March 6, 2009 [EBook #3837]
Release Date: March, 2003
First Posted: October 2, 2001

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOSPITAL SKETCHES ***

Produced by Jo Hogan. HTML version by Al Haines.

HOSPITAL SKETCHES

By

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

THESE SKETCHES
ARE RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
TO HER FRIEND
MISS HANNAH STEVENSON
BY
L.M.A.

CONTENTS

I. Obtaining Supplies
II. A Forward Movement
III. A Day
IV. A Night
V. Off Duty
VI. A Postscript

CHAPTER I

OBTAINING SUPPLIES.

"I want something to do."

This remark being addressed to the world in general, no one in
particular felt it their duty to reply; so I repeated it to the smaller
world about me, received the following suggestions, and settled the
matter by answering my own inquiry, as people are apt to do when very
much in earnest.

"Write a book," quoth the author of my being.

"Don't know enough, sir. First live, then write."

"Try teaching again," suggested my mother.

"No thank you, ma'am, ten years of that is enough."

"Take a husband like my Darby, and fulfill your mission," said sister
Joan, home on a visit.

"Can't afford expensive luxuries, Mrs. Coobiddy."

"Turn actress, and immortalize your name," said sister Vashti, striking
an attitude.

"I won't."

"Go nurse the soldiers," said my young brother, Tom, panting for "the
tented field."

"I will!"

So far, very good. Here was the will--now for the way. At first sight
not a foot of it appeared, but that didn't matter, for the Periwinkles
are a hopeful race; their crest is an anchor, with three cock-a-doodles
crowing atop. They all wear rose-colored spectacles, and are lineal
descendants of the inventor of aerial architecture. An hour's
conversation on the subject set the whole family in a blaze of
enthusiasm. A model hospital was erected, and each member had accepted
an honorable post therein. The paternal P. was chaplain, the maternal
P. was matron, and all the y