banner of the Red Cross, as I saw all this, and joined and worked in it, you will not wonder that I said to myself, 'If I live to return to my country, I will try to make my people understand the Red Cross and that treaty.' But I did more than to resolve; I promised other nations I would do it, and other reasons pressed me to remember my promise."

Chief among these reasons was the futility of attempts made by charitable persons in the United States to relieve sufferings caused by the devastations of this Franco-Prussian war. Ships were sent over, freighted with supplies, but when these things arrived, no one was authorized to receive them, and for the most part they went to utter waste. Had they borne the stamp of the Red Cross Society, they would have been forwarded, and through them a vast amount of misery might have been saved. It was indeed a pity that so much generous effort should have failed of its end.

On reaching her summer retreat at Berne, Miss Barton learned that the Grand Duchess of Baden had been making inquiries for her through the legations, desiring her presence at her court at Carlsruhe. Acceding to the request, she found the Grand Duchess Louise, the only daughter of the Emperor of Germany, a noble lady in the noblest sense of the word, whose warm heart was deeply moved by the distresses of the conflicts in which her nearest relatives were involved, -anxious to understand more clearly the peculiarities of the field-hospital service in our civil war. There were features of it new to her, which she felt might be made available to relieve suffering in the German armies. The women of her country and court, with herself at their head, were already doing their utmost under the Red Cross flag on the battle-field, the "Frauenverein," or Woman's Union of Baden, which had grown up under her patronage, having constituted itself a Society of the Red Cross. She asked Miss Barton to stay with her, that they might each become acquainted with the other's methods, and for an exchange of suggestions.

The long, weary weeks of the siege of Strasburg had begun, and Miss Barton agreed to remain at Carlsruhe until that

was ended. As soon as it was possible to enter the city, she must go there, and help relieve the distresses the besieging armies had caused.

During this visit she was enabled to see how generously the Grand Duchess had devoted herself to the aid of wounded

men, whether foes or friends. Miss Barton says: "Her many and beautiful castles, with their magnificent grounds, throughout all Baden, were at once transformed into military hospitals, and her entire court, with herself at its head, formed into a committee of superintendence and organization for relief. I have seen a wounded Arab from the French armies, who knew no word of any language but his own, stretch out his arms to her in adoration and blessing as she passed his bed."

No wonder that two workers like these, so earnestly unselfish, found themselves one in a friendship which has remained undimmed through the flight of busy years. Miss Barton still has frequent letters from the Grand Duchess, and she cherishes among her treasured mementos a beautiful gold-andenamel Red Cross brooch, presented to her before they parted by that lady; who also, with her husband, the Grand Duke, decorated her with the Gold Cross of Remembrance, attached to the colors of the Grand Duchy of Baden.

The Empress Augusta, with the Emperor, conferred upon her the Iron Cross of Merit, accompanied by the colors of Germany and the Red Cross - the Iron Cross being only bestowed upon those who have earned it by deeds of heroism on the battle-field.

Those were anxious weeks that Miss Barton passed with her noble hostess at Carlsruhe, for the sufferers within the besieged city could neither be heard from nor approached. But at last Strasburg yielded. The gates were thrown open, and the German army entered; and with it, Miss Barton made her way across the Rhine, and into the city unattended, for so she always chose to go to her army work.

She found sad havoc there, but the wounded by shot and shell were well cared for by the Sisters of Mercy. The con

dition of the poorer people, whose employments had been stopped, and who were degenerating into rags and pauperism, she saw required immediate attention. Squalid and halfstarved, huddled into cellars where they had gone for shelter during the bombardment, their destitution was painful beyond description. Having looked into their wants, and returned for a brief conference with the Grand Duchess, she established herself among these poor women with only one assistant; this time the faithful, devoted Anna Zimmerman.

The details of the work these two did cannot be given here, but they are intensely interesting. All that can be said is that the raising of hundreds of women from utterly demoralized poverty to a well-clad, self-helpful condition, seems to us, as it seemed to the leading men of Strasburg, who watched its progress and lent it their aid, well nigh miraculous.

A similar work of relief was carried on by Miss Barton in other cities which had suffered from siege. We hear of her aiding the starving inhabitants of Metz, ministering to the wounded returning from Sedan, and distributing at Belfort, Montbeliard, and in Paris, the large contributions of the Boston Relief Fund, which its agent had intrusted to her care. She reached Paris in the closing days of the Commune, bringing with her large supplies of clothing from Strasburg - the work of the women she had helped --as the gift of the poor of that city to the poor of Paris.

Here she remained several weeks, acting under the direction of the Prefect, whose house she had been invited to make her headquarters for the distribution of supplies. She gave with her own hands, into the hands of every needy person sent to her, money or clothing, as the case required, taking the name of every one who was assisted, and rendering an account of the same, exact to a franc.

This has always been Miss Barton's method. She has done nothing irresponsibly; and through her careful business habits, and direct sympathetic contact with the people she has served, she has come into those personal relations by which