Page:Sketches of representative women of New England.djvu/408

Rh was only when some friend whose calls penetrated to all parts of the house discovered the workers at their tasks that these benefactions became known; for one of the watchwords of that household was, "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."

Dr. Merritt's original and independent habit of thought on all subjects could not fail to evince itself in her religious belief. Without seeking opportunities, she did not shrink from expressing her own individual persuasion when conversing with persons of a different faith. Her love of truth could not abide the obvious prevarications of those who believe in the evangelical doctrines, yet live in utter disregard for the welfare of others, apparently only desirous to benefit self. Many have heard her quote the memorable words of Thomas Paine, "The work! is my country, to do good is my religion." So well was this known that the Ladies' Physiological Institute, of which she was president, in selecting for her a birthday gift, chose an exquisite little statue of Paine, which she prized more highly than she could have done some more costly token of ordinary sentiment.

At one time, perhaps in the eighties, the opportunity came for Dr. Merritt to witness in her own house some of the then unusual phenomena of spirit power, and her interest was aroused to make a study. of this belief. All went well until one evening she was called away. On her return, being told of the fulfilment of a promise that "something more wonderful than before would be given when the conditions were all favorable," she impulsively exclaimed, "I don't believe it"; and for several years utterly repudiated all her former conclusions. Afterward, however, she felt that it had been a mistake to throw away such opportunity, and asked a friend, when they were about to part for the summer, to keep her in mind and write to her if she had any message.

In her earlier days she was called an atheist, but she disavowed this charge by referring to another state of existence, and in her last illness, speaking of the hereafter, said, "There'll be work for me to do there." She died November 7, 1900. Premature as her transition seemed, Dr. Merritt, if we can judge by the good accomplished and the amount of her unselfish labor for the benefit of others, had rounded out a long life.

ARGARET HAMILTON, past president of the National Army Nurse Association, is one of the heroines of the Civil War whose record deserves a place in its history. Her experience as an army nurse was in her early womanhood, when she bore her maiden name, Margaret Mahoney. She was married in Philadelphia in November, 1864, to Charles Roberts Hamilton, a soldier of the Nineteenth Maine Volunteers, whom she had first met while she was on duty in the Satterlee Hospital.

Born October 19, 1840, in Rochester, N.Y., Mrs. Hamilton is the only child of the late Cornelius and Mary (Sheehan) Mahoney. Her paternal grandparents were Dennis Mahoney and his wife Margaret, for whom she was named. She was educated in the public schools and St. Joseph's Seminary at Emmitsburg, Md. Here she joined the order of Sisters of Charity, going through the novitiate, and was sent by them to teach at St. Joseph's Asylum at Albany, N.Y., where she remained for a year and a half. She was with the sisters four years; but, before it was time to take the vows (which is done in the fifth year), she found that she hail no vocation for that life, and left the order, but with respect for it and the best of feeling for those with whom she had been associated.

Early in the spring of 1862 an order came from the Mother House for three other nurses and herself to go to the Satterlee United States Military Hospital in West Philadelphia. Dr. Isaac I. Hayes, the Arctic explorer, was the surgeon in charge, being assisted by Dr. James Williams, Dr. John S. Billings, and others. The hospital was built to accommodate five thousand patients, and was opened May 1, 1862.

Referring to her experiences, Mrs. Hamilton says: "We fared poorly for some time, as the commissary department had not been established nor the necessary conveniences for work supplied. A day or two later hundreds of