1.When Florence Nightingale was a very little girl,and living in a village in Derbyshire,everybody noticed how kind she was to other people and to animals.Every person and every animal loved her;she even made friends with the shy squirrels.
2.There lived near the village an old shepherd named Roger,who had a favourite sheep-dog called Cap.One day Florence was out riding with a friend,and she saw Roger feeding his sheep.But Cap was not there,and the sheep were running about in all directions.Florence and her friend stopped to ask the shepherd what had become of his dog.
3."Oh,"he replied,"Cap will never be of any more use to me.He will have to be killed."
"Killed!"said Florence."O Roger,how wicked of you to say so!What has poor old Cap done?"
4."He has done nothing,"replied Roger;"but a cruel boy threw a stone at him yesterday,and broke one of his legs."And the old shepherd wiped away the tears which filled his eyes."Poor Cap!"he said,"he was as knowing as a human being."
5.Florence and her friend rode on to the shepherd's cottage,and went in to see the poor dog.When the little girl called him "poor Cap,"he began to wag his tail.Then he crawled from under the table,and lay down at her feet.She took hold of one of his paws,patted his rough head,and talked to him while her friend examined the injured leg.
6.It was badly swollen,and it hurt him very much to have it touched;but though he moaned with pain,he licked the hands that were hurting him,for he knew that it was meant kindly.
7."It's only a bad bruise,no bones broken,"said
Florence's friend."Rest is all Cap needs;he will soon be well again."
"I am so glad!"said Florence."But can we do nothing for him?he seems in such pain."
"Plenty of hot water to bathe his leg would both ease the pain and help to cure him."
8.Florence lighted the fire,got ready some hot water,and began to bathe the poor dog's leg.It was not long before he began to feel less pain,and he tried to show his thanks by his looks and by wagging his tail.
9.On their way back they met the old shepherd coming slowly homewards.
"O Roger!"cried Florence,"you are not to lose poor old Cap.We have found that his leg is not broken after all."
"Well,I am very glad to hear it,"said the old man;"and many thanks to you for going to see him."
10.The next morning Florence was up early to bathe Cap's leg,and she found it much better.The following day she bathed it again,and in two or three days the old dog was able to look after the flock again.
11.This happened many years ago,and that kind-hearted little girl grew up to be the kindest and bravest of women.She spent her youth in learning how tonurse the sick,and how to manage hospitals .
12.During the Crimean War she went out at the head of a band of trained nurses to take care of our wounded soldiers,who were very badly off for want of proper care and good hospitals.She soon had ten thousand sick men to look after,and she could scarcely find time for rest or sleep.At one time her hard work made her very ill.
13.Florence Nightingale did a great deal to improve our hospitals at home.Her whole life was nobly spent in helping the sick,and especially those who are poor.