LETTER TO PENELOPE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 124, 11 May 1935, Page 12

LETTER TO PENELOPE

Aly Dear Penelope,—Yes, I quite agree with' what you say about manners in the sick room and how much they might be improved if people would only think for a moment. When you think how much there is to irritate and tire a patient in the ordinary course of convalescence you really would think that friends and relations would do their utmost to bo tactful. It only relatives would be wise and ascertain who is going along to see the patient—and oil what day. This would often obviate a crowd in tho room. Also they could take a little trouble with gifts. If the room is snowed under with Howers, take fruit. If everybody seems to be taking fruit, then take Howers. A jar of jelly, u bottle of eau-de-Cologne or smelling salts are generally acceptable. Some folk take magazines or books, I but books especially should be carefully chosen and should be neither heavy reading nor heavy in weight. They forget that the patient is weak and cannot hold up heavy books. The print should not be too small; all these j little matters make a difference.

i Then again when a person is ill, i it is the quiet, soft-voiced friend who : <s welcome —the one who has come to I see the patient and cheer her. Visitors often seem to have no sense about their topics of conversation. They just open their mouths and ramble on

about ‘‘me and my house and my son John and his house, and the rent I have to pay and the way my husband’s business is going to the dogs and my pretty cousin Aiuarintha, who is marrying the wrong solt of a ehap. no matter what we say to her." Well, you can excuse them for being silly and dull, if that’s tho way they were born, but when it comes to emptying their bag of troubles upon the sick bed of a friend! I’m afraid I’ve rambled on and bored you horribly, but I’ve been feeling about these things for some time and after all you did begin the subject! Love. SHEILA.