MISS GERTIE CAMPION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXII, Issue 13573, 20 October 1904, Page 7

MISS GERTIE CAMPION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Miss Gertie Campion writes to ms from South Africa as follows:—"Youwill be surprised, and I am sure sorry, to see that I am back in the Sanatorium l again. Poor me! I was getting on so well my doctor gave me permission to travel! I thought we could arrange our passages to he paid at the other end, but the shipping company would not hear, of it, and for two months we have been down in Durban, worried to death. It has all upset me so much that it brought on hemorrhage -again, and it has been such a bad attack this time, for .my poor lungs have bled so much it is a wonder I am able to move at all. The least little extra exertion I have brings it on again. To me it seems it won’t heal up at all this time. ■ The relapse is all through worrying, and yet I could not help it, for we are nearly out of our minds. We haven’t got a eingle penny in tho world. I have had help, as you know, from Mr Pollard and Mr Williamson and friends here, but the Sanatorium and doctors’ fees hay© swallowed it all up long ago, and I am as ill as ever—perfectly helpless.! What can I do? The charge at the Sanatorium alone is £5 5s a week apart from doctors’ fees and medicine and invalid foods. I was well-known in New Zealand, and although I hate to hfve to, could you secure a benefit of some description? The doctor orders me out of this (to me) dreadful country as soon as possible. If I can only get away—to Melbourne —I may get better. Please, old friend, do what you can to help me in my desperate need.” I saw Miss Campion when visiting Johannesburg with Miss Crossley, and was shocked then to see the pitiful wreck sickness had made of the bright lady we all admired so much as the Gay Parisienno and other popular characters. I think many old New Zealand friends would like to assist their old favourite, who now lies penniless and broken-hearted at death’s door, and I shall be glad to receive any donations on her behalf, which I shall duly acknowledge and forward to her at once.—l am, etc., BERT ROYLE. Box 395, G.P.0., Wellington, October 17. (The members of the literary staff of the “Lyttelton Times” have forwarded £5 5s to Mr Royle to he remitted to Mies Campion. The editor will be glad to forward any further subscriptions that >oay be sent to this office.—Ed. L.T.)