Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1879 — An Humble Heroine. [ARTICLE]

An Humble Heroine.

Mary Ann Wilson is a peanut woman of New Orleans. She has a shabby little stand on St. Charles street, for which with al! its contents, says a New Orleans paper, “a $5 note would be an extravagant price,” “ Grandma Wilson ” has bent over the same little stand nearly forty years. Nobody would ever know to see her or would hear from her own lips that this withered, poor old woman was the most famous yellowfever nurse in the South. Y< t such is the fact. In 1837, forty-two years ago, she faithfully nursed fever-stricken patients in New Orleans. Again, in 1853, she was at her post, caring lor the sick that whole sorrowful summer. In 1855 there was a yellow fever epidemic at Norfolk. Grandma Wilson went there and nursed. Another year she went to Savannah, and remained while the plague lasted, caring for the hapless sufferers. Again she went to Memphis, performing the same noble duties. Last summer, on the outbreak of the fever, she went to Grenada, and for thirty-eight days and nights stayed there, and “those withered hands were often the only ones to soothe burning brows or close dying eyes. To her tender care were committed their children by dying parents.” From Grenada she <vent to Memphis, and stayed there, ministering to the sick and dying like an angel of mercy till the frightful plague ceased. Then, simple as she was noble, the heroic old woman went back without a word to her shabby little fruit stand in St. Charles street.