The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-06-27
JOHN WARES NURSE.

JOHN WARES NURSE
There were two reasons why Joanna
Blight had her studio up in the man
sard.
In the first Place she craved quiet
and seclusion; in the second-well,
Mrs. Algernon Mowry was very much
ashamed of it.
Mrs. Mowry was quite content that
cher husbands niece" should pay her
board bill. The money was very &C
ceptable to them in tier narrowed
circumstances. But for the life of her
Mrs. Mowry could not see why Joanna
preferred to earn her own living when
she had a brother able to support her.
This little studio was a very pretty
place. The bare floor was patched
with b~right-colored rugs; the walls
were tinted a delicate Blue, bordered
with harmonious bands of crimson,
olive and gold.
There was one wide window to the
front, and near it, at her easel, Joanna
sat one sweet April morning finishing
a birthday card in water colors.
From time to time she would pause
at her work, and leaning back in her
chair she would watch the builders
over the way.
Some one had bought the corner lot
and the two lots adjacent to it on the
main and side streets. Within the
past six weeks a charming little Queen
Anne cottage had sprung up there as
if by magic.
Rumor said it was being built for a
gentleman from Washington.
"He must be a man Of TASTE"
: Joanna thought, as she took in the
graceful effect of the building, even in
it's unfinished state. "How l should
like to live in a house like that Tiles
and terra.cotta and low-down CRATES
That ought to make life worth liv-
ing!'
Joanna smiled at her own fancies as
she took up her brush and palette.
When she looked up again the men
were hosting some heavy framework
by means of a pulley.
LOOA OuU lllClV. SRlSu q Va11,
manly fellow on the roof, who lowered
head and shoulders above his com
rades.
He was a well-made man, with a
rich bronze skin and a full brown
beard that had concealed his finely
shaped neck. The only parts of his
dress visible were a blue cardigan
Jacket and q pair Of overalls.
"They have got a new workman"
Joanna observed, idly. "What asplen-
did fellow he is! 1 wonder what bust
ness a carpenter has with a face and
figure like that? Sometimes it seems
TO me that Nature blunders sadly"
The stalwart young carpenter dis
appeared meanwhile, and Joanna left
her work.
81 wish the Palette club didn't
meet this afternoon" she murmured,
as she passed. into the next room and
began to unplait her long, thick, yell
low braids.
Her toilet was simple, but somehow
it went forward slowly. She felt
rather dull that day, and as she
smoothed her hair in a leisurely fash
ion, she hummed to herself:
"Heigho! for the holly!
Most friendship is feigning-
Most loving mere folly".
Sc she went Gil, placldly pinning up
. her braids again, and never once dream
ing of what had happened since she
left the window, until her Cousin
Mabel came bursting into the room
with a panic-stricken face.
"Joanna," she cried, hy.terically,
"come on downstairs! One of the
workmen has fallen off the new house
and they've brought him over here"
"Good heavens !" Joanna exclaimed.
SIS he killed."
Il don't know" Mabel answered,
with a burst oftcars. Hes all covered
with dirt and blood, and-and he just
looks awful"
Joanna went flying downstairs, and
met her aunt in the hall. Mrs. Mowry
was on the verge of Mysteries.
"Do 60 in and see what they
are doing" she cried. "Good
heavens! who would have dreamed of
such a thing? And all these men with
their muddy boots tramping over my
carpet"
"Where have they taken him?"
Joanna interrupted, hastily, as she
turned away with i!ldisguised con-
tempt.
Gin the library" sobbed Mrs.
Mowry. "Oh, l don't know how you
can bear to go in! My nerves could
not endure it."
But Joanna pushed past her with
prompt determination. AS she entered
the room she saw a little horror
stricken group of men in blue blouses
and overalls lowering about the
lounge on which the injured man was
lying.
She took several steps toward them,
and then a low, startled cry escaped
her lips. 1t was the handsome young
workman whose splendid physique
she had admired only half an hour
and there he lay, white,
crushed and bleeding.
"Have you sent for a doctorP" she
said, as she dropped ON her knees be-
side the passive, insensible form.
"Yes'm,' answered n of the
workmen who stood at his head. eve
sent right Off"
"W6o is this man?" she asked,
quickly. "Where does he live?"
"This man here? I dunno, ma'am.
His names John Ware. He is a new
hand. We don't know nothing
about him. He was kind of a bossy
chap. and yet he didn't seem to know
SO alfred much either did he, Ei?"
Don't you know any of his
hfendsY" Joanna asked. where
does he liye?'
Deed, I couldn't tell ye, ma'am.
Il don't know nothing about him."
The doctor came and his verdict
was a grave M Joanna came out of
the library with a pale, resolute face.
Margaret" she said, quietly,
"they are going to take him up to my
ROOM"
What = Mrs. Mowry screamed, in
q spasm of historical horror. Joanna,
are you madY"