Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-08-20
A Fond Delusion Dispelled.


All, me, exclaims Clara Belle, how
truth does differ from fiction, Doesn't
the hero of novel or play invariably get
hurt, If at all, in the way of 4 broken
leg or something that lays him up In 4
nice. clean manner compatible with
sentimentality? Moreover. isn't il the
rule that the heroine, turned nurse,
shall find her employment in that ca
pacity made congenial by the duties Of
smoothing tho dear fellows forehead
and reading to him? That's romance.
Here's reality. The pastor of my church
is an earnest Christian. practical docr
of good, and allthat sort of philanthrop-
ic thing. He is all the while getting
up visiting committees for the tene-
ment-house poor. cold-sictual distrbu-
ton cQteries, and secondhand clothes
agencies. He got it into his beneEo-
lent head not long ago that some of as
girls ought to do amateur nursing in the
public hospitals. The idea took well,
because we had heard that London M
istocratic maidens were practieing il.
and he speedily had six enthusiastic
volunteers. We went through a pre-
liminary training TO the extent OF read
ing book of directions for nursing
Then we reported for duty. We were
to form kind of relief gang. each girl
to devote one day in six to actual At
tendance in the ward OF a certain hos
pital. Our services were accepted.
We drew cuts for turns, and | hit the
first day. Early next morning [ pre-
sented myself, in very plain, but
neatly fitted bib and tucker, 10 the
house physician of the institution.
flattered myself that | was prepared
for any fate which duty might impose
upon me; but down deep in my heart
of hearts | was hopefully expectant
of the broken-b oned hero of the novel
and the play for patient. What was
my joy, therefore, on being assigned TO
a chap exactly in that line. What |
mean is that both his legs and one arm
had been fractured. OF course, he
wasn't precisely the ideal thing. His
brow wasn't as high and white rs the
fictionist had described, stubble
growth of beard impaired whatever of
beauty his face might ordinarily have
possessed, and they nad stuck him fast
in a structure of splints and plaster of
paris so that his one immoyable posi-
ton was not picturesque. was bound
to make the best of him, however, and
at the first opportunity | suggested
that | might read the morning news
paper to him.
UNLESS you want to drive me crazy,
young woman" he growled. unaware
that l was volunteer. and not hired
hospital attendant, you'll kindly keep
your tongue quiet"
The shock was something dreadful
| withdrew to corner and wept.
When that was done with returned to
find him asleep and snoring. But l
made one additional effort to realize
my expectations. On his showing the
first signs of awakening. and betraying
pain by low signs quite romantieally),
| quietly stroked his feyered brow. He
was wide-eycd in a minute.
"For heavens sake, don't bang
and pillow my head" ne exclaimed;
II cant stand it.
have only vague recollection of
how the rest of the day wore YEARLY
away One of the fondest of my de-
lusions was dispelled; but when the
next days volunteer and | came to
compare notes, and she related how
she had been allotted the care of an old
hummer just over an attack of delirium
tremens, | concluded that | had been
rather fortunate. Ida predetermined
patient, at all events, though his be-
havior had not been all that | had ex-
pected. On the whole, | don't think
that amateur nursing has the elements
of fashionable popularity.