The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-09-18

found the doctor much out of patience. |
Anderson had ilatly refused to have 1t |
taken ofip "IIere, nurse" cried the |
doctor, "you come and talk to him and
persuade the silly fellow not to throw |
away his life," and lie left me to the
task. We nurses are used to bringing
bright face and firm voice to such
tasks as these, even when our hearts arc
sore, as mine was then. But it was OF
no use. Anderson, poor fellow. seemed
as IL turned to stone; all the life had
gone out of his face. He was hard and
silent and replied to me only by curt re-
fusals. This state of things went on
for some days. Every morning the
doctors tried again, but left off argu-
ing, for l saw it was of no use. How
ever, looked to visitors day to change
his mind, and only wished 1t had been
nearer, for his arm was in terrible
state And yet dreaded it too, think
ing of the shock the news would be to
the poor little French sweetheart who
had been hoping so soon to be his wife.
Would she have nerve enough to set
aside her own feelings and try to recon-
altered life before himp
The afternoon arrived, and I saw poor
Anderson with face that made my heart
swell with pity watching the door. But
she was not as punctual rs usual. The
afternoon wore on. the visitors left tho
ward and she had not como. The moth
er came and stayed few moments only,
looking scared, thought. did not
hear any thing that passed between
them. She looked to me somewhat the
worse for drink. do not know when
l have been more taken in than by that
girls not appearing. had counted on
it with such certainty. could scarcely
believe the time was gone, even while
looked at the clock. AS for the poor
fellow, 1 could only guess at what he
felt.
"Do you know why your friend has
not come to SEQ you to-day" l asked
him as carelessly as could. He was so
shy of talking about himself that was
afraid of soaring him. He only said:
mo, don't; not for CERTAIN" but he
looked at me a. If he half wanted to tell
me more, and thought it would come.
And so it did that night when l gave
him his medicine. He said, Just as 1
was leaving him.
II say, nurse, want to send a let
ter"
"Do youp" 1 said; ~ will write it for
You with pleasure. Who is it to be sent
TOP" though Of course l knew
"It's to my girl" and he grew red
and very bashful.
II suppose you want to tell her about
your armP'
'.She knows that. There was a man
went out yesterday that lives in our
yard, and he told my mother and she
told her."
So this was the end of the little
French girls devotion! Now that there
was no chance of his being able to keep
her she would not even come to see
him. AS could not say what | felt l
held my tongue. Anderson went on:
"Will you say in the letter that she
needn't be afraid of me wanting to
keep her at her wordp Tell her ain t
going to have my arm Off I'll take my
chance. l don't want any thing from
her, but just to come once to see me
for the sake of old times. Don't forget
to put that in, nurse-for the sake of
old times. Perhaps she is in the right
to keep away. but I'd rather she d
come just for once, do you see?"
/ wrote the letter and posted it. ]
should like to have added few words
of my own to the young lady, but
thought had better not meddle. Would
you believe itp No answer came from
that heartless girl. The arm was getting
worse, and the doctors said that moth
ing but amputation could save his life.
But Anderson couldn't be moved from
his resolve. He said that if die he
must, why he would die like man, but
that ned known fellow that kept his
leg for twenty years after the doctors
wanted it cut off. But he was so low
and looked SO hopeless that | feared he
did not care much which way it went,
and that was terribly against him. He
needed something to give him heart
enough to face life afresh as cripple,
and to bring himself to beg for such
work as r cripple can do-he who had
been skilled art san, an aristocrat OF
labor. A woman who loved him might dc
it, Thought, but visiting day came round,
and again the mother came, but nc
sweetheart, and there could be no longer
any doubt of her faithlessness. begged
Anderson to take it like man, give up
thinking of her, and have his arm of
next morning. l told him it was pride
that stood in the way, but that he would
show a far better kind of pride in sub.
hitting to the will of God and making
the best of his misfortunes like brave
man. He listened to me with attention,
and though he did not answer saw
had made an impression; though,
am sure us l spoke, and thought OF
his ruined life, felt how different q
thing practice and precept are. BY anG
by he said:
i "Nurse, perhaps I didn't ought to say
it, but can't trust to what my mother
says. can't get to the bottom of what
she told me this afternoon. She's {
spite against my girl on account of my
taking to her. You go out of doors
; don't you, nurse?"
He asked this so wistfully that has
tened to assure him l would go any
where he liked for him. in my off-duty
time. So it was settled should go tt
the house where his mother and the CIR
both lod ged, and see if all was right
Happily, had leave of absence tina
evening after tea. "You see my mother
, is overtaken with the drink now ant
again" he said, in shamefaced under
tone, ''and she has a terrible grudg'
, against Marie, on account of its being
along of her that she was put out will
me; and you see, Marie don't max,
no allowance for her being in the drink