Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1886-09-16


taken ofiP Here. nurse" cried the
doctor. ..you come and talk to him and
persuade tho silly fellow not TO throw
away his life." and he left me to the
task. We nurses are used to- bringing
bright face and firm voice To such
tasks rs these, even when our heart, are
sore, rs mine was then. But il was of
no use. Anderson, poor fellow. seemed
rs il turned 10 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 1 left off argu-
ing, for i saw il was of no use. How
ever, looked to visitors day to change
his mind. and only wished ii had been
nearer. for his arm was in a terrible
state. And yet dreaded il too, think
ing OF the shock the news would be TO
the poor little French sweetheart who
had been hoping so soon 10 be his wife.
Would she have nerve enough TO set
aside her own feelings and try to recon
clle him TO the loss of his arm and the
altered life before him?
The afternoon arrived, and saw poor
Anderson with n face that made my heart
swell with pity watching the door. But
she was not rs punctual as usual The
afternoon wore on. the visitors left the
ward and she had not como. The moth
err came and stayed few moments only.
looking scared, I thought / did not
hear any thing that passed between
them. She looked to me somewhat the
worse for drink. l do not know when
have been more taken in than by that
girl not appearing. / had counted on
IT with such certainty. | could scarcely
believe the time was gone, even while /
looked ut the clock. As for the poor
fellow. | could only guess at what he
felt
do you know why your friend has
not come to see YOU to-day?n / asked
him rs carelessly as could He was so
shy of talking about himself that | was
afraid of soaring him. He only said:
No, don't; not for certain but he
looked ut 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
was leaving him.
II say, nurse, want TO send let
ter
DO your / said; Il will write il for
you with pleasure. Who is il to be sent
top though of course / knew.
Its to my girl and he grew red
and very bashful.
Il suppose you want TO tell her about
your arm?"
''She knows that There was man
went out yesterday that lives i'm 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
held my tongue. Anderson went on:
"Wlll you say in the letter that she
needn't be afraid of me wanting TO
keep her nj her word? Tell her amt
going to have my arm OF. I'll take nv
chance. i 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 i'm the right
to keep away, but I'd rather she'd
come Just for once, do you see?n
L wrote the letter and posted il. /
should like to have added few words
OF my own 10 the young lady. but I
thought | had better not NEEDLE. Would
you believe it? No answer came from
mat 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 a man. but
that he'd known Il fellow that kept his
leg for twenty years after the doctors
wanted it cut of 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 a cripple.
and to bring himself to beg for such
work As cripple can do-he who had
been "A skilled artisan, an aristocrat of
labor woman who loved him might do
It, Thought, but visiting day came round,
and again the mother came, but no
sweetheart, and there could be no LONGER
any doubt of her faithleSsness. I beoGed
Anderson to take il like man, give up
thinking of her, and have his arm of
next morning. / told him it was pride
that stood in the way. but that ne would
show far better kind of pride i'm sub
uniting 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 rs | spoke. and thought of
his ruined life, / felt how different n
thing practice and precept are. BY and
by he said:
Nurse, perhaps i didn't ought TO saw
II, but cant trust TO what my mother
says. ] can get to the bottom of what
she told me this afternoon She's n
spite against my girl on account of my
taking to her You go out of doors.
don you. nurse?'
He asked this so wistfullv that has
tened TO assure him I would oo any
where he liked for him i'm nv olF-dutv
time. So IL was settled should oo 90
the house where his mother and the Girl
both lodged. and see if all was right
Happily, ] had leave Of absence that
evening after tea. lyon see NV mother
Is oyertaken with the drink now and
again, he said, in n shamefaced under
tone, and she has a terrible 0rudoe
against Marie. on account of its beino
along Of her that she was put out with
me; and you see Marie don't make
no allowance for her being in the drink
that evening. And she don't know
what fear is, that girl She'll up and
say any thing to the old woman" I'm
ms excitement he never saw that he was
letting out his secret. / held my peace
a NJ aHaH N Il ..HN