New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-27
A TRAINED NURSE.
BY NJ. L. POOL.

ct s,pose she's dreadful sick, amt she ?"
OF expect she is She's been out Of her head
dnce yesterday noon"
The two women stood in the little store at
Mann's corner. One OF them lingering
niece of gay colored print looking at it sideways
and pulling it tins way aud that.
What does the doctor say is the matter of
ber?" she inquired. Before the answer could
be given, she turned to the clerk, who was
cutting of a slab of cheese at little distance
ievn the counter.
will this calico wash P" she asked.
Jest like BRICK" was the glib response from
the man, who was young and inclined to DE
facetious.
The doctor called it the result of nervous
prostration," said the other woman in reply u
hear they're going TO have a consultation"
What's nervous prostrationp"
Il dknow; some new-fangled thing they're
got up; just if the old diseases want able
to kill us of fast enough.
Cut me a scrap Of this calico, will you? ?" said
the woman. Il want to see myself if it'll wash
fore l buy any,
The young man wrapped up the cheese and gave
il TO the boy who was waiting for it. Then he
came forward and, drawing his scissors from
his waistcoat pocket. he shipped a fragment from
the print and handed it to his customer.
Heard anything from 'Relia to-day?' asked
the woman as she put the fragment carefully
into her worn pocletbook.
~They had consultation last night answered
the clerk with the air of who was always
posted as to all the news, solemn or otherwise.
aThen they've had it, exclaimed Mrs. Gould.
u knew they talked of il. Did they decide
whether she was going TO get up not?"
Bout an even chance. They're going to
baxe a trained nurse out from Boston"
,pIa u.
and Mrs. Gould cried out in her shrill voice
that she sposed the Doggetts didn't think the
neghbors were good enough to take care Of
,Relin She herself had offered TO watch once
q week. and she knew of three others that had
done the same. With so much help she didn't
know why the Doggetts didn't try to git long
without no trained nuss.
Awful expensive amt they?" now inquired
Mrs Gould's companion.
IL was evident at q glance that this woman
had never had anything expensive in her life.
Her almost lifeless mouth was shut expressively
after this question
"Horrid expensive" answered the young man
with JUNCTION. Fifteen or twenty dollars
week, and nothing ever good enough for EN- to
eat n drink"
Still if the doctors said she must have ono,
remarked Mrs. Gould as though she were trying
to look at the other side of the subject
They did say So" said young Cspen. They
said 'Rea couldn't stand changing the folks that
was taking care of her. And her mothers about
played out by this time, you know"
Il guess" said Mrs. Gould, "MatIIdy, we
nights well be going along. and it won't be no
more'n neighborly if we stop m see how the
Doggetts be- We can go round that ways we'll
as not"
II shouldn't want to inconvenience you any,"
responded Matildy Hunt, not quite relevantly.
1t amt no inconvenience, not grain was
the answer.
The two women went out to the hitchng rail
in front Of the store. They unfastened yellow
horse that stood there calmly nitblng at the rail.
The clerk remained at the door with his hands
in his pockets. watching them and never thinking
Of offering TO help
Mrs Gould, being rather fnt. slipped twice
on the iron step of the open wagon before she
succeeded in drawing herself up to the seat.
Matildy, who was thin, had taken her place
with the agility of the spare middle aged
The young looking at them seemed rather
interested in Mrs. Gouds attempts at getting
beyond the slippery, somewhat slsnting step. But
he did not change his position.
At last the two seated on the old buffalo
robe which covered the seat. Mrs. Gould took
up the lines and the yellow horse began to walk
tnued until the equipage had turned on TO a
road much narrower and with few houses.
Very soon house painted a dark olive green,
with blinds almost black, standing behind four
Lomhardy pOplars, was seen at the right The
horse was pulled up at the hitching post here
and the two women descended. a brindled bulldog |
with not enough ears or tail came slowly out to
meet and smell Of them. He accompanied them
across the grassy yard and round 10 the back |
door, which was open The September sunlight
lay in broad, warm bar the floor.
woman took her hands from, some dough |
she khcadIne and came forward
She said good afternoon" in a subdued voice, !
and opened the screen door noiselessly, admitting
the callers. who Immediately began to whisper
their inquiries
How is 'Relia nowp Don't you think there's |
hope for her?"
THE doctor said twas bout an even chance
but her beiu young was in her favor
This answer given by Aurelia Doggett's
aunt, who had come to help about the house
hold so that her sister might devote her whole
time TO the care of her daughter.
Sickness is dretful expensive" remarked the
thinlpped woman, looking round the in
an investigating manner.
YES it is" asSented the other who had gone
back to kneading her dough.
They said to Manns corner that Relia's folks
thought of hirin' trained nuss," now said Mrs.
Gould still in that tone that neither whisper
nor full voice. but which had all the irritating
rasping qualities of both kinds of speech This
way of talking is frequently adopted in the house
where some one lies ILL
Aunt Lucy Franklin answered without turning
from her work. There kind Of protest III
her manner.
Yes, they do think of it,"
:" s'pOse it'll be dretfnl eNnensiven said |