The Somerset reporter., 1891-09-17
SELECTED.
IN A HOSPITAL.

By MARIA L. Pool.
1t was very hot in the ward. very hot
and very clean. 81 metimes through the
open windows, on the heated air, there
came astrong scent from a small bed OF
mignonet.e which one of the nurses had
found time to plant and care for. AS
this fragrance came floating over the
cots, pale faces would turn toward 1t and
| tighten piteously.
A little girl. with her neck so bandaged
that she seemed TO have no neck, lying
high up on the pillows, moaned as she
smeled the mignouctte.
"Oh, l wish | had jest one sprig of it,
only jest one splig, sot | could git one
snitf s used ter %
The feeble piping voice made a nurse
who sat at desk uesr by turn and look
at tine occupant of the cot. Having look
ed, she rose and walked quickly down
the ward. In moment she returned, and
held spray of mignonette to the bony
hand that reached out eagerly for it.
The flower was warm with the sunshine,
and was in it's most fragrant mood. The
child held it to her face and began to cry
softly. The nurse bent over and arrang-
ed the pillows for the restless head.
I'm er cryin' cause love 1t So" said
the child. MAS got um CROWN Jest
like this under the pantry winder. Amt
| most got well2 Amt it most time
was sent homer"
Again the nurse moved the pillows, and
this time there was mist before her
eyes. How could she tell the girl that
she would never again see the mignonette
under the pantry window?
Tho nurse returned Ito Iher desk. As
she sat down familiar step sounded In
the corridor and the matron entered
through the open door. Her kind eyes
saw that the child had fallen asleep with
the flower against her cheek. She looked
at the figure moment, then she turned
to the nurse and said:
Miss Bond, lad in Morris shot him
self yesterday. They have asked per-
mission to bring him here. viii you
have your accident ward prepared for
him.
1t was four O'Clock of the same after
noon that the matron came again aud
said
Your little boy has come, Miss Bond"
The nurse called the orderly aud went
to meet the newcomer. But before she
had left the ward the girl called out
enormously:
Don't you forg't me cause that boys
come guess he ANT half so bad offs
| be. You come n tell me what's mis-
uame.'
Outside, in the hot glare of the sun,
Michael, the orderly, lifted q slender boy
of twelve carefully In his arms and
brought him to the nurse. They put hun
IN bed and knew well that he would never
leave the hospital. But they were cheer
full In appearance. The boy had a bright
eager face that looked somehow familiar
to Miss Bond, but in the duties that fol
lowed Immediately she could not quite
tell why the face was familiar.
When the orderly had gone, and for
the time everything had been done, a
man in a much-soiled working dress en-
lered quietly and leaned silently over the
bed. Tears fell from his eyes.
This lady'll be real good to you, |
know, Charlie" he said. She'll give
you anything you want"
The COY nodded. He did not care to
try to speak.
"Good bye, Charlie"
The man stopped and kissed him, and
then walked hurriedly to the door. There
W hen she came, he asked. hoarsely
ale amt goin' to git up is hef"
Miss Bond shook her head.
The big fellow trembed. He twisted
Ills hand, round his hat. He tried twice
before he could ask:
"How's the gal gittiu' along"
The glrl?" questioned the nurse.
(Which one? There are several here"
tpaap tho ono pona from Mprrig N
has got that awful neck"
"Oh. she's rather comfortable to-day
| DO you know herr"
II guess | do; she's mine. Her ma
said must sure see her; but | vow | can't
near it, can't! N Charlie jest shot
hisself!'
Here the speaker turned his back
squarely on the nurse, who waited in ST.
ence. Presently he moved little more
toward her. Miss Bond glanced down
the ward to the cot where Charlie lay
very quietly. An attendant was near
him.
lis Charlie yours, too?' she asked.
No; he come from q 'sylum In New
York He looks lot like our folks.
He's been workin for me. I've got a
market garden out in Morris. He's ben
with me month. He's ben all round a
man he'd bin in Plainhtld, but he didn't
nave work 'nough for him. He was
passed on to somebody else, and hem
that mans boys didn't agree so | finally
got him. Hes good little Teller, too.
I've got awful 'tached to him, n sos my
wife. She'd ben up to-day, only she's
down with the chills. M she's worryin'
all the time bout NettIe. Do you think
Nette's any WORSE" anXiously. "What
sh'll tell my wife,
"Tell her she's about the same" ans
wered the nurse.
"P'raps you'd like to know how Charlie
got shol?"
But Miss Bond could not stay. She
was called away from him. He fingered
about some time In the yard, the sun
beating its rays upon him. Two or three
times he started to ask to see Nettie. He
finally did ask, but was .old that she was
sleeping 80 soundly she must not be
awakened. Then he slowly climbed into
a canvas covered wagon and drove down
the dusty white road out toward the
country.
The sun went down in the pale blue
west. Instead of growing cooler, the air
seemed to become hotter. The faint
wind died away completely.
Charlie lay on his cot. His frecSled
and tanned face was moist with perspira.
ton. The matrou and head nurse came
and talked With him. Mrs. Shattuck
said abe wanted him to feel at home; she
told him he WAS among friends He said
he guessed he was more at home n he
ever was. He hadn't got no home; he
guessed it'd be ruther rough on a Teller to
try to make berlieve 'sylum was home.
but he guessed they meant all right to the
'sylum. But 'tws'nt what feller'd call
bein' to home, lie didn't know how
that'd seem, anyway. But they'd ben
frst-rate to him In his last place. First
chop, they'd ben. He wouldn't be 80
mean as ter complain of them. M the
baby-they'd had an nawful nice baby
there"
The voice was low and faint, but cheer.
full.
Miss Bond went to write her night or.
ders, call the doctor and arrange TO spend
the night with the boy. The doctor only
"a stVuc ~.,.k An nj - $40