The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-11-19
hat feature was wonderfully tender

that feature was wonderfully tender
and sweet.
Even her hands, which had been hid
den from me by her cloak, while sat
behind her, lay clasped in her lap in a
way that somehow suggested meekness
and patience.
From over the top of my paper I
stealthily watched her. She seemed
absorbed in her own thoughts and quite
unconscious of my gaze. Occasionally
an expression of pain crossed her face,
and once she quickly crossed her hand
to her heart, and drew a long, uneven
breath.
AS the car neared the Free Surgical
institute she signalled the conductor to
stop, and when she got off followed
her across the street and even up the
steps and into the great gloomy build
ing. The place was familiar to me, for
l had a friend who was an inferno there
and I had frequently been granted ac-
cess to the clinics for the purpose of OBJ
tanning material for my sketches.
The woman went swiftly down the
hall and disappeared behind the door
of the patients waiting room, while I
sought my friend.
well, old man." was his greeting.
''what are you up to to-day? There's
nothing much on for this morning. An
ordinary clinic, believe. Nothing
bloody. We're going to cut a man all
to pieces this afternoon; better wait
and see that Here's my ticket to the
lecture room if you wish it I'm due
upstairs now, ta-ta," and he was off.
Although the scene in the clinic room
was not new to me, it was one to which
had not yet become Indifferent One
by one the patients were led or carried
in, and sat back in the farthest cor
ner. my sketch-book indistinguishable
from the notebooks of the superintend-
ents, but my knees quaking in man
ner which would have betrayed to even
casual observer that was not one Of
them
There were but few cases that day;
stolid-faced German with a bad leg,
club-footed baby, poor little lad with
crooked spine, and a servant girl who
chewed gum nonchalantly while the
doctor attended to an unpleasant-look-
ing growth upon her neck.
l began to think that had been mis-
taken, that the woman who had inter-
ested me had come there upon other
business and was not patient, when
the door opened and she entered
Her face was desthly white and her
lips tightly compressed, but she walked
with firm step and seated herself in
the chair placed for her.
Her gown had been loosened and
when the physician drew back her
cloak, exposing her bare breast even
from where sat l could see the ugly,
corroding spot, which, like some rora-
elous crimson worm. was eating It's
way through her bosom to her heart
Nv head grew dizzy and my sight
confused and there was buzzing sound
in my ears Then l saw her sitting
there. white but unfinching. while the
doctor told her it could not be long
perhaps two months at the best-before
the cancer would have done its work.
don't know just how l got OFT OF
the lecture room have dim reco!-
lection of young man helping me
along while another said: You'll he
ali right in a minute. It's apt to make
q fellow bit sick At first you know"
! Thought that would walk home.
on, after going few blocks l decided
to ride A car was approaching. There
was but one person on board. a woman.
the very same whose attitude and pre-
file had amused me SO upon the down
trip BIZ an odd chance size was again
alone-the only passenger on the car.
There she sat, riding IN state. quite
as though she owned the whole car.
Her sharp chin was elevated her nose
pointed straight ahead and the wisps
of gray hair were e>caoinr fro." hs-