Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-09-14
Written for ae Haeon
THE ADVANTAGE BEIze GOOD NURSE
CHAPTEl< /.


densville, except no. nd then you
may see person pasz salking rap
idly; and twice dar you will see
an old gray haired man go. pass in
shabby. broken-dorn cart, driy-
ing a poor old horse along as though
he wished to get 70 ne station be-
fore the approaching inter. But
to-day there il seen aearriage drive
rapidly up TO the ststssn, and a tall
werI-proportioned man aiight, and
impatiently await the arrival of
the train, which is an half hour be.
hind time.
This man is well-known in Cor
densville; he is the famous Doctor
Evan, who is employed by the State
as manager of the Asylum, which
is situated on the suburbs of this
decayed city.
The train is heard distinctly in
the December air. and almost at the
same instant she seems to be drawn
up at the depot.
DIR. Evan springs on the plat
form and asks the conductor if
there was a patient on the train to
stop at Gordensville. The conduc-
tor answered in the affirmative, and
Immediately led him up to an old,
wrinkled and sallow-complexioned
woman, who (you could tell from
casual glance) was a frame only,
made almost hideous by constant
use of opium.
The DR.. very gently gave the old
lady the needed assistance to alight
from the car, and to take her
seat in the carriage, from which he
had alighted only short time be-
fore.
He took a seat beside her and
gave the order of ready" to the
driver. In a few minutes the coach
man reined up his fiery team before
o large brick house, and then the
csrriage door was opened for the
doctor and his companionto alight.
The doctor finds to his utter as
tonishment that his patient is in
toxicated from the opium she has
been chewing on the cars. His
brow darkens, and he hesitates as
If in deep thought. He is contem-
plating whether he should take the
responsibility of trying to make
cure of such hopeless case with
out assistance. He sighs and wipes
a tear from the corner of his eye as
he thinks what a change has come
over his household since his wife,
the affection of his heart, was buried
only six months ago.
Sympathy for the wretched crea-
ture won the battle, and he helped
Mrs. Whiteham, for that proved to
be her name, to ascend the marble
steps. The doctor placed her in
comfortable chair and rang the bell
for tea to be served in his study, as
he felt unwell after the evenings
task. The servant brought the tea
in without delay and sat the waiter
down. then walked out without a
word.
In silence the doctor drank his
tea. He did did not deem it neces-
sary to arouse his sleeping patient.
Having finished his repast, he took
up the Gazette aud began to read,
but soon let the paper fall beside
him and seemed to be in a deep
study. So much absorbed, indeed,
was he with his thoughts that he
did not hear his man when he re-
moved the waiter.
DR.. Evan suddenly sprang to his
feet and said :
81 know what can do; / will 90
this very night to see if Miss Jane
Wheeler will not come and nurse
this old woman. l feel confident
that with her as an assistant / will
make a successful cure of this poor
woman"
With this new idea the doctors
face frightened, and he Immediately
walked to the rack, took his hat in
hand, threw his grey coat over his
shoulders and prepared to go in
search of Miss Jane; but, before he
closed the door behind him, he
glanced at his patient to see if she
was still sleeping quietly.
DR.. EVAN is man Of very few
words, and on being ushered into
the neat and cozy sitting room of
the Wheelers be Immediately asked
to see Miss Jane without delay, as