The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-07-26
SHIPS THAT PASS
IN The NIGHT.
By BEATRICE HARRADEN.
CHAPTER XIV.

much greater anxiety than the invalids
themselves. The invalids would either get
better or die--one of two things probably.
At any rate, you knew where you were
with them But not so with the caretak-
ers There was nothing they were not CO.
pable Of doing, except taking reasonable
care of their invalids. They either fused
about too much, or else they did not fuss
about at all They all began by doing the
right thing. They all ended by doing the
wrong The fussy ones had fits of apathy
when the poor irritable patients seemed to
get little better. The negligent ones had
paroxysms of attentiveness when their in
valids, accustomed to loneliness and neg
leot, seemed to become rather worse by be-
ing worried.
To demonstrate with the caretakers
would have been folly, for they We're well
satisfied with their own methods.
To contrive their departure would have
been an impossibility, for they were firm
ly convinced that their presence was nee
essary to the welfare of their charges. And
then, too, judging from the way in which
they managed to amuse themselves, they
liked being in Pctershof, though they new
er owned that to the invalids. On the
contrary, it was the custom for the care
takers to depreciate the place and to de-
plore the necessity which obliged them to
continue there month after month. They
were fond too, of talking about the sacri-
fees which they made and the pleasures
which they willingly gave up in order to
stay with their invalids. They said this
in the presence of their invalids. And if
the latter had told them by all means to
pack up and go back to the pleasures
which they had renounced they would
have been astonished at the ingratitude
which could suggest the idea
They were amusing characters, these
caretakers. They were so thoroughly un
conscious of their deficiencies They might
neglect their own invalids, but they Would
look after other peoples invalids and
play the nurse most soothingly and pretti-
ly where there was no call and no occa-
sion Then they would come and relate to
their neglected dear ones what they had
been doing for others, and the dear ones
would smile quietly and watch the but
tons being stitched on for strangers and
the cornhour which they could not get
nicely made for themselves being careful
ly prepared for other peoples neglected
dear ones.
Some of the dear ones We're rather Bit
ter. But there were many of a higher or
der of intelligence who seemed to realize
that they had no right to be i'll, and that
being ill and therefore burden on their
friends they must make the best of every
thing and be grateful for what was given
them and patient when anything was
withheld.
Others of still higher order of under
standing attributed the eccentricities of
the caretakers to one cause alone-the
Petershof air. They knew it had the in
variable effect of getting into the head and
upsetting the balance of those who drank
deep of it, Therefore no one was to blame,
and no one need be bitter. But these were
the philosophers of the colony-a select
and dainty few in any colony. But there
were several rebels among the invalids,
and they found consolation in confiding to
each other their separate grievances. They
generally held their conferences in the
rooms known as the newspaper rooms,
where they were not likely to be interrupt
ed by any caretakers who might have staid
at home because they were tired out
Today there were only a few rebels gath
cred together, but they were more than
usually excited, because the doctors had
told several of them that their respective
caretakers must be sent home.
What must 1 dor" said little Mile.
tor says that l must tell my sister to go
home that she only worries me and makes
me worse. He calls her 'whirlwind. If
I won't tell her, then he will tell her, and
we shall have some more scenes. Mon
Deu, and I am so tired of them. They
terrify me. would suffer anything rath-
er than have fresh scene. And I can't
get her to do anything for me. She has
no time for me. And yet she thinks she
takes the greatest possible care of me and
devotes the whole day to me. Why, some
times never see her for hours together. !"
well at least she does not quarrel with
every one, as my mother does, " said a Pol
ish gentleman-M. Lichinsky. Nearly
every day she has quarrel with some one
or other, and then she comes to me and
says she has been insulted. And others
come to me mad with rage and complain
that they have been insulted by her. AS
though I were to blame! tell them that
now. tell them that my mothers quar-
rels are not my quarrels. But one longs
for peace. And the doctor says must have
it, and that my mother must go home at
once. If tell her that, sbIN-ill have a
tremendous quarrel with the GSctor. AS it
is, he will scarcely speak to her. So you
see, Mile. Gerardy, that 1, too, am in a
bad plight. What am to dor"
Then young American spoke. He had
been getting gradually worse since he came
to Petershof, but his brother, bright,
sturdy young fellow, seemed quite uncon-
scious of the seriousness of his condition.
''And what am u dor" he asked pa
thetically. My brother does not even
think am i'll. He says am to rouse my
self and come skating and tobogganing
with him. Then tell him that the doc.
tor says I must lie quietly in the sun.
have no one to take care of me, SO try to
take q little care of myself, and then am
laughed at. 1t is bad enough to be i'll,
but 1t is worse when those who might helI
you little won't even believe in your i'll
ness. wrote home once and told them
but they go by what he says. And they
too, tell me to rouse myself"
His cheeks were sunken; his eyes wert
leaden. There was no power in his voice
no vigor in his frame He was just slip
ping quickly down the hill for want ol
proper care and understanding.
II don't know whether am much bet
ter off than you," said an English lady
Mrs. Bridgetower. II certainly have 4
aiv,ad 10 lnol- ~, 4.