Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-03-08
A ROMANCE.

AS | walked quickly down the long
hall toward the library my heart beat
high with hope. At last was to have
q case under DIR. Bronson. How had
envied the other nurses as they had
lived day after day under his super
vision. Truly fortune was beginning
to smile upon me.
There, seated at the desk, was the
doctor, and, as I entered the room, he
did not move, so deeply absorbed In
thought was he. Sinking into an easy
chair studied his face for few mo-
ments. He was young and almost
handsome; | say almost, because there
was restless, wandering look in his
Il large, dark eyes which detracted from
his appearance. and yet, though /
couldn't tell wherein it lay, there was
something intensely fascinating in his
face
Suddenly my rcverie was broken by
the entrance of three ladies--a toll
fniddle-aged woman. and two young
girls whom rightly judged her daugh-
ters.
The doctor greeted them cordially
and | was soon informed that the
younger daughter was to undergo an
operation on the following day and
that she was to be my patient
Elizabeth Townley (Beth, her pet
name, seemed to suit her better). was
about 20 years old, and while she was
not pretty, she had a sweet, yiyacious
face and a wealth of fluffy brown
curls. From the moment / met her
admired her, and the longer | knew
her the stronger grew my admiration.
The following day at 2 Miss Town
ley was brought to the operating room
and, as she lay there consciousness
gone, her face like marble, save pink
spot on either cheek, her hair curling
in little damp ringlets around her sweet
face, fancied myself her lover and
thought how easily one could love her.
wondered if the doctor had the same
thought, but when the work began in
earnest we We're all TOO busy to indulge
in "sentimentalism."
When al last it was over and con
seriousness had returned aAl the in
tense anxiety Of surgeon and nurse
was over l found time to look at the
doctor All. the old restless look had
almost completely faded from his eyes
and in it's place was an expression of
rest not unmixed With determination.
After this | studied both patient and
physician / rarely saw them together.
but knew by the Doctors face when
ever he came from her little room that
he was refreshed and strengthened for
his work. But Beth was clever and
wise and she often declared herself
heartless and -'unimpressible," but
thought if she We're heartless it was
because she had already given her
heart to DR.. Bronson.
All through the bright spring days he
brought her wild flowers and after
making his evening rounds. would read
10 her. while she, in turn, played little
melodies on her guitar or amused him
greatly by relating some Of her school
day FRANKS.
She was the life of the lower floor
and many a lonely heart was made
glad by her merry laugh, her CHEEKY
''Good-morning." or a bunch of bios
SONS from her abundant supply.
Sometimes DR.. Bronson would laugh
q low laugh of contentment and sup
pressed happiness and | would wonder:
did she charm away that old look in
his eyes, But how? She had scarcely
seen him ere it vanished
So the day slipped-nay rippled by
ON the tide of that sweet, low laughter
and music of contented voices. Grad /
TALLY Miss Townley became able TO
move about in her wheelchair DR. |
Barton seemed to be growing melan-
choly and the old restless. longing look /
came creeping back. He would wheel |
her up and down the halls and then !
leave her by the open door. where the |
sweet springs breath came floating in. !
and go about his duties, Still watching
her with a loving care that seemed !
pathetic to me, for l felt that there I
was a story to his life that no one /
knew and which withheld its sequel
Finally he told her that in a few days I
less than a weel-she would be /
Well enough to leave the hospital. j /
was In the room when he tsld her and /
/ noticed that the words came reluc- I
family and could scarcely be heard. 1
He left the room suddenly almost fierce
ly, and the old look was deeper than
ever.
That night there was fearful storm,
The wind blew perfect gale. and hurl-
ed the sheets Of falling rain against I
the window paneS. The thunder drop
ped it's heav-forged bolts in quick sue +
cession. while the lightning kept the
scene brilliant tas day.
DR.. Bronson was in and out of the
wards all night. but he went oftenest
to Beth's room to ask:
Are you nervous in this frightful
storm:
She would answer softly, '.Oh, no."
and then. having no excuse to remain
longer, he would pace the halls ner-
yously While the fury of the storm in
creased He thought one bitterly.
"Oh. il she would only show me
some sign of fear or distress, that i
might go to her and do something just
10 be near herr
Here he was Interrupted by ire
mendouS crash II seemed as if heaven
and earth We're clasped in close en-
brace and Were swayinS and rocking
in the furious blast.
With one bound he was at Miss
bedside. She lay there
white as marble, her forehead cold and
her lips blue. The corner of her room
next the street was blackened and
burning.
Seeing that no time was to be lost
he gathered her in his strong arms and
carried her to the ward across the hall
and laid her down sad sent ut once
for me.
Ia the hour that followed Dr. Bron-
son hung over Beth, using every means
to save the life that / saw had become
so dear to him.
The fire did little damage,and as soon
as the storm rolled away to the east.
its mutteringS growing fainter and
fainter, we saw Betlls pale lips grow
mink her eVplidS <u1iypT and thop slow