The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-11-19

pofeTS OF inc Nic1nlty. Lamar listened
patiently TO the reports of my obscrvn-
tons, which appeared 20 increase his
belief that there was no cause for i'm
mediate alarm, though he still neglect
ed TO give the reasons for his convic-
ton. 1t may be that, uudisturbed as
he was in his own mind. he was salts
fled TO have me maintain vigilance.
After all. 1t was not to be denied that
standing guard was part of the business
for which he paid me.
But the month was pleasant one,
except for Jones and the worries he
created. Mrs. Loring was doing sur
prisingly well. Nobody could have ex-
pected her to regard herself as any
thing but n confirmed invalid, but with
increasing frequency she was enjoying
intervals of oblivion to the fact that
she supposed herself TO be a sufferer.
She took her harmless doses with clock
work regularity, and there was not one
of the directions given her which was
not carried out with scientific accuracy.
Simple food, good air, undisturbed
sleep. and trifles enough to keep her
interested were doing for her what
they will do for most of the race. Two
or three additions had been made to her
code of directions, with not altogether
unselfish motives on the part of her
medical adviser. For one thing, she
now kept diary, in which she wrote
her observations of her symptoms. Os-
tensibly, this was to secure, for sci
at-l of h.Ar
ress OF a most notable case; actually,
it was to save her doctor from daily
food of talk. Then, too, she hal been
persuaded that il was not wise TO have
her niece constantly with her, the the
ory followed being that Miss Gray had
been so long her nurse that their con-
tinual association could not but remind
her of her impaired health. This bit
of sophistry was far more convincing
to the elder woman than to the young
er, who, though she acquiesced in the
arrangement, left me no doubt that
she regarded the argument as falla-
cious. Inasmuch, however, as through
il | secured a great deal more of her
society, / was content, my object thus
accomplished. Moreover, to this day
it seems clear to me that in forcing
Mrs. Loring to throw off somewhat
OF her acquired feeling of helplessness
and TO learn that she was not entirely
dependent on her companions minis
trations, l did her a great service. Sc
far as the girl was concerned, ther,
could be no question of the benefit she
received from the lessening of hcI
hours of attendance upon her aunt
No calling, as we all know, is more no
bic, more self-sacrificing, than that oi
| the nurse; in none is there greater need
| of reasonable relaNation from the de
mands upon body, mind and spirit; ant
never is devotion more sadly misappliet
| than in those cases in which the tribute
| 10 supposed duty and real affection j.
| paid needlessly or in obedience to an
others over-indulged caprice. Th,
| light of common sense should be strong
enough TO show the flaw of usclessnes
| in many picture of accomplishing
martyrdom.
AS events proved. the country 1if,
was much to Mrs. Loring's taste, il
spite of her years of travel and he
long soiourns in great cities. Sh'
struck up friendships with Mrs. Clark
Mrs. Weston and the other housewive
of the nSighborhood, and, through
them, with the residents of Rodney
town village, among whom she gain~
considerable popularity. She becam,
regular attendant at the villag
church, and soon was received into th'
circle of it's sewing society. At thes
things J mGrveled and rejoiced, know
ing very well that her new friend
could do more to promote her recover,
than all the drugs in the pharmaco
peia. Seven days in a week, gossip wa
better for her than tonics,
1t was almost inevitable, in the Gin
cumstances, that l should be honoret
often with Dorothy Gray's company
Long drives together over the winding
country roads, wall1s to the show spot
of the vicinity, and rambles when tn
moon was doing her best to make man
kind believe that nothing in the work