St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-01
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The little sound that Is as common
as silence-a familiar step, murmured
word, an open door-one hears it a
thousand times with contented indif-
ference, as one hears the singing of a
teakettle. But one day 1t falls on the
heart as well as on the ear like the
stroke Of a swift sword. 1t seems
exactly the same, but one knows at
once that 1t Is not the same. In the
twentieth part Of a second one recog-
nizes the voice Of a dire calamity.
wonder why!
Tom came into the house by way Of
the kitchen, and I heard him say to
Jane in quite a quiet tone: where's
Mrs. Braye?" That was ALL I sprang
from my chair, wild with terror, drop
ping my needlework to the floor. For I
knew-I knew-I didn't want to be
told-that something had happened to
Harry. My boy My boy! I had
been scolding him only an hour ago
for making love to Lily's governess-
a mink whom I had just requested to
find another situation-and he had
slammed the door almost in my face
on leaving me. 1 had been longing for
Tom to come in, that 1 might tell him
all about it, and have little cry in
his arms, and my dignity and author
ity In the house supported; but now
that he was here my tongue was par
alyzed And I had no grievance, but
an Unreasonable remorse.
Don't be frightened" said my hus-
band, tremblingly. in would-be Off
hand voice: otis nothing very serious
just bad shaking-I told him that
new mare OH is wasn't to be trusted,
and there was nasty stone just where
she threw him. He's stunned bit
that's a1l-no bones broken. I have
sent for the doctor. Now, look here,
Polly" ,
He opened his arms across the door
way, but 1 broke through them, and
flew to find my Harry and see what
they were doing with him. At the
garden gate met the procession COM
ing in. They carried him carefully on
mattress. and he did not know me.
When / leaned over him to listen if
he breathed, I saw a little bubble of
blood oozing from his mouth; then 1
knew that he was more than stunned
that it was worse even than broken
bones. I left off crying, and became
quite calm. 1 had to-.
We were sliding him from the mat
tress to his bed when DR.. luke ar
rived, and he made us stop and let
him do it; for, though my poor lad
seemed unconscious. he painted and
grunted in way that showed we were
hurting him-with all our care. The
doctor felt and lifted his limbs. and
said they were all right, and then I'M
dressed him as he lay; I got my large
cutting-out scissors, and we hacked his
good clothes to pieces-but that didn
matter-until we left him only his shirt
and wooden singlet, and even those we
cut. And just as we were finishing
making him comfortable, as we hoped,
he came to and looked at us. My
precious boy! His breathing was short
and f1uttery, andh e seemed too full Of
pain to speak, except in gasps.
ooh, my side! My side!
He walled like a baby-a sound to
drive mother mad.
DR.. luke said: "Ah, I thought So"
And, having made little eXamina-
ton, he reported fracture of the ribs,
with some injury to the lung. He whis-
pered something to Tom. and then
told me had better send for trained
nurse, and said it would be as we'll to
get a good surgeon from town also
so as to ''be on the safe side"
I was willing enough to send for a
dozen surgeons-though L had perfect
faith in luke, who was a clever young
man, newly out from home, and up to
date, an enthusiast in his profession
but I could not bear the thought of a
professional nurse. I knew those wom-
en-how they take possession Of your
nearest and dearest, and treat even an
own mother as If she were a mere
outsider and an utter ignoramus. 1
protested that 1 could do all that was
necessary-that no one could possibly
take the care Of him that I should.
Was it likely?
But he will probably want nursing
all day and all night for weeks" said
DR.. luke. you could not do that I'M
aided. You would break down, and
then where would he be?"
II will telegraph for my daughter
Phyllis" I rejoined. Phyllis was away
at the time visiting.
Miss Braye is too young and mex
perienced," he objected, with the airs
of a grandfather. cit would not be
fair to her. She is better where she
is, out of all the trouble. However,
there is no need to decide Immediately.
Well see the night through first All
we can do for the present is to make
him as easy as possible and watch
symptoms. The most important thing
is not to NEEDLE with him."
This seemed a hard saying, and at
first 1 could not credit it. It was ter
rible to see nothing done, when he
evidently suffered so-more and more
as the first shock passed and the dread
full fever rose and rose; but while the
lung was letting blood and air into
the cavity of the chest, which could not
be reached to stop the leak, handling Of
any sort only aggravated the mischief.
The doctor explained this to me when
I was impatient, and had to own that
he was probably right. He asked me
to see about drinks and nourishment,
and when l left the room to do So I
had mind to seize the opportunity for
few frantic tears in private, impelIed
by the pent-up anguish I could not
otherwise relieve.
But outside the door-Harry's door
I came upon Miss Blount The lit
tie fool was crying herself-as if it
were any concern Of hers!-and looked
a perfect sight with her swelled nose
and sodden cheeks. Somehow L couldn't
stand ton the top Of all the rest
I just took her by the arm and marched
her back to the school room. I hope I
was not rough or unkind-I really