The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-05-13
ROMANCE OF A
HOSPITAL NURSE


Touchdown, you like your new lire !
81 am delighted with it," she said
"Ahv' said, 81 rejoice to hear that
you have altered your mind. A month
ago, if recollect right, your mother III
formed me that the duties you had TO
perform were injuring your health to
such a degree that you seriously
thought of leaving st. Matthew'S hos
I pital. However, the lapse of another
month seems to have altered the com
plexion of matters"
"a little" murmured Miss Wini-
fred, gently stirring her coffee.
noticed that she smiled as she made
this reply.
"In my opinion" said, nursing is
the noblest of all professions legiti-
mately open to women. | cannot I'M
agine anything grander than the death
bed scene Of an aged sister-the head
nurse of each ward is caller sister, is
she not?-who, drawing her last feeble
breaths, murmurs to those around her:
For fifty years have been tending the
sick, and keeping an eye on the more
giddy of the probationers when medl-
cal students were present. have done
my work, requiescat in pace! All! what
a glorious demise is therew
If you believe me, Miss Winifred ac-
tually giggled.
81 am not" | said sternly, "jesting to
you. am sorry that have not arous-
ed your sense of the ridiculous. You
do not appreciate such pathetic mo-
ments-you are but 49,"
Twenty, Mr.. Wormholt, please"
"Well," | returned, twenty, then.
But" l continued, 81 was about to OBJ
serve-as touching the career which,
in opposition to the wishes of your
family you have seen fit to adopt-that
a hospital has endless claims upon the
sympathy of all, is worthy of our full
est gratitude and esteem. For think
does she not give up the world? Does
she not relegate herself to an atmos-
phere of suffering-to the depressing
surroundings of the sickroom? Does
she not cut herself off from all the
pleasures-such as they are-that a So
cial life offers to those who care to seek
shem! Is not nursing a life Of self-de-
NAL, of wearing vigils? A trying tax
on the patience? A sure test of cour
age! Yea! it is all these and more.
Miss Winifred, | honor you and your
truly noble professionr'
THANK YOU" said Miss Winifred.
1t was the after-dinner period. We
were sitting in dim corner. Mrs.
Wretord-Brown was chatting, in some
what raised tones, to her neighbor n
retired Anglo-Indian colonel.
Pausing in my rhetoric, Mrs. Wre-
ford-Brown's words came plainly TO NV
ear She was evidently discussing her
daughter. The one by my side-for
there were three others.
The poor child" the good lady was
saying, rs worked dreadfully hard.
She hardly ever gets out for even half
day Indeed, this is the first night
she has been off duty for month"
The Anglo-Indian glared fiercelv in
our direction. He found me leaning
back in cheerfully meditatiye mood
Miss Winifred put down her can and
took up a volume of political cartoons
"nich was lying conveniently at hand
ferhaps she overheard her mothers
speech. Perhaps she fancied did A.
my rate she began to draw my atten-
Icn to the first cartoon most ossid,,
ously. "'Siuu-
DO look at this, Mr.. Wormbolt . sho
'aid, laughing-in a palpably forced
vay-"isn't 1t funny!" 0eu
"A drawing" l said. (which ronro
'ents distinguished cabinet ministor
II the costume of lady of the hoIIot
annot very well help being-er-funnv
out was speaking of hospitals-of tSc
and restricted life which tho
iurses hve, and of the unfeelinp mar
Ter III which the authorities dobor 49,
iurses from enjoying even tbe ON,
, ,.es, p,easures-1udging, that is TO saw
rom the representations which tbe ~
ies themselves make to their o,nn
aiiiiiles! l concluded, shooting a Eoon
lance at Miss Winifred's bv no 49,, neen
nattractive profile. "'e''iis
1T is comforting to know h.,
LIS, LIS, Wreford-Brown say, that tho
ma Is absolutely Trustworthy ' Az
ospitais, you know, there are. AT
IN MIR. Wormholt, lust loci, ..
n u.s., exclaimed Miss Winifred' At
ne undignified attitude in which
Ne premier is represented said
uoes not amuse me in the ,oass s"'','
ave no objections to comic dram.,.
onorablo ao went on, but when right
',,Sn gentleman is drawn in fbo
r.se 10 Oh pa, monkey dancing on the ton 0
o a parrei organ, l think it is time t fop
E Tenso ,.r OF cartoons to be appointed d. y
or reasons of my own bor,o.