The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-19

and hold a glass of water, SO my offer was
accepted without question or hesitation.
My experience in taking care of the sick
had been very limited, but felt sure that
could do as well some who had preceded
me in the same capacity, and at an early hour
l urged the pale, oyerworked young girl to
go to bed. My colleague, stout, motherly
looking woman, came in after and
made the patients as comfortable for the
night as the circumstances would permit.
About l o'clock Mrs. Perkins asked in
Of those blood-curiing whispers which
distressing to sick and nervous people:
Amt you hungry"
l shock my head.
Well, 1 be. I always eat a good hearty
meal when I'm awatchin Come, let's slip
out and take snack. 1 brought pie and
l guess We'll find some bread and butter, and
| mebbe a dish of cold beans somewheres
| There amt nothin' beter'n cold beans to
| keep body from feelin faint these muggy
| nights, and 1 told Mary Jane she'd better
| keep plenty on hand all the time"
| By this time we had slipped out and
| she continued in a whisper that could have
been heard long way that still night:
| Nov, if you't make up pine fire in
| the cook stove and make US a cup of tea and
warm up this cruel for them nodding to-
| wards the room We had left, ''Pll set the
table and We'll be real socable over our
! Yictuals.' H..
That explains how came to be prowling
| around Mr.. Crummels kitchen, and because
| of that same proving in the wee sma'
| hours ayant t'wal,' a little unimportant thing
| in itself, several things transpired which
| were of real Importance to several people
| In this kitchen, where I presently found
| myself, tallow candle in hand, was a lTase
| sink, with a wooden spout, leading to a
| drain outside. Back of the sink was an open
| window. l went to the sink to wash a
| pan to warm the Cruel in, and my nostr1is
| were greeted with a foul odor of decaying
| animal and vegetable matter. l knew at
| once that the drain box was of wood, and
| its sides We're coated with disease-preducing
| germs.
Its no wonder they have typhoid fever
here" thought, as 1 began hunting for
| dish cloth. All / foun was some punched
up dark-looking rags in the corner of the
damp, rotting sink, which smelled as if 1t
| had never been secured nor dried. could
| not use the rags, so 1 dropped them in the
| stove, and, taking a tea towel from the line.
| l tore it in two for dish cloths; by this time
| fairly loathed the sight of food, but to
| silence my loquacious companion ate
| cracker and drank few sips or tea, Wnlie
| she made vigorous assault upon dish OF
her fayorite beans.
After a while, finding that our, patients
| were sleeping or lying quiet, thought l
| could slip away for an hour, ana coming
big apron, 1 proceeded to the kitchen, for
that sink. with its overloaded emanat1ons,
| fairly haunted me. In few minutes had
| blazing fire of pine and a tea kettle full
| of water heating, while with shovel l
scraped all the wood ashes out of the stove
| the water boiled / poured it over the ashes
| and stirred the mass faithfully with stout
stick. White lye,'' my mother used to call
/ it; and in the absence of copperas or car
/ bolic acid, it must, when settled, answer my
purpose 1 found quart Of soft I've soap
| also, and 1 put half of that on the stove with
1 a little water to get boiling hot, while
rolled I'D my sleeves and instituted a search
for scrubbing brush or whisk broom. I
found neither, but a good-sized backing
brush with a handle came to light, and I
| recklessly appropriated this to my use. I
never worked harder an hour in my life than
I did over that old sink, and when my lye
and soap and strength were all exhausted
so wanted to take an ak and split it up and
burn it that was really miserable.
After this exploit i took a good long nap
and felt SO refreshed that 1 offered to stay
until noon. I wanted an opportunity to teach