The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-20

| sible--a class of disease to which he knew
| l had particular horror. I made no re-
mark hut putting down the piece of pa
! per sim continued to feel the even beat
| Of the pulse between my fingers. l looked
! around the carefully darkened, carefully
silenced room, absolutely reeklng with
wealth, and then ! listened again to the
| cries and groans of the patient l knew
| well that she was suffering agony, but
| all her pain was due to a disease and WITH
! ated Imagination. The steady pulse told
me that there was no physical ill-this
| was in short one of those terrible cases
| of hysteria which come as the curse of
riches and idleness.
How miserable, how horrible" I said
to myself. 1T is surely better to have to
make bricks without straw. than 10 have
} to eat bread you have not earned. The
first state of things can only bring on you
| the scourge of whips the latter the
| scourge Of scorpions.
| Making an effort l pulled myself to-
| gether to face what was before me. 1
was to fight. not the grim strong enemy
! Death, but this intangible foe, so much
more subtle. so much more dangerous.
| ] took Lady Shuttleworth into the next
| room. and told her that l proposed 10
| give her daughter a sleeping draught. and
! then to watch her myself all night I
] said further that l wished everyone to go
| to bed
! These words had scarcely passed my lips
| before there was an cutlery.
Sleeping draughts had been tried over
and over, but they only made Lucy worse.
| At least three people sat up with her
every night. Hot water might be wanted,
the doctor might have to be called at
| moments notice. Lady Shuttleworth and
the two women who stood in the dressing
room argued the point backwards and
| forwards. ! listened quietly, scarcely re-
plying at all After long patience l partly
! got my own way. Lady Shutueworth
consented to retire to her own room, and
one maid was left in the dressing-room
to come to my assistance if necessary.
now collected adj that I needed and en-
tering the bedroom shut the door. l then
put out the fire and opened the Ventilat-
| ing tube which found had been stuffed
up with cloths. Having done this and so
percephbly cooled the over-heated air, I
| proceeded to make the bed, talking gently
in a cheerful voice to my patient all the
time. Having done so I gave her a per-
fectly harmless dose of sal volatile and
water, calling it a sleeping draught.
She was now quite comfortable and ly
down fiat in bed. I bent over her. telling
her in a gentle voice that she must on no
account talk 1 said that 1 intended to sit
near her, and that 1 was ready to listen
to all she had to say after she had a good
sleep. I repeated firmly that it was inn
peratlve above all things that she should
first sleep.
She gazed at me with incredulous eyes,
and shook her head several times.
Il never Sleep" she said. ct have not
slept for weeks; it is the want of sleep
that Is killing me-"
Il have an intuition that you will sleep
tonight" l answered. Give me your
hand. shut your eyes. I am going to sit
by your side
She gave another glance, bordering al
most on Indignation. took no notice Of
it. I expected her to sleep, and soon found
that sleep she did. All during the long
night l sat by the sick girls side, strong
rage in my heart at DR.. Rigby. He knew
well how l hated cases like the one he
had given me. / have very little romance
in me, and therefore had scant sympathy
with imaginary troubles. Here was a girl
whose health was really perfect and yet
/ because of some sad oversight in her
bringing up she was suffering terribly
For want of something definite to do she
was making hell for herself and her
friends. How far had the case gone, and
what was the family history?
My patient awoke between three and
four in the morning; she was evidently
stronger and inclined for vagaries, but 1
gave her some beef-tea, and then sat be-
side her passing my finger tips. several
| times across her forehead. / saw that
| she would not sleep any more, and there
| fore allowed her to relieve her mind by
! talk. She spoke at first with groans and
cries between the phrases, but presently,
! as | did not take the least notice, she for
got her many CALCULATIONS and began to
rattle straight on in a rather excited man
ner, telling me her whole story, and let
ting me know far more than she intended.
Il have been six weeks in this state,
| Nurse" she said. II suffered agonies for
ages before 1 told anyone. You don't know
| what I endured, and how l struggled
against my feelings. and endeavoured TO
keep them to myself. Mother is SO fond
Of me- could not bear to trouble her;
but at last things came to such a pass
| that l lost my self-control. 1t was really
! brought on by over-study. You know per-
haps that l am nineteen, but have never
been very strong or able to stand contnu-
Gus effort of my brain. 1 was induced to
go in for literature course several other
grown-up girls took it up, and there was
an examination, a rather stiff one at the
end-I passed it, yes. l passed it well-it
was Immediately afterwards that broke
down. My breakdown caused quite SEN
sation. Professor Trevelyan who princi.
pally examined me comes every day tC
inquire how am. You understand it was
rather good my passing so easily, for
What is it you are saying, Nurse?"
Have you brothers?" 1 asked.
brothers? No. l am an only child
1t is very dull sometimes at home, fol
father does not care for society, and mo-
Their gets tired easily. But you see 1 Xix,
intellectual pursuits. Professor Trevelyar
evidently thinks well of my powers q
he would not call so often. Nurse, Ssh,
started up in bed, and peered at me witt
two intensely bright eyes. Nurse, l an
not likely to go mad. am I?-that is wha
dread so-you don't think L will, d.
your"
Certainly not, Miss Shuttleworthv-
= what should put such an idea into you
head"
''You don't know how the fear terrific,
me-" she continued sinking back on hei
= pillows, and clasping her hands tightly
together Il am so afraid of il, and tn,
moment the thought comes then the pair
in my head returns. You are quite sur,
that ] shall not lose my senses? Mother
: thought at one time that it was bralr
fever-but Or. Rigby says am not fever
ish-he says my condition is more neu
ralgic. l don't believe he knows himself
| | hat fe tnn xtrith =.