Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-11-16
A. FIGHT WITH CONSCIENCE.
Story of /mpressionabie Youth and Trained Nurse
BY JOHN FORBES.

I1aTOlQ NeStcTu adu Uccu III 1oi
tour weeks with typhoid fever, and
was now only shadow of his real
self, subject to nervous starts and
chills, and with just strength enough
20 turn in bed.
1t was in the chill hours of early
lawn that he woke with start and
missed the familiar figure that had
haunted his bedside for so long-a
blue and white figure with kind, quiet
lace above it and cool, helpful hands
that always did just the right thing.
"Nurse," he called, family, and q
moment more brought the day nurse
from the next room. Her blue and
white uniform was gone and her stiff
white cap. In their place she wore a
soft wrapper. and her hair was plated
in heavy braid that hung below her
waist. She turned up the gas, drew
q low stool 20 the bedside and sat
down.
"The night nurse has gone," she
began, quietly. ''You are so much
better we thought 1 could manage
alone. You have slept nearly all night,
Mr.. Western, and now I shall get you
your milk, and you will go to sleep
again"
He followed her lazily with his eyes
while she lighted the alcohol lamp
and put the porringer of milk over it.
Then she sat down on chair, her
head dropped on her breast and she
slept soundly for five minutes, waking
when the milk was hot as easily as
though she were some sort of machine
adjusted to rest just so long.
$50 there were two of you," he
sad, as she came forward with the
milk.
She sat down on the stool by the
bedside, holding the drinking tube to
his mouth. This action brought her
quite close, and he noted, as he drank,
the soft sheen of her hair, the delicate
curve of her cheek, the long lashes
shielding her eyes, the. firm, sweet
mouth and the strong white hands that
were ministering to his needs.
"You are Nurse Dimple," he said,
as he finished. 81 don't remember
the other one."
She showed two dimples as she an
swered, eyes, that is what you have
called me ever since | came. My
name is Wade-Emily Wade"
Il like my name best" he an
swered.
Every we'll, but now you are to go
to sleep"
But the patient was not SO easily
disposed of.
'Nurse Dimple," he began as she
turned away, 'do patients ever re-
member what they said and did when
they were delirious?"
81 don't know" she answered. 'I1
they do they never spoke to me of it.
l hope they do not, for most of them
would feel ashamed of themselves il
they did,"
''You meant that for me, and you
know I remember that I insisted Oh
your calling me Harold or l wouldn't
take my medicine OF my nourishment
And you did it, too" And he
laughed weakly at the remembrance
''I shall call you something worse
than your Christian name if you tall
any more. Go to sleep. And she
passed her hands over his forehead
until drowsiness overcame him.
The next two weeks were very haz,
to the young man and consisted o
long maps with. occasional irritating
calls to drink Cruel or milk.
At last came a morning when the
fog cleared from his brain and b,
woke refreshed. Before him stoot
the nurse in fresh blue and whit,
dress and snowy cap above her sof
brown hair.
ga whole egg this time, Mr.. West
ern, and you look as though you coul'
take it."
He took his egg and asked meekl
if he might be allowed to talk and wa
granted ten minutes. After he ha'
learned the day of the week and mont
he aske III ldenly:
"Did that night nurse ever com
back, or have you taken care Of m
alone all this timer"
"Not quite alone" she answered
''Your sister, Mrs. Albright, sit
with you every other afternoon, an
Miss Violet Grant takes the alternat
day. She sits in the dressing rooi
and rings the bell if you stir. Sh
is too shy to run the risk of your wal
ing and finding her here. She hs
brought a bunch of these violet
every morning early and inquired fe
you.
''She is little wood violet herself,
he exclaimed. CALAMITY. "But 20,
Nurse Dimple, are very rose fe
freshness this morning. I prefe
roses"
"Spare your compliments, Mr.. Wes
ern. You are getting too well to |
allowed to talk nonsense"
"Yes, am better, thanks to yol
care" he said, soberly; "but if a
not to be allowed to say what thin
and feel toward you shall wish M