The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-02-02

a great four poster with white cur
tains, and the quilt was of rich Grim
son satin, but Gregory stood just in
side the door, With his head bent low,
and saw no farther.
"Come nearer! I'll turn the lamp up
bit that you can have look at her.
A pretty thing, isn't it?" said the land
lady.
Near the foot of the bed was a dent
in the crimson quilt, and out of it Doss'
small head and bright eyes looked
knowingly.
''see how the lips move. She is IN
pain,' said the landlady Then Greg
DRY looked up at what lay on the cush-
ion, a little white, white face, trans
parent as an angels, with cloth
bound round the forehead and with
soft, short hair tossed about on the
pillow.
1--WE had to cut it off," said the wo-
man, touching it with her forefnger;
"soft as silk, like wax doll's.'
But Gregory's heart was bleeding.
"Never get up again. the doctor
says said the landlady.
Gregory uttered one word. In an in
slant the beautiful eyes opened widely
and looked round the room and into the
dark corners
"Who is here? Whom did hear
speak?"
"Only this lady, ma'am, a nurse by
! profession. She is willing to stay and
take care of you if you can come to
terms with her,
/ 1ol1 ho,, ri
bow and cast one keen. scrutinizing
glance over him.
"Have 1 never seen you before?" she
asked.
! "No."
! She fell back YEARLY.
perhaps you would like to arrange
the terms between yourselves" said
the landlady. "Here is chair. will
be back presently"
Gregory sat down, with bent head
and quick breath. She did not speak
and lay with half closed eyes, seeming
to have forgotten him.
Twill you turn the lamp down lit
tle?" she said at last. ri cannot bear
the light"
Then his heart grew drawer in the
shadow, and he spoke. Nursing was to
him, he said, his chosen life's work. He
wanted no money If She stopped
him.
81 take no service for which do not
pay" she said. "What gave to my
last nurse will give to you. II you do
not like it, you may go"
! And Gregory muttered humbly he
would take it.
I Afterward she tried to turn herself.
He lifted her. All! A shrunken little
body! He could feel it's weakness as
he touched it. His hands were to him
glorifed for what they had done.
THANK you! That Is so nice! Other
people hurt me when they touch me-"
she said.r "rhank your Then after
little while she repeated humbly:
"Thank you! They hurt me So"
4 Gregory sat down, trembling. His
little eve lamb-could they hurt her?
1 The doctor said Of Gregory four days
after, "She is the most experienced
nurse ever came in contact with"
Gregory, standing in the passage,
heard it and laughed in his heart.
What heed had he Of experience? Elk
perience teaches us in a millennium
what passion teaches us in an hour. A
Kaftir studies all his life the discern
ing of distant sounds, but he will new
er hear my step when my love hears 1t
coming to her window in the dark over
the short grass.
In that quiet room Lyndall lay on the
bed with the dog at her feet and Greg
DRY sat in his dark corner watching.
She seldom slept, and through those
long, long days she would lie watching
the round streak Of sunlight that came
through the knot in the shutter or the
massive lions paw OH which the ward
robe rested. What thoughts were in
those eyes? Gregory wondered. He
dared not ask.
Gregory thought she had no pain.
She never groaned. Only sometimes,
when the light was near her, he
thought he could see slight contrac-
tons about her lips and eyebrows.
He slept on the sofa outside her door.
One night he thought he heard a
sound, and, opening it softly, looked in.
She was crying out aloud, as If she and
her pain were alone in the world. The
light fell on the red quilt and the little
hands that were clasped over the head.
The wide open eyes were looking up,
and the heavy drops fell slowly from
them.
81 cannot bear any more, not any
more" she said in deep voice. 20
God, God! Have not borne in 81
lence? Have not endured these long,
long months? But now, now, o God, I
cannot"
Gregory knelt in the doorway listen
ing.
81 do not ask for wisdom, not human
love, not work, not knowledge, not for
all things have longed for" she cried,
"only little freedom from pain. only
one little hour without pain! Then I
will suffer again.
She sat up and bit the little hand
Gregory loved.