Catoctin clarion., 1900-11-15


ness of nerve was remarkable. Her
pulse was normal when she witnessed
or assisted at an operation. 1t seemed
as if she could divest herself of her own
personality entirely for the purpose of
saving the inert creature on the opera
ting table. The majority of life seemed
a poem to her at such moments. To
preserve at any cost the fragile, diyine,
mystic, elusive thing which all the sci
ence in the world could never synthe-
size seemed to her half godlike. The
physicians gave her extravagant PRAISE.
But still | do not like DOCTORS she
said.
Sometimes she did not like patients
either. There was one old lady, for
example, who never could divest herself
of the idea that Lucy was common
servant and that whatever else she did
she must never sit down. One day the
girl had been on her feet for hours
waiting upon the patient, rubbing her
and caring for her in fifty ways, and at
length even her firm, younS body ached
in every bone. She dropped in chair
for few moments OF needed rest.
Miss Armitage,' said the querulous
voice of the old lady, the room appears
to me to be untidy. I wish you would
pick it up
Lucy looked over at the discontented
old creature and smiled tolerantly.
Miss Coudry,' she sold, never before
have l been asked so difficult thing
and sat still.
Miss Coudry had no suspicion that
her phraseology was at fault, and she
reported the nurse. The head physi-
clan interviewed her on the subject.
Lucy refrained from commenting upon
the tyranny of the poor old hypochon-
driac. She turned the matter with
jest.
u was asked to pick up the room, she
said. u am not the magnetic strong girl
so said couldn't do it,
The physician tempered his reproof.
The month Of probation over. Lucy
was accepted, and the first severe case
committed entirely to her charge was
that of a young doctor who had been
severely injured in railroad accident,
and one of whose legs had undergone
amputatioA. The case was bother
some one The young man did not
gather strength as he should have done.
considering his youth. He sank into a
low fever. and drowsed along through
life, week in and week out Lucy stood
by him Loyalty. She endeaYored in
every way to inspire him to make q
fight for life. But for a long time she
could arouse no interest. 1t last she
had an idea.
u will make him fall in love with
me- she thought to herself. vt will do
me no harm, and it will help him to
get we'll, and as soon as he is strong
again he will forget all about it. The
others always have
1t was silly comedy to play, but
Lucy entered upon her role with en-
thusasm. She was really beautiful
girl, but she seldom took time to re-
member it, Now she stuck a rose in
her dark hair mornings and cap and
apron over her gray gown assumed an
indefnable coquetry. She took pensive
attitudes and talked upon sentimental
subjects.
What precious guy l am making
of myself she often chuckled in the
re"esses of her naughty soul. >Of all
the idiotic parts ever assumed | have
most cause to be ashamed of this! But
it proved to be the prescription of which
the young doctor stood in need. He
watched for her coming in the morning
He hung upon every word, exnlted III
her springing, firm step, was soothed
into exquisite peace by the touch of her
cool white hand upon his brow, and when
he felt the grasp of her two strong
hands upon his in hours of pain, it
seemed to him that with her by, he
would find strength to endure ANYTHING
Ut will soon b. over, Lucy said to
comfort her conscience. AND if I am
clever perhaps l can get him away be-
fore be says anything to me-
But clever as she was she did not
succeed in her desire. One day DR..
Halson, convalescent, turned from the
contemplation of the passersby on the
street. and said imperatively:
Miss Armitage, come here
Aren't your pillows right% asked
Lucy with feigned solicitude. She
knew in her soul that the fatal hour
had come.
My pillows are we'll. Bat wish
to say to you thing you have been
preventing me from saying for days.
You are beautiful tyrant, but / will
not snffer tyranny. eYen from the beau.