The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-19
BY FRANCES S. HODGE.
TRIFLING WITH FATE.

Ted. the adored; Ted, the only male ir a family of nine, was i'll Mrs. Baker hung over him in all the mothers agony. vainly beseeching him to take his medi- cine, whIle down In the library the other members of the family huddlsd in terrified gro speaking in whispers or gazing blankly at the certain misery or the future.
 "A bad case of pneumonia" Dr. New man had said. q must have nurse. one One will be here in an hour" Then he
 Now. in this family of adoring women were many prejudices They had no advanced ideas" and to them all nurses were bold and forward creatures, not they read only last week of man who had married his nurse. and didn't that prove that all members of the profession take advantage of a mans weak and him? Was Ted, whose matrimonial pros poets were unknown to him, the subject of numerous family discussions. to be coerced into marrying nurse? Did not each sister have best friend saved for him, and-why the whole future happi- ness of the family depended on the sort of girl he married. nurse! Cousin Lizzie. tiny woman of uncertain years, rose to the emergency as she heard the click of the door-latch, and burst out, ings!'
 Dr. Newman had no time to understand and he answered shortly: Feelings? I am considering your feelings The boy Is very i'll. l am unwilling to trust him in any but a trained hand"
 Miss Brooks wondered why she was kept in the poror, and why the family came in one by one to bring her a glass of water, to offer her fruit. to show her photographs of the Paris Exposition. She began to find the situation interesting.
 Mother says she can't leave Ted, but we must make a change" reported Alice, the youngest daughter. in the library.
 At the same time Cousin Lizzie came from her inspection in the parior. She had made the excuse of finding out the price. and Miss Brooks had answered Twenty-Five dollars week as a rule, but $30 for contagious diseases and men" No appreciation of the humor had come to Cousin Lizzie, and now she said: If he doesn't die he will marry her" in the manner of one who declined to determine last, with an expression of conscious he roism, and murmur of protecting the dear boy" she walked grimly back into the parlor
 ish figure and the waving auburn hair loomcd as dreadful danger before the nervous little lady. while the charming manner was conclusive proof that she stood between Ted and destruction. She found herself dashlng madly from sub- ject to subject in her effort to come to the point when sound reached Miss Brooks's ears that brought her profess SlOndl uulN DeIOfe neT. one EOSe anu said declsively; will you show me where I can change my dress l think the patient needs me-
 Cousin Lizzie sprang In front of the door and the tiny form quivered with eX- citement. She laid a trembling hand on Miss Brooks's arm and looked up ap- peaIngly My dear, she said, we cant let you nurse Ted. He's all we've got, and-and-you'r too pretty
 There was a twitching of the face, but otherwise Miss Brooks controlled herself perfectly, In a calm tone she asked, Shall have the office send you nurse that is not good looking"
 As the door shut Cousin Lizzie sank exhausted into a chair, while a sympa- thetic crowd offered her water, fan and appreciation.
 An hour later Mrs. Baker was strug- gling with the delirious Ted,
 Sunday, "DUNcANs RENoMINAI