Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-10-10
Gregory's Visitor

hospital and wondered how his opera
ton on the morrow would turn out
Would it give him back health and
strength. or would there lie resoiute-
IL turned his thoughts into brighter
channels.
To distract his mind he looked out Of
the window near his lea and wished
himself in the busy street below. 1t
was Saturday afternoon and the air was
clear and bright, the sky a vivid blue;
the well world must be enjoying itself
What was Ethel doing, he wondered.
Was she AZ the matinee, the golf links
or one Of her club meetings.
At this moment a white capped nurse
came in and skillfully ministered To his
wants AS She went out Gregory tried
10 picture Ethel in q sickroom and
could not. He had never been able TO
persuade himself that there was in her
nature much Of womanly sympathy.
She was too reserved, too stately. and
then she had never been i'll a day in
her life, she had told him. Perhaps
that was why she was cold and as
averse to showing emotion as the crest
of snow covered mountain Is ire
Spousive to the rays Of the sun.
No. she would not do In "A sickroom
ct all. Gregory declared to himself.
end the next instant began To wish
that there were the slightest chance of
her coming to see him.
lie decided upon considering the mat
tet that she might visit a sick man
with ...t mother, Of Sc, were the
invalid her promised husband. but he
felt quite sure she would never set
aside conyentionality for one who was
merely a friend
Besides, she was too busy. She was
success in society and always had
scores Of engagements. Wen, he would
not want TO see her If she brought her
mother with her and the two of them
sat in a row and talked commonplace.
But if only Ethel would come alone
and slip her hand In his and say some
thing soothing to him
He turned suddenly with a restless
movement that started the pain again.
lie thought it would 20 away in mo-
ment, but 1t did not. Instead it grew
TO an intolerable ache that burned and
throbbed cruelty. It seemed to Gregory
that he could not stand IT, lie writhed
under the agony until the sweat stood
out on his forehead and tears came into
his eyes,
After awhile the pain lessened little.
nnd Gregory lay white and weak and
thought how unjust and cruel it was
that people must suffer So As his
q -. "A. Of
his private room to the ward on the
other side Of the hall, he remembered
having read somewhere that pain is
the only universal experience. He had
never realized the truth of the words
until now Pain was universal. ana
none escaped IT, Each one Of the merry
CARELESS crowd in the outside world
must one day leave work and pleasure
and learn to endure.
Suddenly his own pain came back,
ana Gregory bore il until be hated HIM
self and his life and wished that the
surgeons knife might end il all next
day After all, it was a good woe!d TO
be ont Of place where suffering was
the only thing To- be counted on. where
ones friends could enjoy themselves
while He turned his head with
sigh that was half sob and looked out
of the window again.
The sunshine was less bright now.
and the fall mir had grown 50 keen that
one Of The nurses lowered the sash. Is
Gregory watched heecy white clouds
sail across square sea Of blue he be-
came aware Of rustic Of SILK and
faint odor of perfume. 4 second later
Ethel stood before him.
She dId not speak. but as she looked
down mt his thin. pain racked body,
which before his accident had been
conspicuous for its splendid strength,
and saw his tears and look of suffering
great drops gathered in her own eyes.
Sa. sat down beside the bed ana.
putting one hand in his and the other
on bis hot forehead, hogan 20 repeat
SOFTLY the Twenty-third Psalm
THE Lord is my shepherd ! shall
not want
Gregory was not n religious man. but
tile words claimed his discomfort as il
by magic They seemed Ike cool rain
after a bot. sitting day. and their beau
~ aud truth sank deep a4eo his trou-
blod soul
lie makoth me Is lie down III green
pastures he leadeth me beside the Still
waters"
When the psalm was ended Gregory
did not thank her. He waited q mo-
ment and then said wondorin@ly. Eth
q. YOU love me-
'Iulpgd indeed Yes fha yfri wills