The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-07-26
Friends Ever:
BY HI. 8. KELLER.
THEY had been friends from boy.

tastes and inclinations concerning
both play and study. When the col
lege days dawned upon the horizon
the same old spirit of friendliness
manifested itself; they chose the
same profession, medicine, and were
greater friends than ever in the close
rivalry of ambition.
In college they were known as "The
Twins" though they were wholly dis
similar as to appearance, stature or
complexion. Henry Morse was short,
stoutly built, with blue eyes, crisp
ly curling, light hair, and mouth
as sweet and tender as a woman's.
John Findlay was tall and slender,
with dark hair and eyes-the latter
deep set and searching-and mouth
about whose corners the lines of a
fixedness of purpose even thus early
were drawn.
The college days are over, and we
find them both attached to ST. Marks
hospital, working side by side; ready
for the ambulance call, to rattle away
ever the pavements Of the city to
administer aid to the unfortunate
bruised and broken; or we find them
together by the side of the dying,
quick to smooth the pillow or receive
the fluttering pressure of the en-
feebled fingers of the "passer on"
''This fair Canadian nurse who re-
Gently came to ST. Marks seems a
self-possessed sort of person." said
Henry Morse, locking arms with his
friend as the pair passed down the
gravel walk leading to the hospital
steps. But John Findlay was not in
communicative mood, and he did
not Immediately respond. He had a
habit of pushing one end of his thin,
inky mustache into the corner of his
mouth with his finger. He is doing
il now; and it always gave the other
a chill to see him do it, for Henry
dislil,ed habits of the sort.
All hospital grounds, flowers, walks
and embellishments in the way of
landscape gardening look stiff. They
mean to be alleviating to the i'll ones,
charming to the eye; but they never
are, for they bear too closely the
marks of precision, soldierly care;
and instead of appearing natural,
they seem surrounded with too much
red tape. Every flower, tree or shrub
growing upon hospital grounds has
the sign of the red tape drawn about
them. Even the fountain that tinkles
in the mellow, hushed air of the place
plays the rhythm of rotation upon
the eardrums of the afflicted behind
those stone walls. I have been told
by many who have been SO placed
that the sound of thunder, the rum
bling of a train of cars or the roar
of cannons was more soothing than
the tinkling of the placidly FLASHING
fountain.
After the pair reached the thor
oughfare leading to their quarters,
situated but a short distance away,
Findlay finally found his tongue, and
asked:
"Whose name did you mention?"
swell, you must be pretty deeply in
it, old man. 1 did not mention any
ones name," said Morse, withdrawing
his arm.
"But you were speaking of some
one as we passed through the
grounds"
"Then it has just struck you? was
simply saying that the fair Canadian
nurse seemed to be self-possessed
sort of person. That's ALL"
s'By the way, she is not fair; and
how is she different from the rest,
Henry?"
81 mean by fair she is-oh, well.
charming, pleasing and pretty. She
seems to know how to do things with
out asking. She is ready without urg-
ing. She has good nerve, too. Why.
she did up the smashed leg of that
poor fellow who was brought in day
before yesterday, before came, in
manner to equal anything of the sort
1 ever saw"
"Humph! that's what she is at St.
Marks for-to learn how to do
things. AS for beauty and all that
sort of thing, L"
swell, what, John?" asked the
other, as the tall, slender fellow lift
ed his hand to apply the latch key.
The other hand was busy with the
mustache, pushing one end of it out
of sight. Henry Morse gave little
shiver of dislike, and Findlay said. as
he pushed open the door:
"She may not be charming at all
without her hospital garb. Come, let
us go in; drop nurses and such trash"
He led the way up the wide stairs,
and the two were soon settled for the
night in their suite of rooms.
When they appeared at the hospital
the next morning they were asked to
step. into the Office. where sold Ice"
the pet name bestowed by the young
fellows upon Roger Thorn, M. D., the
best surgeon in the city. was await
ing them. All, many a poor fellows
death warrant had been drawn up in
that square, compact little niche of
st. Marks! And many bold and in
tricate case had also been solved
therein by the thick-limbed and
sandy-headed man who is sitting in
the big, leather-cushioned chair drum
ming upon the window sill with those
long, blunted fingers. cold Ice" is
cool at all times-or at least his
fingers are-and those same fingers
have guided the keen knife within a
tissues breadth of many u jugular