The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-02-28
.Ji1n's Sister.
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HHE doctor had made his last
visit for the night and the
i nurse was left alone with her
e patent-a typhoid fever pa-
uent muscular and ravlng. II was
private contagious" ward: room
'hat was always like a ships deck.
stripped for action, with its metal he'd
OF white enamel, its metal table and
It's gray green wall, decorated only
with "colored supplement- prints be-
cause these could be changed freauent-
" ana burned easily 1t was a room
OF dim light and a tempered shadow
one of those bare hospital rooms where
you feel that the fame Of life. though
It burns low, burns without q flicker
being protected and watched in frs
Ieebleness with no sentiment of love.
out with the skilled care and the cool
eye of unimpassioned science.
The nurse sat at the bedside her
hands folded in her lap. like a nun at
meditation. There was something
nun-like in her face, in her pIacidi+v
beside such suffering, in the almost
melancholy sweetness Of the face of a
woman who had looked many times ON
death alone at midnight and who had
hyed for long year now in the con-
slant companionship Of pain.
But, indeed, the expression belied
her She was watching her patient
for the signs Of a hemorrhage, listen
Ing intently to his breathing. with the
subconscious alertness OF the engineer
who will sit musing with an eve
on the steam gauge and an ear
strained for the slightest change OF
note in the regular swing and cadence
OF the machinery. The poor fellow in
the bed tossed and muttered fretfullv
she stood looking down at him
smiling with a motherIy pity. His
eyes were closed.
He had been as self-willed in his Ill
ness as a spoiled child. he had been
almost convalescent when. against all
warning ~ while the day nurse was
chatting with the doctor outside the
door-he had staggered from his bed
TO basket Of fruit on the table and
eaten two peaches before he was seen
The result was a relapse into a far
more critical condition than he had
been at first. Here he lay now. strug-
Cling against death itself.
Although she was not aware of It no
had changed for her; from being
case" he had become a human being
with claim of interest on her. and
she frowned at his muttering of main
Poor fellow! Life must have been so
full for him Of interests, activities
promises, achievements. To have If
all end this way, futilely! He had
given the college cry once in a delir-
1um and struggled painting, through a
football game. And once he had been
standing on the platform Of debate.
Another time he had been writing Oh
an examipation In law. And stiIl an
other time she thought that she heard
him speak Jim's name in the tumble
of delirious mutterings.
Jim was to have been q LAWYER
Poor Jim! Her eyes filed at that old
tear-stained memory of Jim and her
father drowned together In that borri-
Die accident on the Delaware. Well
she at least had not been a burden on
her mothers small income. and soon
as soon as she was graduated from tba
hospltal-she would not only be self
supporting, but an aid to the others
There were two long years of hard
work before her yet She bit her lin.
The untiring run and babble Of his
delirium had been growing louder
She went to him again to calm him
with the sound of her voice and no
looked up at her with a smile that
seemed almost rational. 1t was only mo-
mentary; he called her "Auntie." and
began childish prattle.
s "Night-night," he said. kiss me
plght-night."
She touched his forehead with her
finger tips.
Ssh" She said, and bent down to
him. The line screen at the foot of
the bed hid her from any one who
might pass in the hall She touched
her lips to his forehead. "Niqbt-
night" she whispered.
He looked at her with a childish
smile pouting his lips. 1t hardened
slowly into a pursed mouth Of perplex.
ity.
Hello, old man." he said. where
lie closed his eyes on a frown.