Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1902-02-13

VlSll TOT the ulSut anu tAc
nurse was left alone with her
patients typhoid fever pa
tient, muscular and raving. It was
private contagious" ward; room
shat was always like a ships deck,
stripped for action. with It's metal bed
of white enamel, its metal table and
it's gray green wall, decorated only
with "eolored supplement- prints be-
cause these could be changed frequent
" and burned easily. It was a room
Of a 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 flicker,
being protected and watched in its
feebleness with no sentiment Of love,
but 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
uun-like in her face, in her placidity
beside such suffering, in the almost
melancholy sweetness of the face of
death alone at midnight and who had
lived for long year now in the con-
stant companionship Of pain.
But, indeed, the expression belied
her. She was watching her patient
for the signs Of q hemorrhage, listen
ing intently to his breathing, with the
suDconscious 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 fretfu,lv.
She stood looking down at him
smiling with a motherly pity. His
eyes were closed.
he mad been as self-willed in his i'll.
ness as spoiled child. He had been
almost conyalescent when. against aJ)
warning - While the day nurse was
enattlng with the doctor outside the
uoor-he had staggered from his bed
70 basket OF fruit on the table and
eaten two peaches before he was seen
Inc result was relapse into a far
more critical condition than bo ho,
oeen at first. Here he lay now, strug.
gnng against death itself.
Ahhough she was not aware Of # he
nao changed for her; from being .
case he had become a human he;nc
WIN claim Of interest on her and
1ne irowned at his muttering of pain
soor fellow! Life must have been Sc
Aoh ior him OF interests, activities
p,ohnises' achievements. To have II
an END this way, futilely! He had
sven the college cry once in delir
.uh and struggled, painting. through .
eotoali game And once he had beer
a'anulns on the platform OF debate
no'hef time he had been writing o.,
w 80, examination in law. And still an
s. s.ner ume she thought that she hearf
s4,n speak Jim's name in the iumh,.
vi dellrious mutterings.
Jim was to have haar ,o
oor Jim! Her eyes filled at that old
a,-stalned memory Of Jim and he,
a. >nef crowned together in that horri
sn e accident on the Delaware. Well
cue at least had not been 8 burden =,
Aei mothers small income, and soon
a. as soon as she was graduated from IN,
@ospltal-she would not only be self
sru,pportlnS, ~, but an aid to the others
sn ne,e were two long years Of har,
urA ~, oe1ore her vet. She bit her lin
ao,. unflring run and babble of h;
nf'om co. had been growing loude,
one went to him again to calm h;,,
slth the sound of her voice. and h
aooAea up at her with smile tho
nleo . almost rational. It was orlv me-
alen'afy; he called her ".Auntie ,, an,
Ian ,sIs a childish prattle.
Nlght-night." be said. "Sis, =,
nignt-night." 's' II
sne touched his forehead with ho
1nser tips. WIN hc
a., ssh," She said, and bent down +
sn "' The line screen at the foot y
e oea hid her from any one wh
ha nlsht pass in the hall She toucbo
60, &C. nps to his forehead. "Nieh
aAght'' she whispered.
ne looked at her with childis
s, ,nlle pouting his lips. It hardene
s.owiy into pursed mouth of pernle,
aeilo. old man." he said. "y7he,
J. lie closed his eyes ON frown = !,