The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-11
THE CROSSING.
BY JUrfA, ,grnuIrr BISHOP.

been having @. merry time, to WntSh all had contributed with the exception against the shining rail and twisted the gold fob that dangied from his watch pocket. AS he smiled at the two ladies.
 T am going to tell you little inci- ldent--a mere incident" he remarked. T did not see the beginning of It. and the end of 1t was draped in mystery, and I have never understood 1t in the least; but 1t was something that hap pened to me once, and will never hap pen--to me--again. for good and sum- cient reasons. You will permit me 70 remark in the outset that the grey mare is sometimes the better horse. don't need to prove it, because you both think that you are case in point. However, this proves 1t, in a way.
 About three or four trips ago-you see, in this kind of life we measure time by trips--as the boat was about to start lounged about the deck. watching the new passengers. which is little way I have. hear people sometimes describe their fellow passen- gers as just the ordinary lot and that is mistake. There Is no such thing as an ordinary lot. What do you think, ladies, of bride and groom who scarcely spoke to one another, not only that day, but the whole way over? must tell you about that some time, for did see the finish of that.
 But the one who particularly caught my eye was a woman about 40 years old and at least six feet high If she had been of medium size, perhaps wouldn't have noticed her. but her ex- | traordinary height called attention to h sr angular figure, her dress of broad plaids, her prominent nose and her sol dieriy stride. My, but that was walk ,L. ThAra Tnnnh 6GtGF- mination in it that other women in- stinctiveiy got out of her way: and as she came striding across tho deck l was sure that saw very small man It, l orally tumbling down below in his i haste to avoid her.
 we were not very far out before l | received a summons to attend gen l tleman who was sick. I found deli cate little man covering in his berth, | blue and cold, though 1t was not cold day I had to bite my lips to keep | from laughing at the first glance. His hair curled In pretty little rings, his l complexion might have been envied by 1 a girl, there was an odor of pink car
 nations about him, and his slim iittle hands were clasped on the cover.
 Now, that man lay there insisting he was sick, but the life of me l couldn't find out what was the matter | with him. He lay there covering and
 shaking, and diving under the cover every time there was a noise outside the door, until was fairly puzzled out of my wits, and a good deal irritated, too: for half suspected was being fooled. and you know a doctor doesn enjoy being fooled. We'll, you know, 1t just struck me that I'd treat the mat ter seriously and call in consulting physician, and scare the fellow out or
 d years growth if there wasn't any thing the matter with him. There was a doctor among the passengers. a young fellow just back from tour Of the hospitals and dead crazy to cut up
 somebody, and he grinned with delight
 when I asked him to come down ano Hook at a patient. In i've minutes ne
 was examining the little man with the | curIs, and looking wise; and after a little he turns to me and says:
 "Tn my opinion, this is beautiful I case of appendicitis, and the patients life probably depends on an operation II have my instruments with me, and will cheerfu1ly undertake 1t, with you
 to administer anaesthetics.
 "Well, just about that time the pa
 tient let out a scream that would have
 done justice to a girls boarding school
 and begged and implored me to take
 that naurdePous fiend out of there, till
 I was compelled to choke back my
 laughter and ask the doctor to with
 draw till I could prepare my patient
 mind AS soon as we were alone the
 little man caught my arm ana ciuhs
 to 1t like grim death.
 "Tt is from my wife-I am hidina
 from my wife! he whimpered, his
 teeth chattering. t'f'm not sick-she'i
 the tall lady in the plaid-you may
 have noticed her-appendicitis!--
 ha!--let me be sick till we can gel over and 1 can escape!
 eWeI, the little chaps maundertng'
 we're SO funny that I sat there roar. ing with laughter, and while roareC he was wringing his little lady-lik'
 hands and crying, oh dear. oh dear, Oh
 dear, what should he do, and there wal
 no escaping her. and she would hav' him yet; and the more ne lamenteo th'
 louder I roared,
 But at last T caught my breath
 little and assured him gravely that
 had seen the lady in question, ant
 that if he were delivered up to her I
 would be over my dead body. I als'
 promised to protect his physical beint
 from the other doctor, which promised
 to he a much more difficult matter.
 well you know, when went oi
 deck again, there was that tall woman
 taking a constitutional, her hands De
 hind her and her shoulders humpe' up like a thoughtful crane. She ha' learned that I was the surgeon, an' A she walked straight up " my \ Well, doctor,' she satd-and jumped, for she had big, grun voice like a maxwell, doctor. have you ha' any patients as yet?
 Now. you know. the situation wa SO funny that the devil of mischief go into me, and I told her that had on 1 patient who was i'll, very III, and Una , inc renowned Dr. Blank had diagnoses
 his case as appendicitis. She looked a me so queerly that it nearly set me of again, but all she said was:
 T have given some attention U
 nursing in my time. doctor, and VII be only too happy if you Will call m
 in as assistant"
 Well, that was too delightful to o missed As soon as I could get ava, from her I sneaked down and told tn
 little chap of her friendly offer "'see here. my boy I said; 1t DC CUTS to me that the cheering presence ] of a lady would do you lot of good ) There Is a tall lady upon deck wh has heard that I have a patient, an has most generously offered to hell nurse him.
 And then. if you could have hear, that little fellow cry and plead an swear eternal friendship if woul' ] keep her away-and I promised, am 1, left him dropped down on his pillow like a wilted flower.
 Well, from that moment I entcre
 on a course of lies that were repulsiv ! to my otherwise truthful nature.
 l told the doctor that my patient ha
 promised his dying wife. two month
 ago. never to have any portion of hl
 anatomy removed under any circum
 stances, but to go to her all together l as if were and in his entirety. I toll