New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-10-04
OUTSIDE THE
WARD
Blu A. N. DAVIES OGDEN
COPYRIGHT, 1905, bU a. ". Davies Ogden


she was much admired, and the doctors
all respected her clear, keen intelli-
gence and executive ability. But the
patients regarded her with evident
awe. No one urged her to come and sit
for moment by his bedside.
Nurse Humphreys herself regarded
the patients as so many human ma
chimes to be tended and cared fGr.
1t was her work to superintend the do
ing of this What more could be re-
CURED Of her? And then one day Il
tender, helpless little mOrsel of a child
was carried into the ward, and Miss
Humphreys experienced a strange sen
sation The blue eyes looked appeal
ingly into hers; the thin little arms
were extended. Molly lonesome
murmured a baby voice. And Miss
Humphreys, rather shamefacedly, bent
and kissed the tiny face.
From that day a new life began for
the nurse. All the pent up tenderness
Of years, all the starved affection Of
the Woman's heart sternly repressed
for so long, We're unstintedly lavished
upon the child. 1t was a bad case.
Miss Humphreys flung herself with
tireless energy into the battle with
death Molly could not die; she must
not die. And love won. The fatal crisis
was passed; the little life began to
tighten it's hold on existence. Miss
Humphreys rejoiced until one day
came a sudden, most unwelcOme
thought Molly was out of danger;
Molly was growing we'll; Molly would
soon leave the hospital and go home.
Miss Humphreys started and tried to
Danish the thought. But it would not
go. 1t pursued her, obsessed her, be-
came nightmare.
Outside the big ward was small
room where Miss Humphreys some
times sat. Late one afternoon she
was there, still haunted by the thought
| of Molly's departure. 1t seemed ter
| ribly near. How could she let Molly
go back to that aunt-that narrow
| faced, hard eyed woman-from whom
the child palpably shrank upon the oc-
casions of her rare visits? Was she
| phreys wondered
A sudden sense of encouragement
possessed the nurse. Molly was nearly
convalescent, yet to the doctor Miss
| Humphreys had dilated at length upon
| unfavorable symptoms, inherent weak
| nesses, and this morning, this very
morning, she had deliberately altered
| the temperature line on the patients
| chart. That was objectionable. She
| had fanced that the doctor had looked
at her rather oddly as he returned the
chart. Did he suspect anything? Must
she let her go-this child with Toms
name and with Toms own blue eyes
Where had Molly found them? The
aunt, dry, uncommunicative person
only said that the childs mother was
dead Molly babbled Of daddy al
most always from home. The idea had
once flashed across Miss Humphreys
mind that Tom himself might be this
daddy, but she had dismissed the sug
geStion as too improbable. There wert
| doubtless thousands of BrennanS.
1t brought the man to her mind, how
| ever Tom! Where could he be? H
had loved her once. Why had she le
him go? Miss Humphreys looked abou
the plain little room, thought of thu
ward beyond. She had sent Tom away
had left her home, come to New lOrl
and entered the training school
worked, denied herself, suffered, in
spired, sustained by no ignoble am
bition
Well, she had succeeded She ha,
achieved her goal. Was she not hea'
nurse in this busy hospital ward
dreary little room. Was this the
what her ambition meant, a solitar
} woman growing old alone? Mis-
Humphreys, tired and depressed, kneN
that she was morbid; sought to shak
it off, but the feeling was too stron
for her. The reaction from the year
: Of effort had set in, and all at once
wave of heartsickness seemed to sui
J merge her in it's depths, forcing til
t unaccustomed tears to her dark eye
4 Miss Humphreys uttered little sol
D Was what she had won worth til
s sacrifices demanded? Did life hold n
more than this?
e The sound of voices outside the doc
t reused her. The doctor was speaking
u $50 1 thought it best to send for yC
yourself and explain matters" he W.
saying ''ShC is one Of our best nurse
and has worked night and day to say
your child. Indeed, that the child live
Mt all is largely due to her untiring vi
= lance. But there is no reason no
e why Molly should not leave the hosI
tai. 1t sometimes happens, howeve
e that nurse takes a fancy to patie1
and tries to keep him overtime Their
fore I preferred that you yourse
should come and remove Molly
would not wish to hurt Miss HUI
:, phreys' feelings" he added kindly, f
he was a humane man and could sy1
:, pathize with the dullness of the nurse
life I'VE all think so much Of Mi
y Humphreys"
Miss Humphreys" repeated the ma
. And at the voice the woman start'
, and clasped her hands over her heal
- Miss Humphreys. you say? Could
y oc1I6 T COO bnr3''