Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-01-11
HOSPITAL ROMANCE


me a middle aged woman and two
girls came in. The younger of the
girls was to be operated upon ON the
following day and was to be my pa
tent. From the moment l met Eliza
beth Townley admired her.
The following day at 2 Miss Town.
ley was brought to the operating room,
and as she lay there, consciousness
gone, her face like marble, save pink
spot on either cheek, her hair CURING
in little damp rings around her sweet
face, | fancied myself her lover and
thought how easily one could love her
aye, and die for her! l wondered il
the doctor had the same thought, but
when the work began in earnest we
were all too busy to indulge in 'senti-
mentaiism."
When at last it was over and con-
sciousness had returned and the in
tense anxiety of surgeon and nurse
was over l found time to look at the
doctor. Ah, the Old restless look had
almost completely faded from his eyes,
ard in its place was an expression OF
rest. not unmfxed with determination.
After this | studied both patient and
physician. 1 rarely saw them toSeth-
er but l knew by the doctors face
whenever he came from his little room
that he was refreshed and strengthen
ed for his work But Beth was clever
and wise, and she often declared her.
self heartless and ''unimpressible.' but
| thought If she were he2rtleSS it was
because she had already given her
heart to Dr. Bronson.
All through the bright spring days
he bought her wild flowers, and after
making his evening rounds would read
to her, while she in turn played little
melodies on her guitar or amused him
greatly by relating some of her school
day pranks.
She was the life Of the lower foor
and many a lonely heart vas made
glad by her merry laugh, her CHEEKY
Good morning. or bunch of bios
SONS from her abundant supply.
Sometimes DR.. Bronson would give
q low laugh Of coHtcntr2ent and sup
pressed happiness anI would wonder,
"Did she charm away that old look in
his eyes?" But how? SIZE had scarcely
seen him ere it vanished.
So the days slipped-nay, rippled-
by on the tide of that sweet, low
laughter and music of cOntcnted voices.
Gradually Miss Townley became able
to move about in her wheel chair DR..
Bronson seemed to be growing melan-
choly and the old restless, longing look
came creeping back. Ic would wheel
her up and down the halls and then
leave her by the open door, where the
sweet springs breath came floating in,
and go about his duties still watching
her with a loving care that seemed
pathetic to me. for felt that there was
story to his life that no one knew and
which still withheld it's sequel.
One night there was fearful storm.
The wind blew a perfect gale and
hurled the sheets of falling rain against
the window panes. The thunder drop
ped its heaven forged bolts in quick
succession, while the lightning kept the
scene brilliant as day.
Dr. Bronson was in and out of the
wards al night, but he went oftenest
to Beths room to ask:
''Are you nervous in this frightful
storm?"
She would answer softly, ooh, no.
and then having no excuse to remain
longer he would pace the halls nervous.
ly, while the fury Of the storm steadily
increased. He thought once bitterly:
"Oh. if she would only show some
sign Of fear or distress that l might go
to her and do something just to be
near herr
Here he was interrupted by a ire
mendous crash. 1t seemed as if heaven
and earth were clasp2d in close EN-
brace and were swaying and rocking
in the furious blast.
With one bound he was at Miss
Townley's bedside. She lay there
white as marble, her forehead cold
and her lips blue. The corner of her
room next the street was blackened
and burning. :
Seeing that no time was to be lost
he gathered her in his strong arms and
carried her to the ward across the hall
and laid her down and sent at once fol
me.
In the hour that followed DR.. Bron
son hung over Beth. using every means
to save the life that I saw had become
so dear to him.
The fire did little damage, and as
soon as the storm rolled away to tbs
east, its mutterings growing fainter
and fainter, we saw Beth's pale lips
grow pink. her eyelids culver and ther
slowly lift and the eyes rest on the
doctors anxious face.
THANK Godr' came quickly from
his lips, and he knelt beside the little
low bed and bent his head on her out
stretched hand. Is it unmanly tt
weep? Some say it is, but the nobles
tears l ever saw shed We're those tha
fell from DR.. Bronson's eyes. They
were the spray from an ocean deer
and fathomless, the ocean of his grea