Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-12-22
MRS. SMALL DOCTOR.

Mrs. Lancy's genteel boarding house.
There were widows by the dispensation
of Providence, and widows by the dispeu-
sation of the courts. The melancholy
style was represented by Mrs Florenz-
Etall, willowy, dieaway, always in deepest
black. There was Mrs. Ford, plump and
comely; Mrs. Terry, black-eyed and hand
some: a Dakota divorcee-Mrs. Small
dried up. elderly, cross as her own pug;
| Mrs. Won Glumm, q mountain of too
solid flesh, addicted to beer, and Mrs.
Wayne, stately and white-haired, with
patrician features. "Broken-down Vir
ginia aristocracy, my dear" whispered
Mrs. Twitty, the gossiping widow, who
was acquainted with the skeleton in
every bodv's closet "Her estate has all
melted away, and she is living on the pro-
ceeds of the last mortgage, until the little
chit of a daughter gets a place as
teacher. Pity she isn't handsome like her
mother; she might marry a lot of money
if she was"
There were plenty of people who
thought Ruth Wayne more attractive
than her mother. A dainty ariel" kind
of girl was Ruth, with wonderfully
sweet voice, a wild rose complexion, and
a gracious manner, touched, however,
with reserve.
A china saucer of ice cream-sweet
but chilly" was what Harry Todd styled
her after he had tried his fascinating
powers upon her i'll vain.
One day Mrs. Small fell sick. Being
a disagreeable old woman, with a wheez-
ing cough, and fearfully stingy, nobody
bothered about her attack, which was
said to be pneumonia. Nobody mounted
to the little ballroom which she occupied
because it was cheap-nobody but
Ruths mamma and Ruth
Mrs. Mayne was benevolent on prin
ciple. 1t was the duty of a lady to be
kind, she said. She went up to the hall
room. which she seemed to fiji with her
stately presence, and asked Mrs Small
if she could be of any service to her.
The sick woman answered sharply that
she didn't want any service. She wished
people would let her alone. Whereupon
Mrs. Mayne bowed her fine gray head and
went out.
Ruth was going, too; she looked back
and saw the poor old creature make an
effort to bring glass of water to her
lips and spill half its contents through
the shaking of her fevered hand. The
girl went to the bedside, wiped the COW
erlet dry with a towel and gave the old
lady crushed ice with a spoon. She got
no thanks, but she expected none. She
moved about in quiet way and straight
ened things i'll the disordered little room.
She drew down the blinds, laid a cool
cloth on the patients head and sat by
the bed. Mrs. Small fell asleep-some-
thing she had not done for twenty-four
hours. After a while Ruth rose softly to
go out
you're in a powerful hurry to get
away" said a voice from the bed Ruth
understood that Mrs. Small wished her
to stay, and stay she did
Mrs. Small had for her doctor an old
practitioner. solemn and gruff, who had
been her family physician in the days
when she had a family. But the day
after Ruth was self-installed as nurse.
Dr. Crosby sent his young partner to
look after the case in the De Lancev
pension. DR.. Wilmot found Ruth Mayne
on her knees dressing a blister. with
Mrs. Small scolding and declaring that
the girl was Just trying to hurt her.
ruth, half crying, looked up as the doc
tor entered, and caught the comprehend
ing sympathetic twinkle in his eve. She
smiled and they understood eacl other
at once.
The young doctor got into the GOOD
graces Of the patient He had the SYM
pathetic yet commanding manner. the
strong face, the magnetic touch and the
wholesome physique of the born ply
! sician
Tell Crosby to stay and send Won. y
: said the blunt old woman after his first
visit
Wilmot must have delivered the mes
sage for the case was turned over to
/. him thereafter. He gave it a great deal
II OF attention. lie came twice dav, and
he was not particular to cut his visits
/ short. lie continued to call after the old
Ii lady was sitting up and had an appetite
that appalled, the landlady Then he
found his way to Mrs. Mayne's little par.
ior and soon all the house knew that Dr.
i NI}mot was Ruth Mayne's beau.
80 this was the secret of Miss De.
: muc~ kind nursing" said airs. Twitty
= oWtciuIIN. Il wondered how it was she
was deHotng herself to cross old WON.
}' as poor as church mouse She wa.
laying tor the doctor"
NJ TINE day Mrs, Small sent for DIR. VII.
80 met ano pald her bill As he was GOING
away she asked, abruptly: When are
= you ami Ruth 4toyne going to be mar,
ae Young doctor blushed and said,
Not gust Vet Mrs. SmalI-in fact. NOT
Ion Il long time"
> W. Nv ny long time. pray? Long en-
S"-t'h'nf are mo good"