The Washington herald., 1907-05-01
BY TEMPLE BAILEY.

Nurse" piped the small boy in cot
| three, the doctors dead stuck on you"
Hush" said the nurse, and bent over
him and tucked him Ug.
| Her cheeks were very red rs she went
out Of the ward and when she was alone
in the diet kitchen she said under her
breath. The idear'
/ That afternoon she carried a wee bunch
of violets TO the small boy. and pinned
them on his little white night shirt. Il
picked them in the yard" she told him;
/ spring is coming. and I saw a robin on
the lawn"
The small boy eyed her adoringly, and
when the doctor came he whispered, The
nurse gave EN- to me- The pretty one
with the blue eyes"
Nurse Isabelle?" asked the big. fair
haired doctor.
Yep" said the small boy; the one
you're stuck on
The doctor stared at him through his
| thick eyeglasses. The idea"' he said;
then with The red coming into his face
Don't talk, Jimmie It's bad for you"
But when he had tended the poor little
throat, and the boy lay weak and pale on
his pillow, the doctor whispered. May
have a violet, Jimmie?" and the small boy
nodded and the doctor laid the little blue
flower carefully in his pocketbook between
the prescriptions and the unpaid bills.
Unpaid bills were the reason that, In
/ spite Of his thirty-hye years. the doctor
| had not INDUCED in romance Notwith-
standing his success in his profession.
the expenses Of city living and a mort
/ gage on his mothers farm kept him in "a
I state Of chronic insolvency, with a conse-
uuent constant shabbiness.
/ At the door Nurse Isabelle helped him
/ on with his rusty Overcoat
There's a button of, she told him.
IN sew it on IL you will wait"
/ AS she took def stitches, the doctor
/ looked down at her white-capped head
[ From beneath the cap little blond locks
/ curled against her round throat
"Jimmies right" he said aloud: and
/ when Nurse Isabelle said "What?'' In a
/ startled way, he stammered. "Oh. moth
/ ing. Let me know how the boy is" and
went away.
1 That night he took an account Of ways
and means, and found that it wouldn't do.
There was a big balance yet TO be paid
on the mortgage. and he must still travel
the path Of loneliness.
"Oh, l say" Jimmie informed him a
week later, you amt doin' it right
'Why not?" the doctor asked.
Jaw, you ought to bring her rose or
some violets," Jimmie told him; she
likes EN-"
I haven't time for foolishness.r the
doctor stated briefly; and Nurse Isabelle.
coming up. heard him
With her head held high, she helped
him examine Jimmie and after the doctor
had gone. the small boy said, shyly:
Wen, anyhow. I'm dead stuck on you.
nurse, dear" She kissed him, with her
checks blazing.
That night she telephoned 10 the doc
ter, Jimmie is worse"
When he came the small boy was fight
ing for breath ''Tell-me about-the
robin" he begged, feebly; and Nurse Isa-
belle bent over him and sang softly
The robin dressed in his feathers and down.
With warm, red breast and his wings Of bTown'-
and then she stood back that the doctor
might see him.
She knew that things were very wrong
The doctor gave orders quickly, and she
followed them, and for hours they fought
with death
AT midnight they thought that the end
had come. Jimmie lay very still with his
little face gray In the shaded light
isabelle, bending over him, began TO
cry. silently at first, then Historically
oh why can't you save him?' she
gasped; why can't you save him?"
Hush" the doctor warned. hush,
But she was worn out. and the sobs
came faster and faster. as with shak-
ing hands she tried to hold Jimmie up.
The doctor took the boy from her.
Go and get me hot water" he ordered
plenty OF 1t. I'm ashamed of you.
When she came back he had his coat
off and his sleeves We're rolled up TITS
the last chance" he said; and she helped
him lift Jimmie into the bath.
The tears ran down her cheeks and
dripped into the tub. Once she looked at
the doctor, Il am 50 ashamed of myself, "
she whispered. Butt haven't many
people 10 love me-" And she sobbed IN
der her breath.
The doctors hair was wet. his face was
red and his shirt was open at the neck,
showing the cords of his strong neck.
He lifted the little steaming body in his
arms, and held the boy while Nurse
Isabelle envelOped him in heated
blanket
Jimmie opened his eyes as they led him
on his little cot Tell me about the
robin he murmured. dreamily, and went
20 step. holding tight TO Nurse IsabeHe's
finger.
The doctor warm and rumpled, looked
at the two.
You haven't any business nursing. F." he
said 10 Isabelle.
Her startled eyes met his. Il was
afraid you would say that" she quavered.
I was such a-fool"
you are not fool the doctor blazed.
but some women aren't any more fitted
to be nurses than I am to be the Angel
Gabriel"
Nurse Isabelle was not so sure of his
unfitness for the sacred Office, as he stood