The Washington herald., 1907-03-24
WOMAN ABOUT TOWN
Stories of Washington Life.

Mary her name vas, first
Too long. she tholght by fag.
She shortened t. 10 suit her taste
By dropping 0iIt the r..
She married in the course If time,
Aud many years went hg
Her name was shortened FOR keeps
By dropping od the $.
when / came to Washington to study"
says a trained nurse. my idea was that
as soon as I was graduated Ia go back to
the Georgia town I came from and help
my brother. who is a physician there.
There's no nurse in the town who has any
scientific training whatever, and brother,
with his up-to-date ideas, felt sure I'd be
a great help 20 him. ! wasn't. though !
had just ore case during the two months
I spent down home last fall and that set
tied the natter Brother was called to see
a baby wEO had pneumonia. and I. In my
brightest uniform, went along. The room
was full Of advising neighbors when We
Eot there, but brother persuaded them al
to go-sent everybody out but the child S
mother and the old colored nanny l
took the baby and sat down by the fire
to put a dressing on its chest, Nanny
watched me disapprovingly. Quite WITH
out Intention. I laid the child down with
its head toward the fire. Nanny gave
something that sounded ike "a war whoop
and snatched the baby away from me.
- afn't goin' TO stan here an see no
chile uistreated like that she cried.
You done laid il down so ev'ry bit OF
that misery's drawed 10 its head. Head
10 the hre- nv father, You fxln 10 give
that chile stu9or of the brainH
'sThat was my scle and only case. No
body down there was willing to risk hay-
ing a nurse who'd give a baby 'stupor
OF the brain by holding its head instead
OF It's feet toward the hre. People admit
ted that I meant well. but they pointed
~ told brother they wouldn't trust me
for a minute
Speaking Of sick people reminds me Of
a story a Georgetown woman who has
recently recovered from a long and seri-
Gus illness tells. During her illness the
/ twelve-year-old daughter of neighbor
/ came every day 20 ask how she did One
day, when the sick woman was a little
better than usual. the child was allowed
10 come into the room. She came close
I to the bed and stood looking at the in
valid attentively ia silence After a few
=
WHY. YOU look real natural she said
Il told mother it would be all right"
What would be all right?' asked the
sick woman.
About the calla," answered the child.
/ We've got one bud now. We've had
six and we sent all of them to funerals
/ Mother was afraid this one wouldn't
! bloom soon enough. but I reckon 1t wilt
/ It is that same woman who tells Of a
particularly cheering gift that was sent
/ her by a far-seeiag aunt at a time when
her illness seemed more than likely TO
end in death. It came in a large box
and was addressed to her husband. but as
soon as he saw what it was he brought
/ it TO his wife.
Aunt Sarahs sent YOU wrapper -
/ he announced, unfolding the garment
/ It was a dainty affair of soft white
( cashmere, with lace douEce down the
! front The invalid turned it over admir-
ingly. II was exquisitely sewed. except
/ down the back There the seam was
merely basted ] don't suppose the hus-
/ band understands yet why the sight of
/ that basted seam set his wife off into
/ hysterieal laughter. Aunt Sarah. so the
invalid says. was determined to make
! the gift appropriate no matter what hap
! pened. If her niece lived, the seam could
! easily be stitched UD. II she didn't well,
well, Aunt Sarah knew how handy the
/ thing would be, opening down the back.
I thought Of Aunt sarah's grewsome
/ foresight. as / walked along f street the
/ other day behind a lady in new III
ster II is not for me TO say why wO-
/ men choose this fashion or that. Per
haps they are beguiled by unscrupulous
/ tradesmeu. or perhaps they are simply
/ left 20 themselves" as my old nanny
used to say. The lady with the ulster,
not content with the misery of her entire
/ family over bOdiccs buttOned behind had
/ chosen TO faunt the symbol of mans
humiliation on the street. Presumably
I her ulster really buttoned in front. j
! don't believe any woman would dare add
the buttoning Of a coat to her husband 5
ether n1iseries. but ii had the appearance
/ of fastening i'm the back Down the back
seam. ran a narrow red piping, and be-
/ side this vas set row of large red
/ buttons. The ulster being of a checked
pattern. was a sort OF apothesis of the
/ gingham pinafore of childhood days. No
/ doubt il cost money. The lady wore ii
with the satisfied air of one who is con-
sci0us of being either faultless of con-
| science or dressed in the latest fashion
4 the two states are psychologically identi-
/ cal-but why ON earth she felt assured
/ that row Of large red buttons down her
/ back would add TO her attractivel eSS is
! something that a wiser mind that mine
would addle itself in guessing.
met a very disconsolate little woman
! in market the other day.
What do you do with lettuce?' she
asked me
II eat it," I said. prosaically. Il put
dressing on II, and consume it,
7 know" said she, but what Go you
do TO steriize It? I've been reading
what a lot of germs there are on 1t. /
! washed it with soap and my husband