The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-12
IN WARD SEVEN.
Ky Temple Bailey.

copyrighted. 1907, by P. c. Eastment.
 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 up.
 Her cheeks were very red as she went out of the ward, and when she was alone in the diet kitchen she said under her breath, "The idea"
 That afternoon she carried wee bunch of violets to the small boy, ana pinned them on his little white night shirt. T picked them in the yard she told him; spring is coming and ] saw a robin on the lawn.
 The small boy eyed her adoringly and when the doctor came he whis- nered "The nurse gave 'em to me. The pretty one with the blue eyes"
 Nurse IsabelIe?" 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 glasses. 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 whis- pered, May have a violet, JimmieT' and the small boy nodded, and the doc tor laid the little blue flower carefully in his pocketbook between the pre- scrlptions and the unpaid bills.
 Unpaid bills were the reason that in spite of his thirtyflve years, the doctor had not indulged in romance. Notwithstanding his success in his profession, the expenses of city living and a mortgage on his mothers farm kept him in a state of chronic insolr- vency, with a consequent constant shabbiness.
 At the door Nurse Isabelle helped him on with his rusty overcoat.
 "There's a button off,''she told him; 'I'n sew 1t on if you will wait"
 And as she took delft stitches, the doc tor looked down at her capped head. From beneath the cap little blond locks curled against her round throat.
 "Jimmie's right" he said aloud, and when Nurse Isabelle said "What?' in a startled way. he stammered, "Oh, nothing. Let me know how the boy is," and went away.
 That night he took an account Of ways and means and found that 1t wouldn't do. There was a big bal ance yet to be paid on the mortgage, and he must still travel the path or loneliness.
 "oh, say" Jimmie informed him a week later you ain't doin' 1t right
 Why not?" the doctor asked.
 "Aw, you ought to bring her rose or some violets," Jimmie told him; "she likes 'em."
 T haven't time for foolishness," the doctor stated briefly. and Nurse Isa- belle, 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, well, anyhow, I'm dead stuck on you. nurse, dear" She kissed him, with her cheeks blazing.
 That night she telephoned to the doc tor, Jimmie is worse"
 When he came the small boy was fighting for breath. "TeH.me about the robin" he begged, feebly, and Nurse Isabelle bent over him and sang softly, "The robin is dressed In hls 1eathefs
 and down.
 With warm red breast and his wings
 of brown" .:....
 and then she stood 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, bendlnS over nm, began lo cry. silently at first, then hysterically.
 "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
 Co and get me hot water" he ordered, plenty of it. I'm ashamed of you"
 When she came back he had his coat off and his sleeves were rolled up Its 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, 'I am ashamed of my self" she whispered. 'But-I haven't many people to love me-" And she sobbed under her breath.
 The doctors hair was wet, his face was red and his shirt was open at the neck, showing the cords of his strons neck. He lifted the little steamine body in his arms, and held the boy while Nurse Isabelle enveloped him fl a heated blanket.
 Jimmie opened his eyes as thev lait