The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-11-21
A TRAINED NURSES CHOICE.

cry good What's the address, Z" Ruth Meade
no matter how brief her sentences, never gave the
impression of being curt. Her tone was too rich
and sweet not to please. Young efficient good to
look at the girls voice only one of the many
gifts which made her the favorite nurse at the reg
istry. She wrote the address of Dr. Stages pa
hent upon convenient pad as the manager re-
peated it.
THANK you. Goodbye"
With the quick noiseess manner her training had
accomplished, Ruth made some changes in the suit
she had fetched to her room ten minutes ear
ler.
81 expected to go home over Sunday she re-
hected, trace of doubt fitting her tranquil
face, disturbing its peace into an angry pucker of
the forehead stifening and thinning of the full
young lips "Oh, well-I'll drift with the current.
Duty can't be ignored Efface yourself and your
difficulties, Ruth; it's high sanctity and common
sense, both" She snapped the vase shut with whim-
steal energy, and picked up her hat and gloves,
Half an hour later, Ruth stood beside mpro-
vised operating table in a very rich mans house.
DR.. Stagg greeting her by fraction of a nod still
had mental leisure sufficient to think as many times
before, that Ruth was white-uniformed incana-
ton of quiet transformations capability. He can
ddly reverenced nurses who worked hard and talked
little.
Gust in time, Miss Meade Dr. Bell will take
the narcoss.-Its trepanning-"
They worked rapidly, almost In absolute 81
lence. There is something eerie about approach
ing mans brain with material instruments even
Of twentieth century manufacture. The patient
was neither young or old. He a large man,
probably handsome although the disfgured head
and the face, partially concealed by the ether
cone, gave Ruth little definite idea of feature or
contour. She instinctively fanced the counte-
nance fine looking. Then by force of habit she
put all curiosity, all imagination, everything
cept the alert attention to her duty out of her
mind.
He was back in the carved and canopied bed,
no indication of triumphant reaction. The sur
geons were conversng in low tones, out in the in
jured mans study.
81 have made him as comfortable as / could"
thought Ruth, arranging bowls of solution upon
a table But I'm afraid nothing will help him.
His pulse and respiration both alarming"
She turned in a quick overpowering sympathy and
regarded the lying immaculate linen, his
head in clean white bandages, science attendant
with all its marvellous might, but the individual
evidently forever beyond the power of comfort,
luxury or knowledge to permanently assist him.
The calm, interchangeable a bit
wrought; there had been trials and struggles in
her own life of late. Two paths stretched out be
fore her and her heart quailed before the moment
when she must declare her choice. Mr.. Brewster,
a few hours before unknown to her, was getting
upon Ruth's nerves.
"Where's his wife?" she peevishly inquired of
herself mo doubt in Rome or Paris, most
husbands and wives are when l am called to nurse
their honorable consorts in wealth like this. Why
isn't she here? He's dying, Pm positive. Poor
chap! | wonder if that's his picture-taken years
ago" She was medtatively studying photo
graph upon cabinet when Dr. Stage beckoned
her from the door Ruth went in her quick, silent
fashion to join the two surgeons.
"Mr Brewster's condition is extremely critical
He may never come out of the ether. Do you
think I'd better send for a second nurse to go on
at sevenl" DR.. Stage knew what Ruth's answer
would be.
ooh mol I like to see my patient through the
night after an operation"
DR.. Stagg smiled at the jealous determination
in Ruths blue eyes
"Well! Mr.. Brewster's man will help you if
necessary In the morning shall see."
what we shall see" gravely supplemented DR..
Bell
Don't bury him till he's dead" snapped Dr.
Stage. He abhorred the precipitateness of youth.
Dr. Bell bowed haughtily.
Ruth turned to Dr. Stagg
"And Mrs Brewster!" said she impulsively.
Mr. Brewster is unmarried, Has no near rela-
tive whatever. Perhaps no really unsefsh friend
on the face of the globe"
Dr. Stage returned to the bedside and bent
once more over his patient. Ruth watched the
physicians serious sharply-cut features assume
more marked anxiety.
GLOW is he /" she breathed.
every low indeed" DR.. Stagg answered frank
~ at was a nasty collision, two machines head
on at a turn Mr.. Brewster thrown twenty
five feet"
A few final directions jotted down, grave bows
to Ruth and she sat alone the bed, listening
to the struggling breaths of the strong man whose
life was Pickering out premature twilight per-
vaded the room, darkening blacky in the corners.
Ruth knew window was open back of heavy
shrouding curtains. but the fumes of ether lin
gered through all the house
Its a horrid day" Ruth thought, reaching
for limp periodical and tanning away the APP
proach of unusual, unprofessional faintness.
A door was gently pushed open. Ruth stopped
tanning and slightly started at the appariton pre-
sentedi An old snowy headed darby in white
waist-coated evening clothes. holding by cumber-
some nail-studded collar huge Great Dane
"Hoz's Mass G'oge missy!" he queried in the
sofest tones of his race pluto, 20 ole fool keep