The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-23
BY ELLIS PARKER BUTLER.


'I don't want it. l could go home.
too. But I'm learning things l didn't
know here. 1t is good for me to see
how the real sufferers stand it, See that
chap In the third cot from the end?
They've got him listed to die next week,
and there hasn't been a visitor in to see
him for a month, they say. Looks
plucky, too, doesn't hep"
She glanced at the man and looked
back at wilkins serious face, and said
a hurried goodbye Soon after she
left the nurse took Wilkins tempera-
ture and the lines on the chart that
pictures it formed a peak as high and
sharp as Fuji-yama.
When the barber came the next
morning Wilkins had shave, and he
bought a paper from a boy who sold pa
pers, and sent some oranges across TO
the lung man." as he called his Wis
avis.
He found the day unutterably long,
and he was glad when, In the afternoon,
the nurses and an attendant began ar
ranging the white screens around the
next cot preparatory to it's reception OF
a new inmate. Wilkins hoped the new
conner would be interesting.
Two attendants carried in the stretch
er. which hardly bagged under its light
load, and disappeared within the
screens. wilkins saw the surgeon enter
the Enclosure and heard the short, BUS
iness-like consultation.
Run over by a cab on Eighth ave
nue. The abdomen badly crushed.
Nothing to do but kill the pain. He
will die some time tonight"
Then there were the usual sounds
as the gentle hands of the surgeon
did the little that could be done, and
the attendant removed the screens, and
Wilkins saw upon the pillow of the
next cot the yellow curls of little
lad of hardly years, still under an
anesthetic. The nurse glided from the
ward and returned with a woman OF
Is or so. She was somewhat loudly
dressed, but her eyes were red and
swollen and she was trying vainiy not
to sob. She held wet and crumpled
handkerchief against her mouth. She
| looked at her poor. crushed baby, and
hiding her face, ran from the room
Wilkins could hear her feet huTrying
down the stairs and her sobs that end
ed in groans She was the mother
and she could not bear to look upon
him.
! He lay a long time studying the face
of the boy. and at length saw the
| eyes open and stare indolently at the
glossy ceiling. One arm tossed rest
lessly on the lcoverlet and the plain
tive baby voice murmured:
Mamma, Dwink!"
| The child waited a minute, and then
more insistently came the voice again:
/ Mammal" and again, Mamma
please, dwink,"
The little voice was not fretful; il
was merely imperative This was q
prince who was accustomed to have his
behests obeyed. He waited as long as
prince, the best behaved, could be
expected to wait, when he had given q
command, and then, in the same tone
| commanded:
Mamma, please, dwinki"
! Doubtless he had often called in vain
We cannot give in to all these childish
whims, and he closed his eyes and tried
to go to sleep, like a good child, but
the little hand tossed pm the sheet.
When next the child called. the gen
| tie, white capped nurse brought water
| in q little cup with a spout and we
: his lips. She also brushed back the
yellow curls with her hand and RAJ
her soft palm across his hot forehead
wilkins loved her for that
Little chap seems rather thirsty,
he suggested.
The nurse smiled, for wilkins wa
| handsome, but she would have smiled
| anyway. II is one OF tle pTOIeSSiOnd
| duties.
children usually ask for a drink o
for their mother she said. 'It il
merely habit"
Twilight came, and the ward wa
made ready for the night. The nurs
came again to look at the boy ant
brought another pillow that he Nigh
be made more comfortable. When sh
raised him to put it in place he SHOOT
his head.
boy don't need it," he said sweet
ly, and then added his request, MAN
ma dwink!"
The nurse gave him a drink and wen
Il out, and the ward was left in semi
darkness.
wilkins must have gone to sleep, 70