Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-01-07
A Simple Matter
Of Suggestion

a disdainful air that was rather be.
coming to her. moved restlessly about
a room that was Uttered with all the
accessories and the confusion OF pack
ing. She sat down for moment to
pick up a refractory ribbon with her
bodkin, when there was a hurried
knock on the door, and entered her
best friend.
"Oh, my DEAR" she said. fiuttering
down upon the window ledge. the only
available seat she could find, Il came
around breathlessly because heard
you were too III to stay in town an
other day, and here find you packing
as calmly as though nothing were the
matter"
The imaginary invalid fixed her with
a cold eye. You are the twenty-ninth."
she said.
The twenty-ninth? What twenty
NINTH" asked the best friend, anx-
iously wondering II brain fever had
already set in.
The invalid dropped her bodkin.
The twenty-ninth person who Is max
ing this trip a necessity for me-" she
said, coldly.
Three persons stopped me In one
store and four in another to say anx-
iously: How pale you are! Have you
been III? or, You look awfully done
up; why don't you 60 home and rest"
Well, / did go home, but not to rest.
The insidious poison Of those thought
less remarks was beginning to get In
its good work. My dear. said mamma,
meeting me at the door as came In,
you are not looking at all well to-day.
Do 60 and lie down l found myself
looking into every mirror passed for
signs OF decay. l didn't sleep that
night for wondering II were really
going to be Ill, have typhoid fever or
appendicitis or something.
THE next day was Mary's wedding.
] went. looking paler than q ghost.
az you may perhaps remember you
took pains to tell me. So did every
one else. BY that time I knew 1t was
tuberculosis. / even began to cough
and to imagine / could taste blood.
My brother advised Scotch whisky, l
detest 1t, but ! took II regularly three
times q daF, and felt the worse for 1t.
Mamma insisted on raw eggs; l took
them, too. They made me frightfully
bilious. ] don't like milk, hut.l drank
several glasses day. and began .
tonic Of iron and Quinine.
ut began to leak out around town
that l was going away for my health.
People congratulated me and said 1t
was the very thing ought to do. I
hadn't the least idea of going. I had
planned to stay in town all summer.
and have a perfectly lovely trip in
the autumn. But not at all. The i'm
portunities Of my friends are literally
driving me away. II ! stayed here and
had to listen to another word on the
subject Of my health ] should die or
go mad"
Her friend fiuttered down beside her.
you poor child" she said. Il know
exactly how you feel. went through
the same thing precisely winter before
last. They just would have It that !
was Ill until / actually became q
wreck, and 1t cost papa pretty penny
to pull me through. what with doctors
bills and massage and a trained nurse.
It's downright heRrtless for people to
20 about making thoughtless remarks
about other peoples pallor and worn
out appearance and all that sort Of
thing. 1t always has its infueApA
No matter how well you ave feeling.
If some one GENES along and says
alphabetically that you look pale
or tired your whole system seems to
respond with a pale and tired feeling.
Now, l dare say you aren't feeling I'll
at ALL"
"Oh, yOa ] Am," broke in the imagin.
airy invalid. II wasn't at first, but Ito
been rubbed in too hard not to make
o lasting impression. II had met tive
or three persons that first day who
had told me was looking unusually
we'll / am certain / should have sum-
moned all my forces to meet their
opinion"
well, think that all disparasing
about ones health should be
punishable by law" said her friend
decidedly. II never again expect to
tell any one she looks bad even II !
see her cut in two by q trolley cor
or run over by an automobile. Once
| saw o woman turn deathly pale. and
/ knew she was going to faint. It was
at the play, and ! simply turned to her
and said, How remarkably well you
are looking and will you believe me.
my dear, she became rosy In q mo-
mept. It was like q Whit Of ammonia
to her. That was a juatinahle story,
but Of course ] wouldn't 30 out Of my
way to tell one to no good purpose.