The San Francisco call., 1909-03-21


Mr.. Bulcn" | interposed slowly, my description
was misleading 1t may be that your wife is my pa
tient. | would like you TO her. But--she must
not be excited If you control yourself | will
take you to her
By supreme effort he replied, with degree of
camness
Il was startled out OF myself l shall be very care
full"
Very we'll then
word to the head nurse readily won her consent
for him to so with
On the way up the long fight OF stairs Which led TO
ward B-there was no elevator i'll this part OF the
buildng-my heart misgave | positive that
that was indeed Mrs. BuIlen's husband but would
she thank for taking him to herr
l stole glance at him. lie we'll past the
prime of life and than the tale of years had
aged him Disease had followed his checks and con-
tracted his chest but for all that he very much
of man. and not even the toiling climb had driven
from his face the rapt, tender expression that re-
vived hope had brought to it. Surely whatever had
parted them she could not be proof against him
l almost loved him myself.
And so, leaving him in the medicine to get
his breath, l passed into the ward and over TO
her She looked up at inquiringy and
then critically
you to me about something in partc-
ular, Miss Harder she surprised by rcmarking
] was chagrined. And had hattered myself that |
was very sphinx. But her opening cleared the way
for me, and plunged in with:
"Yes, Mrs. Bullen, l do Oh, Mrs Bullen, who
do you think is here? Some one who loves you
very dearly, and who has been hunting everywhere
for you! Oh, do not send him awayf
She sat bolt upright She dropped the lace strip
she knitting and seized my hand convulsvey
in her thin hot
God, Miss Hardie Is it's it-Henry9 My hus-
band?"
;~f Of
with such fearful intensity 1t burst through her
mask of repression, and her face alight with so
rare beauty that, marvelng, / could but mutey
nod my head and hurry away
paused only long enough to close the curtains
the side OF her bed away from the wall and to move
the foot, thus effcctualy hiding her
from curious observation, and then for him.
He met at the door with an eagerness which he
made attempt hide, and / did prolong his
suspense but conducted him her. and then left
them, locked in each others arms
What they said to each other do not know, any
more than know the of their years of separa-
ton, but that their reconciliation was complete was
evident to when, couple of hours later, had to
intrude upon their JOY with the reminder that it
o'clock and supper time
Each day after that Mr. Bullen made long call on
his wife, and wonderful was the apparent inn
provement in them both, physically we'll
tally that ] almost agreed with the kindly ward
maid who declared that they would be cured.
Faith! an there's nothn' like happiness" she in
sisted, for turnn' the doctor out of doors! You'll
see, they'll be their feet again and give us the
Taught" And really it almost scanned as if she were
right
Mrs Buen who had not been out OF bed for
weeks took to sitting up for the three hours
that he with her. and he would sit by her chair,
holding her hand in his he read aloud to her, or
they talked quietly together, and they talked
than they read Sometimes he would bring her a
flower red pink carnaton, and she would
stick coquettishly in her hair and smile up him
till he would bend and-I knew the purpose of
that mouth of hers, and did he.
All the world loves lover and these old married
lovers became the center of interest for the whole
ward. And Mrs Bullcn did not resent it. Her un-
approachableness had fallen from her like gar /
ment and she met all advances more than half way
She had little to give but thanks and appreciation
she had exhausted her resources and she proud
of the fact that her husband had spent all his money
looking for her-but her gratitude beautiful TO
Mrs. Bennett, whose duty it and dis
tribute the gauze handkerchiefs to her fellow pa
tients, showed her sympathy by neatly pinkng the
raw edges of those she provided for Mrs Buen
because she's bride like" and overwhelmed
with delight when this delicate attention
ceved in the spirit in which it offered On visit
ing days when the patients friends brought them
gifts of fruit and ellies the recipients We'd with
another in setting aside the choicest portions for
the happy couple, and doubt it partly due to
these delicacies that Mrs Bullens tagging appetite
stimulated that she did away wearily
from her tray as formerly
But there came day-and it all too in
coming-when Mr. Bulcn did not appear at his
usual hour, but instead sent message by the or
derly to the effect that he had headache, but his
wife must not worry-he would surely be up tomor-
row. Mrs Bullen, who had just got up and was
looking particularly bright presently complained of
being tired and | helped her back into bed, where
she lay with return OF her old listessness which
worried me- But very good friends