The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-11-11
MORNINGS By
ALLAN UPDEGRAFF//< '7:'''''"

lantly forestalled her by attracting the
doing drivers attention with tap of his
night-stick.
In spite of caracul and padded cushions,
Miss Allston experienced something very
like chill on the way home Her maid,
tight-mouthed, but with disapproval that
expressed itself in glances and attitudes,
assisted her to bed. Hot-water bottles and
blankets were for some time unable to dis
pei her persistent chilliness; and when
shortly after nine o'clock Mrs. Alston
came to her daughters room, Miss Alston
had abnorn1ally frightened eyes and abnor-
mally heightened temperature.
Miss Allston's morning meditations,
made more active and numerous by her
sulting ambulance man. She determined
to write letter to Bellevue Hospital telling
of her presence at the little incident in
Madison Square, and offering to pay for the
best treatment for the sick man Quite
incidentally, she would find occasion to-
excoriate-yes, excoriate was the word
the insulting attendant who had come with
the ambulance. The single point upon
which she was not clear was the title of the
functionary to whom she should address
her letter. Did hospitals have presidents,
superintendent, or general managers?
She rang for her maid, announced her
improved condition, and declared her in
tention OF getting up.
Most of the afternoon she spent in &C
cordance with the doctors suggestion, in
motoring; and, in accordance with her own
desire, in meditating.
But during the following two days
the uppernost subject of her thoughts was
the insulting ambulance man. Her feeling
toward him underwent curious, if entirely
explicable, transformation. Her previous
malign intentions with regard to him got
mixed up with her meddlesome, superior,
and ignorant attitude toward him, to the
great exaggeration of the attitude in ques-
ton. In proportion as she remembered
her own shortcomings she forgot his; she
even made allowances for him, on the
ground that he was different from the men
of her acquaintance, had more to do, led a
Steiner sort of life, was unrestrained by the
well-greased grooves of that Society which
restrained her. She came, at length, to the
conclusion that he was very remarkable
man, and that she had first behaved in a
very silly, and then in a very insulting,
manner toward him. These conclusions
seemed astonishingly important to her.
She determined, largely as a means of show
ing that she, also, could be above conven-
tons, to write him note of apology.
Accordingly, she composed, re-wrote, and
l copied short note to DR.. Herbert B. Will
Der, Bellevue Hospital, New York City.
Its burden was, significantly enough, not SO
much her regret at having treated him
cavalierly, as at having appeared ignorant
and foolish before him. Principally on this
account her note, upon final re-reading,
appeared lacking in the matter of a suffi-
Gent raison d'etye She was thus inspired
to add few lines deploring the prevalence
of phthisis in New York, and requesting
specifications as to the location of that
"Longuevile- n-the- Hudson" of which he
4 had spoken.
DR.. Wilber's explanation of her misunder-
standing established that subtlest of bonds
between them-the interest of a ridiculous
mistake held in common. Being DESTROYS
of finding, so she found matters in his
brusk note which warranted a reply. She
even Contrived, in an eminently proper
manner, to induce him to offer his services
as guide through some of the by-ways OF
Lungerville Some days later they met
by appointment, at nine O'Clock one gentle
May morning A few faint breaths OF
springtime had managed to penetrate even
under the Swallowed, damp, dirtily throng-
ing approach of Williamsburg Bridge.
The surgeons greeting was reserved to
the point of iciness. He indicated, by a
movement of his cane, the direction they
should follow, and took his place beside her
II trust you understand that don't look
upon trips of this sort in the light of plea
sure excursions" he said, directing then
course south and east. Il show you these
things because you expressed interest ir
them, and because believe the more people
who know about them the better. l don't
consider the lower East Side menagerie.
She had not expected to be received as ar
impersonal, if not impertinent, investigator
of East Side conditions, assisted because
1.-THE more people who know about them the
better"
A glance at the free-spoken doctor:
: uncompromising profile made her shut he
lips upon tart retort. Although the fact
was unnoticed by both of them, he won {
n significant victory at that moment.
You must have very poor opinion O
: me, she said
Il beg your pardon-not at all" he as
+ sured her, without turning his face. 81