Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-12

ca by abstract reasoning. He under
stands by tangible demonstrations.
So she told Joe Of the Christmas fes-
tieal and of the gifts that would come
20 him on the birthday of the Saviour
| She taught him a prayer which. If he
said it every night, would make him
! Ii good boy.
/ Sometimes he confused his prayer
with the jingles she taught him and
said the rhyme of Little Bopeep'
| Instead of Now l lay me-
She always came in the evening to
/ bear his prayer, and DR.. knight would
come and listen. But his LADY" never
/ cooke to DR.. Knight and never seemed
! to know that he was near.
Christmas eve came. Miss Merton
took Joe down 10 the hospital chapel
in his wheeled chair. At the door he
! smut his eyes tight for a second and
/ tnen flashed them open.
The room WAS full OF light and the
warm, sweet smell of fresh pine
branches. Ropes of holly and ever
/ green draped the ceiling and the walls,
and from the ropes hung little red
bells-such CHEEKY little bells that they
seemed to send out with their rosy
/ color q ClrlStnldS SEeetlnS-
J In the center of the platform at the
! end of the room stood the Christmas
tree.
1t was tall and wide and covered
with twinkling candles, glistening or
nsments and packages tied with red
and green ribbons.
/ On the floor were piled more pack
ages, so many of them that the floor
/ was covered.
The patients were all there. Old
Miss Curtiss, palsied d helpless. was
/ in "a chair near the platform. Her face
was radiant, and occasionally she lifted
/ her one sound hand and pointed to the
| tree.
! Mr. FUR, who two weeks before had
lost both legs, was brought in on
I stretcher. The oldest inhabitant. par
/ alytic, was wheeled in on her bed.
The convalescents with canes and
crutches sat in easy chairs or lay on
( pillows on the chapel benches.
The surgeons in their evening clothes
on their way to Christmas eve dinners
had come in and were affecting the
antics Of joyful small boys.
The first package taken from the
tree was for Joe. Another was laid in
| his lap and another. They came fast.
They filed his chair and lay on the
. floor around him.
There were toys of all kinds, balls OF
| all sizes and colors, tops of every style,
animals of every material, banks with
pennies rafting in them, games, puz-
zles, paint boxes, picture books, a
lovely, many colored clown that waved
a hoop.
There were shoes, stockings. under
wear, a suit Of clothes, neczties, hand
kerchiefs and nittens.
After the happy child had been put
to bed and his toys placed where he
could see them DR.. Knight came in.
where's your lady, Joe?" he asked.
Downstairs"
did she hear you say your pray
ersY'',
Yes. and she said her prayers too.
They aren like my prayers. And she
cry-just a tie cry"
What she say when she pray
ed, JoeY'
"She put her head down in my COW
ers, and she say, Dear father, love
him and I'm so lonely And she cry
and say something about Harold. Who's
Harold?"
Harold Knight dropped the childs
hand and hurried out of the room and
downstairs to the chapel. Miss Merton
was there alone. He walked quickly
up to her and took her hands.
Edith" he began-"Edith, I want
[ love you'll
She stepped back and tried to draw
away her hands. The movement Of
her head brought her cap close to
candle on the tree. The thin null
famed suddenly into a blaze. DR..
Knights fingers closed over the burn
ing cap, and the fire was extinguished
in his hand.
He drew out the pin that held the
cap in place and lifted from her I'M
harmed hair the charred badge of her
profession.
She caught his hand and tried to
open It He clinched it and the cap in
it.
as 1t your cap you want?" he asked
mo, your hand; it's burned"
1--WE been suffering for weeks and
you haven't cared"
You wanted a silly Irritation, and if
you were hurt IT served you right
WIN you marry me- hulIn! snail
not ask for any more clandestine meet
ings. I'll try TO be patient till you
graduate. Can't you love me? You
love Joe and old Miss Curtiss and the
babies. Can't you care for me instead
of for all those people"
"Pm tired Of caring for people.
think I'd like-Id like to have some
body care for me-"
Before the next Christmas came
round Edith had taken off her nurses
uniform to don bridal dress. Harold
Knight was the happy man, and it was
arranged that the wedding should take
place at the hospital among those who
loved both the bride and the groom.
Joe, of course, was present and watch
Ell the proceedings with eyes wide
opnn