The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-12

Copyright. 1910, by w. G. Chapman)
n OLE PETRIE came to me from
England, bearing testimonials
from several of London s fore
most physicians regarding her
ability rs a graduate nurse, ] avalled
myself of her services in my private
hospital. and she justified the good
Impression she made upon me at our
first interview. She was clever, pains.
taking and absolutely trustworthy. and
] learned to rely upon her in the hand
ling or the most difficult cases. Her
health however was not all that it
should have been and two months af
ter her engagement she was taken i'll
with form OF nervous malady. !
treated her successfully and she ac"
knowledged that as | suspected she
had suffered from the ailment formerly.
and this was n second attack Of the
old trouble. IL was then that she re-
lated TO me n rather singular story,
which | have endeavored TO set down
as follows, as nearly as possible in her
own words;
Early in the winter of last year,
when living in London, I was sent to
nurse a patient by the name of Beonora
Trefusis. She was q girl Of 10, and
the victim of nerve distress in an acute
form. The illness was brought on by
an unfortunate love affair Two years
Captain Clifford OF the British army.
Then the news reached Leonora that
her lover had been killed during an
encounter with fribesmen in India, His
body WIS never recovered and the blow
completely prostraicd the Young girl.
The nervous breakdown which re
CURED my services took place. got
her to confde her SORROWS to me and
she often spoke OF Captain Clifford and
of the love she still bore him.
BY and by Leonora began to get
we'll, and soon afterward, TO my aston
ishment, | heard Of her engagement to
DR.. Herslet. one of the cleverest sur
geons in Harley street. I had nursed
patients for DR.. Herslet, aud never
imagined that he was n marrying man.
lie was hard and dry in appearance,
not more than 35. but looking consid
crahly older. Herslet was a brain spc
the anatomy of tbe brain more thor
oughly. All that modern science knew
he had acquired, ] respected Herslet,
but at the same time ! feared him. for
he was silent, cold sort of individual
whose manner repelled one. When he
became engaged to Leonora I felt
sorry for the girl, Once T. fventured to
speak to my patient on the subject
DO YOU really love this man whom
You are going TO marry?' ] asked.
She looked at me sadly and shook
her head. 81 do not, - she said slowly !
=, am going to marry DR.. Herset sim
ply because My father wishes it, Yet
he knows that all my love is given to |
tho man who lies IN an unknown grave |
)pr Herslet understands that if such |
an an impossible thing happened rs that
Dick Clifford should come back I could !
not marry him. Dick will never come
back. of course, and i shall be married
to Dr.. Herslet in two months from
now. You viii stay with me until the
wedding is over, Will Won not, nurse?'
! readily promised. for I had grown |
TO love the girl well On a certain |
day not long after this conversation |
happened to be alone when the door
of the room | was in opened and Dr.
Herslet came In
81 have very critical case in my
hospital inst now, nurse said he. EfI
want your assistance, as the case is
one of life or death You must leave
Miss Trcfusis tomorrow and come to
me-
81 cannot replied. "Lconora is
better, but she is still dependent on
me-
Nevertheless, (" he returned coldly,
wa VIII coWS 10 NY mouse tomorrow
evening. The operation will take place
on the following morning. 7 am 90
ing TO trephine. If | am not success
full the patient will 90 mad; trephlning
is the only chance for him, ] will
arrange the matter with Miss Trefu-
SIS. -
That evening Leonora came 10 me
You will have to leave me. nurse, -
she said. 81 feel terribly sad Mt the
thought of losing You, but DR.. Herslet