The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-24

of right! They seemed to be playing to me alone.
 My patient lived in tenement house
 on the fifth floor, in the city directory l alluringly entered as the Empress apart ments.' l never before had been in the
 vicinity, and my heart failed me when
 beheld the regal edifce and my surround
 ings. But, after the battle I had fought
 with myself and the greatest sacrifice or 1 all had been made, I had placed my hand
 to the blow, and was unwilling to turn | back; in fact, by now, I was beginning
 to be somewhat interested. Up five flights of steps I climbed, the fat, cheery, good
 natured cabman following in the rear.
 and pufflng away under the weight of
 my suit case.
 1 Courtesy demanded I should knock at l the half open door of Apartment 10, buy
 it was. unnecessary, as the occupants of
 the flat were awaiting my coming with 1 1undisguised curiosity. Michael OGara, a l man of about 35 or 40 years of age, a la
 borer, lay on a very large. old fashioned | bed, entirely out of keeping with the small room but real necessity, as his l immense size required it. As I passed l through his room to go into the parlor CD l (where was to don my uniform), took
 a little peep at my patienet. At glance I I knew him to be true son of Erin l the fact would have been apparent to the I | home was destined to furnish the pie l turesque setting for my. entree into the professional world had never in my wild est flight of imagination suggested itself 1 to me Arraying myself in full white
 uniform. returned to my patients room. l Michael was heavy and cumbersome, and
 his bed apparently a hopeless mass to 1 disentangle. His, attack of pneumonia | had been initiated by 8 chill, and, in con | Uf | and pieces of newspaper wedged into the 1 window casing. Over Michaers great l form were piled blankets upon blankets,
 generously contributed by the neighbors, until there seemed to be little space be- | tween him and the low ceiling.
 - Under this heterogeneous pile the poor l patient lay. A man with a naturally forid
 complexion. now heightened by a high l temperature and undue weight and
 warmth from the blankets of the com munity, and, above all, unduly exercised l by the most frequent and anxious in 1 quiries of the sympathetic and alarmed | neighbors, he was the picture of misery, and was truly a pathetic figure. Neces- sary windows were soon opened, super l fuous blankets returned to the respec- l tive owners, and, with much urging on my part, white bed linen and a fresh gown were finally secured. After Michael l had had refreshing bath, followed by l an alcohol .sponging, an ice cap applied l to his fevered head, and hair brushed and considerable manicuring done in his be-
 half. and his bed remade with fresh white
 linen, he possessed a very gratifying ana | pleasing appearance. His temperature by l this time had dropped degree, and his | general condition was much more sat
 isfactory.
 l Poor Michael realized helping hand 1 mad arrived, and, reading in my coun-
 tenance "a willingness to serve" num- 1 bled under his breath a few inaudibIe 1 words or gratitude. He was a much val | ued employe' of the Bridge l Construction company, and it was through l the generosity of its authorities that med l 1cal attention and professional nursing 1 were provided.
 The doctor in charge game shortly after had made my patient spresentable and offered congratulations on the transfor- nation. He had called for a graduate l nurse at the request of the Construction l company when he had received his own call His first visit to Michael O'Gara had been shortly before my advent; he consequently had witnessed the wild and l chaotic conditions that surrounded the poor man and now expressed himself as l being deeply sorry for my position, but l hoped in the interest of saving a valued
 life, I would remain until needed rest, l when he would have professional relief l engaged-it did not enter the mind of either that possibly nurse would not 1 be available when desired. I had sacri- | need all to come to my patient and now
 my whole heart and soul were bound up in his welfare and there is nothing that
 can surpass the zeal and ienthvsiasm of ! a newly born graduate. The neighbors were still congregated in the next room. l regarding me with much misgiving and
 very little approval and when they dis covered cooling sponge bath had been :, given, the windows opened and ice an piled to Michael's head rapidly fatal
 termination of poor Michael was imme- diately prophesied. With the assurance of Dr. M of his entire approval of the treatment, with his asserted confidence in
 trained attention, and with his wonder fully nonchalant attitude toward the | skpeticism of the neghbors regarding the 1 present day method of treating pneu- l monia, peace prevailed, at least on the surface.
 Upon my arrival at the "Empress Apartment No. 5' had been greeted .lquite cordially by Mrs. O'Gara, a woman I of large frame and vert stout, appar-
 ently few years the senior of her hus-
 band. As Michaels condition continued quite satisfactory to Dr. M- and he gave the most hopeful reports to Mrs. O'Gara
 regarding his progress. the cordiality and l good will of mine hostess perceptiblv increased. Under the trying circum- I'stances. this attitude was exceedingly acceptable. l was lonely and visions would float before me of my lost Christi mas with it's gayety and good cheer. Still, conditions were endurable. Mrs. O'Gara good nature appealed to me and helped to while away many hours that otherwise would have been very long. As time passed Mrs. O'Gara plainly | showed that she considered me an infalli-
 ble authority, not only on nursing, bNt on any subject that could be introduced l This beautiful faith, manifested by her made me feel unusually capable All was going quite satisfactorily Although Michael was an unusually silent man, he thanked me almost daily for my at tentions and beyond this made no eff fort to converse. l Ns All efforts were put forth by myself and,
 knowing he was better quiet, made only
 occasional remarks, calculated to have a
 salutary effect. On the fourth day mo- ticed Mrs. O'Garas manner less cordial. l lack of it I attributed to her anxiety
 regardipg her husband; the disease was I fastlreaching the height of it's course and
 he looked badly Time wore on and there
 was no change in the demeanor of Mrs. II IOGara I wondered if unintentionaly, her feelings had been wounded, or If my imag-
 ination might be playing me false At | eventide I knew it was not imagina- tion and become certain that all friend | liness on the part of Mrs. OGara was | fast waning. l tried hard to conceal my feelings and comforted myself by think