The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-03
By Edwin L. Sabin
AUTHOR OF THE CREST OF THE
DREAM" THE LAKE THING," ETC.


room of the hospital 1t was neatly
and uttractively furnished, with couch
chairs, we-sclcctod cngravings upon the
walls. and upon the library table late maya
zines FOR anybody, waiting, to read. Lindsey
was not reading. In the room beyond. the
"peiating-room they were operating upon
his wife
Lindsey still did not quite comprehend
the nature of this operation. II had come
upon him. and upon her. apparently so sud-
denlE-and yet, really. not suddenly, be-
cause the doctors said that the need had
been Of long standing. But in explaining to
him and stating what they were going to
do they had used, to make clear and to be
exact so many unaccustomed ana strange
words that he did not, he was free to con-
Tess, entirely grasp the details.
They were to take something out-thcy
"idnl call 1t the appendix prccisely-and
sew something something else: and then
they assured him. if matters went we'll the
chances were that she would be all right
This was the essential point to him: he
did not care what they took out Che being
not an ;natomist nor any learned man. but
carpenter) and he did not care how much
IL cost to take that out Che would pay half
Gown and the rest as fast as he could; Il
what he cared about was to have her well :"
again. =
From beyond the closed door came no
hint He had ridden down with his wife in
the strcet-car She had eaten breakfast
the doctors had said that would be better
and this had distressed him. To eat no
breakfast was not uncommon with her OF
late; but to be forbidden to sat any
whether She wanted il or not. seemed to
him portentous preparation In the rccep-
lion parlor of the hospital tho trim nurse
attendant took their name, and with an
oh, yes" OF understanding hustled out to
return and ask: will you step into the
elevator please"
Then they had assembled "a story: they had
disembarked and had been ushered into this
room where he was standing
You will come with me, please? Leave your
coat and hat here. if YOU like had said the
nurse, TO his wife. and had helped her to remove
the hat and coat. Hattie revealed in her best
dress she was OF that proud nature, was Hattie.
y stylish dress ii was. too; Mrs. McConigal next
door, and she had made 1t together.
Well" said Hattie. to him; good bye"
"Good-bye, he had answered, and had patted
her on the shoulder Only for an instant she
hcstaicd-but did not laltcr: she arranged her
hair with tentative hand, if going in 10 a
photoelarher's ana with little smile back at
him. as the nurse stood aside for her pass, She
crossed the threshold The door softly closed be-
hind her. Ioosed by the monicntary opening of 1t
there driitcd TO him the unforGettable odor of the
bandage dressing which doctor mad put
upon his foot
And since she had vanished no hint Of her
or of what was occurring had issued through that
doorway. NO sound. no movement, token
Whatsoever OF what they were doing to hattie.
Sixteen years had he and she been married
mat was not very long. 1t had seemed TO him
that they were growing old: he realized that
this was Il foolish notion. Why they had not
lived at all. yet. And they had been missing their
opportunities. Times had been rather hard of
late, and they had been trying to make ends
meet; but, pshaw! they need have kept so
close. The children large enough to stay at
home by themselves, occasionally. There were
places that he and she could go, easy NOW, and
then. of an evening Sunday, and have
good time. She was always ready to so. She
liked 10 so, did Hattie. He was the one who
wanted to stay at home. But next summer they
would take that trip postponed from three wears