The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-01-27
HER FIRST CASE

| VI II Was d. SCGuC Ol 6uCuduLm0uL LndL
burst on the vision of the beholder as
he entered the ballroom of one of the
! palatial Florida hotels in the height of
the season.
The great native palms, the scent of
the magnolias and orange blossoms
that f1oated in from the grounds, the
brilliant electric, the strains of the
orchestra all intoxicated the senses.
The sight of beautiful women and
handsome men in evening dress Gid
ing through the mazes of the dance
was animating and fascinating, and
one could not help feeling, for the
moment at least, the delicious sense of
pleasure that becomes in it's fullness
so dangerous to the spiritual atmo-
sphere
A group stood apart, near an arch
way of Southern moss. A young girl
of twenty-three and two men. One of
them was evidently her brother, a
strong family resemblance marking
the two. The other man was older,
with professional look, and at this
moment his face was lined with grave
thought in spite of the festivities
about him. .-,:....
He was apparently well acquainted
with the young man who had intro
duced him to his sister-a new arrival
from the North.
IT tell you, Miss Laura" said the
elder man, II am used to scenes of
pain, but my heart ached for that
family this evening"
"Tell me more about them, DOCTOR"
said the young lady.
well, in the first place, they are as
poor as responsibility can go. The wife
came with her invalid husband to
Florida in hopes that the climate
would prolong his life, and they were
settled nicely in little bit of cot
tage when the eldest girl took swamp
fever; in two days the boy was down,
and this evening was called to see
what I could do for the baby. He is
stricken, too. The poor little wife is
almost worn out with her three patti.
ents and her helpless husband, who
does not often leave his chair.
; "They are too poor to hire nurse
and to proud to ask help. have just
, left them, and all this scene of festiv-
. ity is mockery to me now" and the
: doctor turned away from the ball
room with frown on his face
II came here to ask the proprietor
of the hotel to send down some dainty
morsel for that brave little woman.
, I'll have her on my hands next, I sup
, pose"
The young girl had been listening
with intense interest. Her heart, had
been beating strongly with an appeal,
and not in vain. Doctor" she said, 81
have just graduated as trained nurse
from the Mercy Hospital, Pittsburg,
after years of study, for the course is
very thorough. I came here for little
vacation trip to see my brother, who
resides here, and for little relaxation
before began work. Now, this will be
my first case. Will you take me to
this family?"
"Why, Laura" interrupted the broth
er, this is your vacation" and he
frowned. "You can't begin work so
soon; you need rest"
This family, Miss Laura" said the
doctor, cant afford to remunerate you
for your services. 7 doubt whether
j, they could give you enough to eat"
Exactly what appeals to me, doctor.
II they had wealth and comfort they
could get any one to nurse them.
Come we lose time You said that
: some of the children were dying. Sup
: pose we go to them"
| "They will all die, I think, If things
: go on. This in noble resolve of
f yours, Miss Laura. honor you for it.
: But hadn't you better think twice
/. about it,"
"Why, sis" said her brother, "this
is suicide act of charity; be sen.
, sible! Maybe they won't want you"
/ Nothing like trying, Bob" said the
] girl with smile. "Come, doctor, give
me five minutes to get on my uniform,
) and call cab, for I mean to help
. those people," and she ran off, gained
the wide staircase and disappeared
. They had left the ballroom and were
a standing in the lobby. The two men
a looked at each other. what do you
! think of that, doctor?" said Bob
f Why, that girl has just come from a
strenuous four years of hard study and
hard work. I coaxed her down here
for a rest, and got her to the ball to-
n night to see life as it goes here, and
n you come along with your story oi
, sickness and poverty and away she
flies on tangent"
0 Hold on, Bob! She is woman in
q thousand. We all know that when
E the Lord got the angels into Paradise
d He left few of them floating around
+ this old earth to keep it from falling
I" to pieces. Your sister is one of these
d angels. Give her the right of way;
e she'll come out all right. God bless
e her!"
y "Oh, it's your profession, old saw
b bonesi Of course. YOU think it's ali