Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-08-15
HERE AND THERE.
THE CONVENTION OF DOUGLAS
DURANT.

up 10 the front gate, nltched his team,
politely assisted the nurse to alight,
snatched up his medicine case, and
the two hurridly approached the
house. They were met at the door
way by Mrs. Crissman, who, after
showing the doctor the way to Doug's
room, conducted the nurse into the
sitting room. The doctor met Eva in
the hallway and paused to talk with
her a moment.
Il have brought your old friend,
Retta Clute," said he, Ito nurse the
boy. With you to assist her ! shall
have little anxiety about the young
mans welfare during my absence"
Eva replied, Indeed, doctor, you
have incidently brought me a great
pleasure. My associations with Miss
Clute were very pleasant. We shall
certainly exhaust our skill in behalf
of your patient"
Thank YOU" said the doctor as he
| hurried on TO Dougs bedside, and
Eva went tripping down stairs to
greet her old friend.
The doctor examined Doug care
fully, noted his temperature, counted
his pulse, and was pleased with his
condition. He left some medicine Oh
the table, went down stairs to give
the nurse some special instructions,
then hurried away to a local hospital
10 assist in a serious operation.
The shadows of night were creep
ing over the fields: the folks in the
Crissman home were at supper, and
, Doug was alone, alone with his
thoughts on the silent wings of which
he sped back over the years TO his
school days and his native hills
Again he stood by the little brown
school house in a quiet little valley.
Again he was with all his old play
mates. Once again Cora Tumble
dropped the handkerchief behind him.
and he heard her merry laugh as he
chased her about the Fairgrounds
| Then he saw her little grass-grOwn
grave beneath a weeping willow.
Again he wandered down the road
along the hedge to the little white cot
tage where he was born. He saw his
mother on the porch. He heard he:
singing among the mOrning-glory
vines as he drove the COWS homeward
along the woodland way. Then two
great tears welled out on his eye
lashes and rolled down over his pale
cheeks on the pillow. Slowly the
heavy lids closed over his tired eyes
slept he twitched and mOaned anC
waved his hand about as if TO brush
some thing offensive away from his
face. He was dreaming. In his dream
| he saw the fiendish face and shoulders
of an old snag-toothed bag slowly ap-
! pear above the window sill. In he"
! claw-like hand she held a hollow
stick from the end of which was is
suing poisonous fumes. Like snake
| her lean, bony arm crept slyly il
| over the foot Of his bed and was hold
| ing the end of the stick close to mis-
mouth, when suddenly a beauN fu!
woman, the very antithesis Of the
grinning old bag, glided into the room
and, with her snow-white hand, push
ed the deadly stick aside and thrus,
the old hag back into the night. Al
this moment Eva, Miss Clute, and Mr..
! Crissman were entering the room.
Mr.. Crissman and Miss Clute had en-
tered and were standing a little back
from the head OF the bed when Doug
opened his eyes. He did not observe
them. But Eva had paused in the
doorway. Doug looked up and muir
INJURED, Thank you, thank you, good
lady" Eva smiled, shook her head
and laid her finger tips on her lips,
meaning, hush, you are not allowed
TO talk" Then she wondered why
Doug said thank you" He looked so
queer when he said it. The fact was.
Doug was only partly awake and was
confusing Eva with the beautiful lady
of his dream.
We'll, my boy" said Mr.. CrissmaH,
eve have come in to fix you up for a
good nights rest; but, first let me
make you acquainted with our friend
and your nurse, Miss Retta Clute."
Doug, now thoroughly awake, smil-
ed and nodded his recognition, after
which his wounds were dressed, a
little call bell was placed within his
reach. and he was left alone. Miss
Clute rOguishly warned him as she
rassed out TO be sure and improve the
hours of sleep. Doug could not sleep.
A reflective mood came upon him. He
wondered why it was that Eva'S pre-
sence invariably made him conscious
of his feelings and anxious to sup
press the visible evil of his nature
from a fear of grating harshly upon
her pure ideals. He recalled his con-
scious efforts to rise to a higher plain
of life so as to meet her as an asso-
ciate. Her presence had quickened
the germs of a great purpose in his