The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-05-10
nv CAROL H. PIERCE


Of love growing up in his heart. AS the
physical pangs grew less the love pangs
grew greater till at last could stand it
no longer. must speak. She came to
me one morning with q thermometer In
her hand to take my temperature, but
first felt my wrist. Those soft fingers
were too much for me.
II wish to say to you" 1 broke out,
that you're the loveliest creature on
the face Of the globe. Your eyes are
heavens windows, through which an
angel peers; your skin is alabaster.
your lips are budding roses. your
LET me see your tongue?"
I didn't like the shut off. but during
my confinement l had got used to be-
ing bossed, and obeyed instantly.
She pushed the thermometer into my
mouth. and speech was out of the
question.
She couldn't leave the thermometer
there forever, and when she took 1t
out and wrote something down on her
ruled blank l opened fire again, or,
rather, went on from where I'd left
off. "Your hair is Of gold; your cheeks
are a pair Of roses; your teeth are
pearls; your figure is that Of a Venus:
you are inconceivably beautiful"
This time she let me 60 on till had
exhausted the catalogue Of her charms.
when she said quietly:
would you like chops or steak for
your dinner or q slice Of roast beef?
The doctors say you may have what
you wish"
THAT means that I'm near q time
when l shall be forced to leave you.
won't 60. You needn't bring me any
thing but Cruel. positively decline to
be put on the convalescent list"
"An right Ill make it roast beef"
you are cruel"
"Oh. I'm used to this. can't be
shut up with sick man, he having
nothing but bare walls and me to look
at, but he gets an idea into his head
that I'm hour. I've had three prop
osiions Of marriage this year and
have accepted them all. l positively
decline to accept any more"
Three propositions! You have &C.
copied threeT"
Eyes. Why not? I never heard from
any Of the proposers after they were
discharged and had chance to come
to their senses"
do you mean to tell me that shall
ever consider you anything but god
dess; that when leave this placer
III you ever come back to it-which
you won't-you will see that l am a
plain, even homely, old maid, and you
will wonder what induced you to think
me beautiful. Did you ever write some
thing you thought was stroke of gen.
ius and take it up after you had cooled,
to discover that you had done a Job
you were ashamed Of? Well. If you
come back here to see me that Is the
way you will feel
mot at ALL I'll consider you what
you are. beautiful"
me as l am, anything but beautiful.
even homely.'
Il won't I'll clinch it now. Be my
wife,"
"In bet you the price Of sealskin
coat you do
do what?"
Find out your mistake
II take the bet"
every well; tbs a 60. You pay the bet
or marry me-"
"Done!"
I left the hospital q week after that.
and as soon as I got outside and rode
along the streets where many women.
some Of them pretty, were shopping, l
began to feel a reaction. When month
had gone by and my leg and my head
and my heart had got righted knew
didn't wish to marry my nurse or any
other woman. I would not go to see
her, for If did would have either to
admit that she was unattractive or
make her my wife. Instead. l sent her
the handsomest sealskin cloak I could
buy and wrote her note saying that
marriage was impossible with me. so
there would be no use for me to see
her.
Later woman with my sealskin on
bowed to me on the street l wondered
who she was. Then It dawned upon me
That she was my former nursA She
was q perfect scarecpoW.