The Delta independent., 1913-04-11
AS OTHERS HEAR US
BY IDA PATTERSON.

chine which records every word yOl
say, omitting nothing. excusing moth
ing SOftening nothing. 1t is the
worlds great repeater, q professional
eavesoropper, realizing in part Robert
Burns wish. except that instead OF
seeing, 1t makes US hear ourselves
as others hear US. I was swinging
along on top of a Fifth avenue stage
on a moonlight night. Wedged be
tween the bus railing at the left and
a stout man asleep on the right. more
bus railing in front and an absorbed.
in-themselves couple behind me.
could not avaid playing the dicta
graph.
A woman's sweet. rather plaintive
voice poured this into the ears Of the
man who sat beside the owner of the
voice.
YES I don't know what will be-
come of me. a weak woman all alone
In the world"
She'll get him." I thought. THAT
kind of talk always goes with men II
the woman's pretty"
81 was not brought up to do any.
thing. I've always had some one to
lean on
Great" thought I. She's widow.
I'll warrant he's bursting with a pro-
posal this minute
when l found myself alone and
with very little money | didn't know
what to do the stream OF stickily.
sweet voice went on.
He'll know" tried to send
thought wave to her.
81 went to a hospital and was there
six months"
Bad move" I started n warning
thought wave toward her. Men are
economical for every one but them
selves. Tack your conversational
ship"
The thought wave missed. for she
went on. 81 had such a fine nurse.
a big. strong woman who used to lift
me about as though were baby.
She used to say: You poor little
thing. You're just barely alive. You
might almost as well be dead"
Tack. tack" mentally shouted TO
her. Men hate invalids. you know.
While one man will turn nurse ninety.
nine will leave home when there's
sickness in it,
They made mistake when they
discharged me from the hospital.
wasn't out two weeks when | had a
relapse and had to go back. This
time | had to take a more expensive
room and had to have two nurses in
stead of one. The doctor said would
never be strong again"
"Oh. woman. woman" thought
waved.
When left the hospital took a
nurse home with me. I was so weak
l could hardly walk. I kept her with
me a year When I got a little better
from the heart trouble I developed a
case OF uric acid. The nurse used to
say to me: My dear. you have
enough uric acid In you to float q
ship had to take Turkish baths
every day and massage with salt and
had to go south for two winters"
stop" I wigwagged. but In vain.
Then my nerves gave way. They've
not been right since"
stified q groan. Every one knows
that men are more afraid of nerves
in a woman than OF grizzly bear in
polar shows.
Yes. There was time when I
wasn't quite responsible for what
said or did"
You're not now" tried another
despairlng thought wave. 1t was lost
at sea.
81 had frightful pains In my head
and was so irritable. I haven't gotten
got out OF order"
~ ,.l
hearty. vibrating with health and
vigor. interrupted. He offered her his
hand and guided her down the steps
winding from the top OF the stage.
The vehicle obligingly waited for
some painting. waving. halloing would
be passengers hurrying toward us
from the side street During that
pause the man guided his still talk
ing companion up the steps to an
apartment house around the corner.
lifted his hat and hurried away as
though something were pursuing him.
She stood in the doorway looking
after him. but he did not look back
At the next turning he was lost from
sight. forever, doubt not. to that
woman.
Pity is not akin TO love II the pity
Is for bodily Ills. Cupid balks at med.
ical records. No man wants to marry
q walking hospital. No proposal ever
followed a recital OF aches and pains
except Robert BrOwning's. and Rob
ert Browning was of another age and
country. Moreover. he was a poet
and poets are different. Moreover
still, this one WAS rich.