The Caucasian., 1913-08-21
JENNY, The
HOSPITAL NURSE
An Episode of the Spanish
American War.

so reduced by the heat that began to
fear he would succumb. He was a
plucky little chap under fire; that |
learned from several of the other pa
tients who had been in the fight with
him, but dropped under inaction. Be
sides he had been very delicately
brought up. l asked him if l should
not send word for some of his family
to come out to him, but he said he had
run away from home to join the army
against his fathers express wish, also
knowing that it would be a great blow
to his mother Now he expressly de-
sired that they should not know of his
condition till he was well out Of it.
But the weather grew hotter, and the
poor fellow kept losing strength. 1t
was plain that he was suffering from
nostalgia, or homesickness, a trouble
far more common in war than cow
ardice Could l have brought some
member of his family to him l felt
reasonably certain that it would save
his life, but didn't know whom to ad-
dress
One day we secured lot of women
nurses. When they began to fit about
among the patients with their neat
white caps and aprons and striped
dresses, many a poor fellows face that
had been gloomy enough before lighted
up with new life. The day of their ar
rival I was at work with a case so dis
tressing that placed a screen about
the patient to shut him off from the
others From behind this screen
heard voices:
1T was very good Of you. Jenny, to
come down here to take care Of me-
The surgeon wanted to send for some
one from home but wouldn't let
him. You see, mother didn't want me
to 20 to the war, and it would not be
the right thing to have any one come
to this Tophet on my account or even
to let you know I've been winged, for
they'd do lot Of worrying, especially
recognized Cl1fford's voice and look
ed over the screen and saw one Of the
nurses sitting by him.
tYou must keep up good heart"
she replied, so that you may get well
and go home"
'That I'll do very quickly now you're
here. I've nothing but a scratch, you
know, and ought not to be here at all.
But somehow it's taken the strength
out Of me-
'I'll come to you often, but now that
I'm here must help the others too.
So I'll go away for awhile-not long
then we'll talk some more Of going
home"
AS the nurse went out beckoned
her to come to me and asked an ex-
PLANTATION. She told me that Clifford
was a trifle fighty and had mistaken
her for some one at home. Thinking
that the arrival of the real Jenny-for
as soon as Clifford came to himself
the Illusion would be gone-might save
the boys life, we concluded to send
to that effect to his people.
The nurse found letters in his pockets
giving the desired address,, and the
message was sent. Clifford when not
delirious treated the nurse as a stran-
ger, but when delirious as Jenny"
Meanwhile he was losing strength.
One morning soon after the arrival
OF ship from the north / was told
that Miss Clifford was on the veranda
and wished to see me- I went out
there and saw young woman in train
ed nurse costume
II have come to take care Of my
brother" she said. though am also
ready Tor the work. ] was sent here
as nurse for all.
There was that about Miss Clifford
which attracted me at once, a resolute
bearing, an especially graceful figure,
q large, dark, honest eye Beyond these.
there was something which appealed
to me individually, though it is not to
be described. conducted her to her
brothers bedside. There had been a
change In him for the worse during
the night. and he was muttering In
coherently to the supposed Jenny. The
real sister took her place. but it seem
ed to make no difference to the patient.
happened to be near when young
Clifford quieted down and became HIM
SELF. I heard an exclamation and, turn
ing, saw the boy with his arms about
his sisters neck. There was nothing
spoken. Eugene kept his arms where
he would not have had the strength to
place them without the nerve the meet
Ing gave him. as long as he could, then
they dropped and tears rolled down
his cheeks. His sister passed her hand
over his brow and whispered a few
words, and In little while the boy
fell into doze.
The tonic Of this meeting was all
that was required, and in a few days
Eugene had gained sufficient strength
for his sister to do other work. Mean
while had observed that Miss Clifford
possessed an administrative ability. Il
cool head which she never lost and
splendid nerve. She was one of those
women with no necessity for self sup
port. but with a spirit Incapable OF
simply waiting for a husband She
had. therefore. chosen a profession for
which she had marked taste and fit
ness As soon as her brother was ont