Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1914-12-31

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McChesney hurdled II at q leap.
Never mind" she said. Il know.
She looked at the faces Of those four
strangers. Sympathy--real, human
sympathy-~was uppermost In each
She smiled faint aud friendly little
smile at the group. And at that the
honsekeeper began tuckIng In the GOV
erH at the foot of the bed, and the iank
waitress walked to the window and
pulled down tho shade. and the bell
boy muttered something about ice wa.
Ter. The doctor patted her wrist light
ly and reassuringIy, v... 81.
You're all awfuily good" said EN-,
ma McChesney, her eyes glowing with
something other than fever. 1--WE
something to say. It's just this. II
I'm going to be sick I'd prefer to be
sick right here. unless it's something
catching. No hospital Don't ask me
why. don't know, We people on
the road are all alike. Wire r. A.
Buck, Jr,, OF the Featherioom Pstticoat
company, New York. You'll find plenty
or clean nightgowns In the Ieft.hand
tray OF my trunk, covered with white
tissue paper, Get nurse that doesn't
snitite, or talk about the palace she
nursed In last, where they treated her
like a queen and waited ON her hand
and foot. For goodness sake, put my
switch where nothing will happen to
II. and II | die and they run my pie
ture In the Dry Goods Review under
the caption. Veteran Travelling Sales
woman succumbs at Glen Rock I'll
haunt the editor" She paused a mo-
ment.
Everything will be all right" said
the housekeeper. soothingly. You'll
think you're right at home. itll be SO
comfortable. Was there anything else,
now?"
"Yea," said Emma McChesney.
THE most important OF all. My son,
jock McChesney, In fishing up In tho
Canadian woods A telegram may not
reach him for three weeks. They're
shifting about from camp TO camp. Try
10 get him, bat don't scare him too
much. You'll find the address under
J. In my address book In my handbag.
Poor kid. Perhaps It's just as we'll he
doesn't know"
Perhaps IL was. At any rate II was
true that had the tribe of McChesney
been as the leaves OF the trees, and
had II held q family reunion In Emma
McChssney's little hotel bedroom, IL
would have mattered not at all to her.
For she was Observation-Disclosures
a.day.trained.nurse bottles.by.the-bad.
side sick, her head. with ats bright hair
rumpied and dry with the fever. toss.
Ing from aide to side on the iumpy
hotel pillow, or lying terribly silent
and inert against the gray.white Of the
bed linen. She never quite knew how
narrowly she escaped that picture in
the Dry Goods Review.
Then one day the fever began to re-
cede. slowly, whence feyers come, and
the indeflnable air of suspense and re-
preston that fingers about sick.
room at such crisis began TO lift Inn.
perceptlbly There came time when
Emma McChesney asked In weak
bnt sane voice;
Ibid Jock Gomez Did they cut OFF
my hair2"
mot yet. dear" the nurse had an.
swered 10 the first. but we'll hear in
a day or so. I'm sure" And, Your
lovely HART Well. not if l know it,"
TO the second.
The spirit OF smailtown kindness
took Emma McChesney I'm Its arms,
The dingy little hotel room EIowed
with bowers, The story OF the sick
woman fighting there alone In the ter
rors Of delirium had gone up and down
about the town. Housewives with a
fine contempt for hotel soup sent
broths OF chicken and beef. The local
members or the u. G. r. sent roses
enough 10 tax every vase and wash.
pitcher that the hotel could muster.
and asked their wives to call at the
hotel and see what they could do. The
wives came, obediently, but with sus.
picion aud dtstrust In their eyes, aud
remained TO pat Emma McChesnsy's
arm, ask TO read aloud to her. and to
Indulge generally In that process
known ~ cheering her up" Every
travelling man who stopped at the Lie.
tie hotel on his way to Minneapolis
added 10 the heaped-up offerings at
Emma McChesneys shrine. Books
and magazines assumed the proper
tons OF library. One could see the
hand OF 4. A. Buck. Jr,. In the caaes
OF mineral water, quarts OK wine. cum
ming eordials and tiny bottles OF
iiquenr that stood In conviYial rows ON
the closet shelf ana floor. There came
letters. too. and kilograms with such
phrases as .'let nothing be left undone''
and spare no expense under +, A.
Buck. ira. signature
So Emma McChesney climbed the
long. weary hin Of Illness and pain,
reached the top. painting and almost
spent, rested there. and began the
easy descent on the other side that
led TO recovery and strength. But
something was lacking, That sunny
optimism that had been Emma Me.
Chesney's most valuable asset was alb.
sent The blue eyes had lost their
brave laughter, A respondent droop
fingered ON the corners OF the mouth
II n