Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-01-22
RAY OF SUNSHINE

You poor dear! I'm so glad to see
you that I'd like to kiss you, but l
suppose I'd better not. OF course
you've got nothing contagious; still,
it's best to be on ones guard
THE nurse didn't want me to come
in for fear company might make you
more nervous. Company | said.
Why, that's ridiculous. I'm not COM
pany, I'm her very best and most inti-
mate friend So she made me prom
ise to stay only ten minutes by the
clock. She was on her way out for
constitutional, you say? Most likely
TO meet some man or other. What's
that? A settled woman? My dear,
these trained nurses are never set.
tied You may be sure that when
you're not looking she's making eyes
at your Frank Nurses. Why, all
they really do is eat three meals
day and draw their pay Oh, l know
EN-.
We'll, anyhow, I'm In here and she
won't bei back in an hours time, I'm
sure, SOL won't worry about watching
the clock. Besides, what you need
more than anything else is cheering
up. That's why came over.
Shall | plump your pillow up
little for you? There! That's better,
isn't it? | can see now how thin you've
grown. Positively, dear, as you're ly-
ing III that position you have the same
look that your sister did in her last
illness. Hasn't Frank noticed it? But
then, men are unobservant creatures
in anything that concerns their wives.
"You liked the flowers | sent? I'm
so glad. Do you know, thought they
were rather pretty, to. l ordered the
same kind made up in floral design
for Aunt GeorSiana's funeral. Isn't it
odd, come to think of it, that her trou-
Die was exactly like yours, only in a
more advanced stage? Frank was tell
ing me your symptoms the other day
when | met him downtown, and it's
Just the way Aunt Georgiana's illness
started off
"How's little Franks throat? What?
You didn't know there was anything
the matter with it? My goodness! Now,
I've let the cat out of the bag, l sup
pose. 1t just occurs to me that Frank
told me not to mention it to you.
Promise me that you won't tell him I
told you. Yes, | do remember now,
ne said the boy Is staying with his
aunt while you're laid up. I'm dread
fully sorry l told you How perfectly
stupid of me!
Try to be calm That's what al.
ways say to myself when anything
happens. You'll get we'll much quick.
er and that's what you want, partic-
ularly if the boys throat trouble de.
velOps into diphtheria as you'd want
10 nurse him.
Nov, don't try to talk. It's very
eXhausting and you must save all your
strength. You'll need it when you
get WELL in any event, | said to my.
self as | came up the stairs, Any one
can tell by the way things look that
Bess is sick But don't worry on that
account. Servants are servants.
What do they care If the dust Is an
inch thick and the house looking as II
a cyclone had struck it?
The time | had appendicitis my
house looked almost as bad as yours
does now. l nearly had another at.
tacl; getting it into order again. You
say that your maid has always been
dependable? Well, I'm glad of that
| was wondering what kind of person
she is. She was talking to very sus.
piCious looking character at the side
entrance as | came in. He looked like
a burglar to me.
Hand you your drops? They're on
the table? now, let me give the stuff
to you. There How clumsy of me!
I've spilled some on your lovely bed
cover. | can't imagine how l hap
pened to do that never did such a
thing before. l think the air in here
has made me a little dizzy, it's SO
close can be so handy, with things
that / really believe I've missed my
vocation in not being trained nurse.
Besides, Tom says I'm a perfect ray
Of sunshine in the sick room.
You're not taking all this stuff on
the table. are you? 1t looks like q
regular drug store. That reminds me.
Coming over on the car l read such q
dreadful thing in the newspaper. A
green drug clerk put up an overdose
of something or other for headache
ard the woman died ten minutes after
she took the stuff. Yes, here in town
-Smeek Brundly's. Gracious!
That's where this stuff is from, isn't
it? But, then, there's no need to wor-
ry now, because If any of the pre-
scriptions were wrong you'd have
known it by this time. Besides, the
clerk has been discharged.
We'll. Here's the nurse. Twenty
minutes? 1t doesn't seem possible"
(In whisper) Such impertinence!
Did you see the way she looked at me?
II were you, dear, I'd discharge that
sour faced thing at once. She's
enough to make you chronic in
valid! (Aloud) We'll, good-by Be
a good girl and don't worry about any
thing. | am coming over when you're
on the mend and stay whole after
noon. You need some one to keep
you cheered up. God-by, DEAR" exit
glaring at nurse.)