The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-12-30
FORCED TO ROB.
HER PATIENT
Strange Experience Of a
Trained Nurse.


How is it that studied to be a train
| ed nurse and never took but one case?
l will tell you. A few days after re.
ceiving my diploma | was at the hos
pital from which | had been gradual
ed. While there a sudden call came
for a nurse. None Of the regular nurses
could be spared hut the inquirer was
| Informed that u recent graduate who
had yet to take her first case was ready
to respond.
| l found my patient surrounded by
every luxury. venerable lady re-
ceived me and told me that her son
was to be nursed through a case of fe-
| yer. Upon going into the sickrOom !
saw man apparently about forty
whose case had just been diagnosed as
one of typhoid.
My patient never complained. no mat.
ter how he suffered, and ut the slight
est approach Of relief he would make
light of his condition. which knew
well was very serious. | made several
mistakes, one of which was apparent
to the sufferer and resulted seriously
to him. Nevertheless he prevented the
doctor from knowing that was the
cause, sending me away when he next
called and explaining his condition in
his own way
But this IS not the story. One night
when he was passing the crisis step
ped into the hall 1t was between
and o'clock. l was surprised to find
that the light always kept there was
not burning. While | was wondering
at this bright light shone full in my
face, and masked man behind it
came toward me. | thought only of
my patient, who the doctor had as.
sured me was lowering between life
and death and could bear no shock.
Two frights cannot occupy the mind at
the same moment. At any rate, step.
ped forward to meet him. putting my
finger to my lips.
There's man near to death in that
room," | whispered. pointing. go
downstairs, and I'll help you all can
The man motionel for me to go
downstairs before him. then followed
me to the library below. When we
reached it found the gas burning and,
turning to the man. saw him clutching
a revolver, which was pointed directly
at me-
Turn over the plate" lie said. "and
I'll git out. but warn you if you play
any game you're dead woman"
Io La, lac,
en- at night 90 the room occupied by my
patient would have discontinued the
practice, but he would hot permit. and
it was there now told the burglar
that, being ii stranger in the house,
could only help him find 1t and began
pretended search. when he stopped
me, telling me that the silver was al
ways taken upstairs. and either !
should go and get it or he would seek
for it in the sic.;r0Om.
What could | do? | promised to go
and get it for him while he watched
me from the landing. What a position.
I was obliged to steal the plate, and If
the patient saw me he might believe
himself in the hands of thief. Never
theless l went into the room, leaving
the door open, as directed, to bring the
plate. Ny patient seemed to be in a
doZe. l opened the closet door in which
it was kept, keeping my eyes fixed on
the sleeper. if he was not rather in
coma than asleep. The plate was kept
in a large morocco covered box, and ]
took it out and was midway between
the closet and the door when he opened
his eyes and looked straight at me.
That was the moment of supreme ter,
ror of my life.
"What are you dolng?" he asked
feebly.
II need q few articles in this box" l
said. II will take them out downstairs
and bring it back"
There must have been guilty look
on my face rather than a frightened
one, for he looked at me with as severe
an expression as his condition would ad-
NIT, then, with groan, turned his race
away. There was nothing for me to do
but to carry the box to the burglar.
|
carried, then, opening IL closet. told me
| to 60 into it. In vain | begged to be
| permitted to go back to my patient
assuring the man that without my care
he might die before morning. All In
vain. The brute, declared that he would
not trust me lest give an alarm and
| thrust me in the closet
What endured there till heard the
butler setting the table for breakfast
no one but myself knows, and | could
never transfer the experience to an
other. When was let out the servant
started back as if he had seen ghost.
There was a mirror in the buffet, and
as | came before it stood wondering
whose was the reflection in it with fea-
lures not unlike mine and hair white
as snow.
had presence of mind to telephone
for nurse. then told the butler to go
to the patients room and see If he
were alive. He did so and came back
to say that his master wanted me to
come to him. l waited till the nurse
came and sent her in to him to say
that had been worn out with watch.
ing and was resting.
When l saw my patient again he
was convalescent He had been pre-
pared for everything, but when he saw
my white hair he groaned.
"You have saved my life," he said
''and it belongs to you. You must stay
here as long rs you live"
This was all the wooing got till he
was well, when he made up for the
matter of fact manner Of his proposal
and has been making up for 1t eveI
J sinfe.
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