Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-12-02
BRUNETTE PREFERRED
ny HOPE AlNsLIE.

80 NN~@~~@~
at ALL" the doctor said with dignity
"a brunette is more reliable and sta
bic In disposition, Nelson; that is all.
] want . girl who can take hold OF u
cottage and handle II. Put brunette
preferred in the id. and I'll pick her
out when they begin to arrive"
Nelson drew . sigh and typed the
ad to catch the mail. Three days later.
even while answers by mail were Pill
ing up for him to select from, the
down train from Beauchamp left q
young woman On the platform. and
after one quick survey OF the barren
landscape she headed for the low
brick factory buildings down near the
river.
She's got red hair, doc" Nelson
announced gently. as he hunted UP
the doctor and told him of his visitor.
She had. Undeniably red, and her
hazel eyes, brimful of determination.
overcame the doctors aversion and
got her the position.
She talked little. When she had oc-
casion TO come to the Office. Nelson
heard her humming to herself all the
way along the corridor.
Now, even Nelson was aware that
he was not an ordinary looking young
person. He was nephew TO old Rath-
burn, the owner of the Rathburn
Malleable Iron works. II had been
his idea and suggestion to take the
hospital department out Of the build
ings and build a decent cottage out
at the end Of the yards, where acct
dent cases could be handled.
Doctor O'FarreIl had backed him up.
While he held his own practice in the
small manufacturing town he was
under contract TO the works to patch
up the accident cases. Sometimes q
week went by without any.
Louise Hall was her name. She
came from northern New York Nell
son found that much out the day the
big belt caught at her dress skirt as
she passed its lower shaft, and he
pulled her away.
Don't use this passageway," he
told her sternly. zone of our boys
was caught here and landed up against
the wall yonder."
You ought to have the belt pro
tected," she answered coolly. Where
upon. thinking IL over. Nelson went
TO his uncle and had the belt pro
tected. So In one way and another
she introduced a better and more care
ful system into the works. Life was
a precious thing she taught even the
doctor, while he smiled and wished
her hair were a few shades darker.
Red hair was a sign OF a preponder-
ance OF executive ability he told Mel
SON on the quiet. Still she was doing
better than he had expected. Then
came the dag when Big Kalmuck, the
foreman over in the gray iron division,
tumbled over with ts.e heat and when
he came TO attacked the doctor.
There was no one in the hospital
cottage when IL happened but the
nurse and a couple of patients. but
somehow a cone soaked in chloroform
was pressed over Kalmuck's nose
from behind and he dropped in a
quiet, innocent heap at the doctors
feet.
BY the time Nelson answered Miss
Halls phone call the doctor had
slipped down beside him. protesting
that he was not hurt. but Kalmucks
knife still remained neatly plugged
between his ribs and he became a pa
tient at the cottage under the com
pany's care.
IL was the end of the first week and
Nelson was saying good night. The
door into the little side room was ajar
but the doctor had been sleeping. and
she stepped out for a glass of fresh
water. There Nelson held her hands
in his. and the glass was forgotten
while he told her all she had been to
him ever since she had first come
And the tears came into her eyes as
she listened to the boy.
I'm sorry. Nelson, know IL should
be you. but 1t isn't. You're everything
that a man should be to win a girl
but that cross, self-opinionated. fault.
finding, irritable creature yonder"-
she brought out each word between
her teeth, and each one had a nod
from the white cap-'hes the man
like best. and heaven only knows why.
After Nelson had gone she stepped
back into the room, and the doctors
eyes were open watching her.
Il heard every word you said" he
told her, bit brusquely. "You should
not have refused Nelson. He's fine
fellow and will inherit money
It's time for your powder" she an.
swered with professional indifference.
Il prefer a brunette" the doctor
went on thoughtfully. but with q twin.
kle in his eyes.
You are gaining strength" said
Louise. coofly. You can still rebel"
"Confound II, don't you know" ex
claimed the doctor irritably. punching
his pillow under his head. that I'm
going to ask you to marry me? I've
been restraining the impulse for DAYS:
but since you acknowledge that you-
er-like me best think that was the
phrase-since You say that. I'm will
ing TO stop rebelling.'
He was cycling her with whimsical
look OF questioning Then he did n
very odd thing. AS she stood beside
him. bit scornful and indignant. he
reached for her crisp white apron and
kissed it's hem. Nothing he could have
done would have conveyed the humil.
ity and good intentions that this did.
and Louise laughed.
You don't deserve me one bit. but
l do think you need me-" she said.
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcc.lu,a Nax.-
paper SvndirafaA