Middletown transcript., 1916-11-25

In the back room to sleep on"
Sidney's mind flew to Christine and
her bright future, to trOusseau
bought with the LorenE money, to
Christine settled down, a married wOm-
an, with Palmer Howe. She came back
with an effort. Harriet had two trian-
gular red spots in her sallOw cheeks.
'I can get a few good mOdels-that's
the only way, to start. And if you care
to do handwork for me, Anna, I'll send
it to you, and pay you the regular
rates. There isn't the call for it there
used to be, but just touch gives
DASH"
All of Mrs. Pages grievances had
worked their way to the surface. Sid
ney and Harriet had made her world,
such as it was, and her world was in
revolt. She flung out her hands.
Il suppose 1 must. do something.
With you leaving, and Sidney renting
her room and sleeping on a folding
bed in the sewing room, everything
seems upside down. l never thought
l should live to see strange men running
in and out of this house and carry
ing latchkeys." This reference to LIE
MOyne, whose tall figure had made a
hurried exit some time before.
Harriet's eyes were brighter already
as she went out. Sidney, kissing her
in the hall and wishing her luck, real
lied suddenly what burden she and
her mother must have been for the last
few years. She threw her head up
proudly. They would never be bur-
den again-never, as long as she had
strength and health!
By evening Mrs. Page had worked
herself into a state bordering on hys-
terra. Harriet was out most of the day.
She came in at three o'clock, and Ka-
tie gave her cup of tea. At the news
of her sisters condition, she merely
shrugged her shoulders.
"She'll not die, Katie" she said
calmly. "But see that Miss Sidney
eats something, and if she is worried
tell her 1 said to get Doctor Ed"
Very significant of Harriet's altered
outlook was this casual summoning of
the Streets family doctor. She was
already dealing in larger figures. The
reckleSsnesS of pure adventure was in
her blood. She had taken rooms at a
rental that she determinedly put out
of her mind, and she was on her way
to buy furniture. No pirate, fitting out
a ship for the highways of the sea,
ever experienced more guilty and de-
lightful excitement.
The afternoon dragged away. Doc
tor Ed was "out on a case" and might
not be in until evening. Sidney sat in the
darkened room and waved q fan over
her mothers rigid form. At half past
five Johnny Rosenfeld, from the alley,
who worked for a florist. after school,
brought. box of roses, and departed
grinning impiShly. He knew Joe, had
seen him in the store. Soon the alley
knew that Sidney had received a dozen
Killarney roses at three dollars and q
half, and was probably engaged to Joe
DrummOnd.
Doctor Ed" said Sidney, as he fol-
lowed her down the stairs, "can you
spare the time to talk to me a little
1wTiitfiiiie?,' While
Perhaps the elder Wilson had a
quick vision of the crowded Office
waiting across the Street; but his re-
ply was prompt:
ANY amount of time"
Sidney led the way into the small
parlOr, where Joe's roses, refused by
the petulant invalid upstairs, blOomed
alone.
"First of ALL" said Sidney, Ibid you
mean what you said upstairs
Doctor Ed thought quickly.
"Of course; but what?"
"You said l was a born nurse.N
The Street was very fond of Doctor
Ed. 1t did not always approve of
him. 1t said-which was perfectly
true-tiIat he had sacrificed himself to
his brothers career-that for the sake
Of that brilliant young surgeon, Doc
tor Ed had done without wife and
children; that to send him abroad he
had saved and sl:imped; that he still
went shabby and drove the old buggy
.g'hIle Max drove about in an automo-
Bile coupe. Sidney. not at all Of the
stuff martyrs are made of, sat in the
r.In nI oil
this, was ashamed of her rebellion.
'I'm going into hospital" said Sid
ney.
Doctor Ed waited. He liked to have
all the symptoms before he made a
diagnosis or ventured an opinion. So
Sidney, trying to be cheerful, and quite
unconscious of the anxiety in her voice,
told her story.
"It's fearfully hard work, of course, ~
he commented, when she had finished.
$50 is anything worth while. Look
at the way you work."
Doctor Ed rose and wandered around
the room.
II don't think l like the idea," he
said at last. Its splendid work for
an older woman. But it's life, child
life in the raw. 1t seems such an un-
necessary sacrifice"
"Don't you think" said Sidney brave
ly, "that you are a poor person to talk
of sacrifice? Haven't you always, all
your life"
Doctor Ed colOred to the roots of
his straw-colored hair.
Certainly not" he said almost irri-
tably. "Max had genius; had-abil-
ity. That's different. One real sue
cess is better than two halves. Mott
he smiled down at her-"not that /
minimize my usefulness. Somebody
has to do the hack-work, and, If I do
say it myself, I'm pretty good hack"
every WE'LL" said Sidney. "Then |