Philip weekly review and Bad River news. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 1912-1918, 1916-03-16
BRUNETTE PREFERRED
BY HOPE AlNSllE.

III s not any question OF sentiment
at all, the doctor said with dignity.
"A brunette is more reliable and sta
bic in disposition. Nelson; that is all.
| | want a girl who can take hold of ID
cottage and handle it. Put brunette
preferred in tho ad, end I'll pick her
out when they begin To arrive"
| Nelson drew sigh and typed the
ad to eaten the mail. Three days later,
even while answers by mail were pill
ing up for him to select from, the
down tran from Beauchamp left q
young woman on the platform. and
after one quick survey OF the barren
land scape sne headed for the low
br,ch factory buildings down near the
| river
She's got red hair, doc" Nelson
announced gently, as he hunted up
the Goctor 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-
ca3ion to come to the office, Nelson
teard her humming to herself all the
way along the corridor.
Now, even Nelson was aware that
ne was not an ordinary looking young
person, He was nephew to old Rath-
burn, the owner of the Rathburn
Malleable Iron works. 1t 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'Farrell 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. Mel
son found that much out the day the
big belt caught at her dress skirt as
she passed it's lower shaft, and he
pulled her away
Don't use this passageway," he
told her sternly. One 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 it 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 few shades darker
Red hair was 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 day when Big Kalmuck. the
foreman over in the gray iron division
tumbled over with the heat and when
he came to attacked the doctor.
There was no one in the hospital
cottage when it happened but the
nurse and couple of patients. but
somehow cone soaked in chlOrOfOrn
was pressed over Kalmuck's nose
from behind and he dropped in q
quiet, innocent heap at the doctors
feet.
BY the time Nelson answered Miss
Halls phone call the doctor haG
slipped down beside him. protesting
that he was not hurt, but Kalmuck'(
knife still remained neatly plugged
between his ribs and he became q pa
tient at the cottage under the com
pany's care.
1t was the end of the first week and
Nelson was saying good night. Ths
door into the little side room was ajar
but the doctor had been sleeping. ant
she stepped out for glass OF fresf
water. There Nelson held her hand,
in his, and the glass was forgotten
while he told her all she had been t
him ever since she had first come
And the tears came into her eyes a.
she listened to the boy.
I'm sorry. Nelson, know it shoult
be you, but 1t isn't. You're everything
that man should be to win q girl
but that cross. self-opinionated, fault
finding, irritable creature yonder"-
she brought out each word between
her teeth. and each one had a NOT
from the white cap-"he's the man
like best and heaven only knows why.
After Nelson had gone she stepped
back into the room. and the DOCTOR
eyes were open watching her.
Il heard every word you said," h,
told her, bit brusquely. You shoul,
not have refused Nelson. He's q fin,
fellow and will inherit money"
Its time for your powder" she an
swered with professional indifference
Il prefer a brunette" the docto
went on thoughtfully. but with twin
kle in his eyes.
"You are gaining strength" sal,
Louise. coolly. You can still rebel.
"COnfound it, don't you know" q
claimed the doctor irritably. punching
his pillow under his head, that In
going to ask you to marry me? Nv
been restraining the impulse for days
but since you acknowledge that you