The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-07
By OSCAR cox

| Wnat ne naQ gone. he was tOlQ OF
the removal Of his rib. He lay quiet
while the doctor attended to another
patient, and when he returned to OBJ
serve the condition Of the first the
man, who meanwhile had been remov-
ed to camp cot. said to him:
"You say. doctor, that you have TAX
en- rib from my side.'
eyes"
"And this woman" pointing to the
nurse, sis the result"
/ Supposing that the patient was de-
lirious, the surgeon, not willing to irri-
tate him. assented.
"Well, then, suppose I'm Adam and
the woman is Eve. Were Adam and
Eve married?"
II don't know about that"
"Well, in these days couples are
married Bring chaplain"
The surgeon looked from the patient
to the nurse. She was regarding the
wounded man with great anxiety.
"Come; hurry up" pursued the pa.
tent. II may not pull through this.
and want Eve to inherit my proper
ty. II I don't have legal heir there'll
be no end Of a fight among a lot of
vultures.'
Again the surgeon looked at the
nurse. She was very much affected
She gave the doctor no clew as to
her willingness to be thus suddenly
married and made heir presumptive
to fortune.
you're not going to de-" said the
surgeon to the patient, lat least not
Of this wound. You may get another
that will carry you of"
"Never mind that. You do what I
tell you to do. Get chaplain"
Are you agreed?" asked the latter
Of the nurse.
Still he received no reply. But, as.
Stunning that with woman silence
gives consent. he called a hospital
steward and sent him for a chaplain.
who came from one dying man to an.
other whom he thought to be dying.
Kneeling beside the cot, he was about
to offer a prayer when the patient In.
terrupted him.
Get up. don't want to be prayed
into heaven; I want to be married"
"Oh!" The chaplain looked at the
surgeon for an explanation. The sur.
geon looked at the nurse, thereby re-.
ferring the matter to her. The pa.
tient put out q hand, took hers and
drew her toward his cot.
Proceed" said the invalid.
Since the nurse offered no objection
the chaplain proceeded with the mar.
riage service. He had barely finished
when he was called upon to attend a
man In the agony Of death and was
about to hurry away when the groom
called him.
"Hold on" he said. 1.-THE bride wants
certificate"
The chaplain, whose duties involved
taking down farewell messages. was
provided with writing materials, which
he took out and, using the operating
table for desk. wrote out a certif1.
cate Of marriage, leaving blank space
for the names. Then he turned to the
newly married couple to supply the In
formation.
Captain Ralph D. Chamberlin,"
said the groom. land Lady Gladys
Penn Gaskell."
Both the surgeon and the chaplain
looked from the groom to the bride.
surprised.
Witness this union," said the groom.
"and don't you forget,it. We two are
not strangers BY any means. We
wanted to be married long ago, but
Lady Gladys parents had other plans
for her. Fate has been good friend to
us In putting me into the war and max
ing her a nurse. But fate might have
done the trick without playing this
Adam and Eve game. It doesn't hurt
Eve. but it's mighty hard on Adam.
Do you really think. doctor, that l can
get on without her In nay breast?"
"No," replied the surgeon, you can't
get on without her. But you won't die
! without your rib"
Despite the seriousness Of the STU
alton and the distressing scenes near
them, smile appeared on the faces Of
the little group. except the bride, who
sank on her knees beside her newly
made husband and foldedohim In her
arms.
By this marriage the bride came into
possession of a fne estate which 9TH
erwise would have been picked to
pieces by hundred heirs. She nursed
her husband to health. but be returned
to the font. was struck again and
was killed The case Is referred to by
those who knew about It not as a
wedding. but deathbed VIII. Cap
tain Chamherlin could hardly have
made win at the time. but the mar
Rage certificate was much harder 10