Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-06-08
GaANDAD's NURSE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

II was Sunday morning and out IN
the lawn swing under the pink and
white blossom-covered trees, Mr.. Cal
win Wickham and his grandson were
reading the morning papers.
The wide lawn stretched over to
q low iron fence. and there began an
other wide spreading lawn and then
q house. On the porch of this house
a woman in white appeared, and with
head thrown back to take in the fresh
morning air, she started to promenade
the gravel walk. UP and down she
went, until Mr.. Wickham looked up
with irritation.
Look at that trained nurse over at
Patterson's! Why can't she sit down
and be quiet?"
The younger man, also keenly alive
to the presence next door, but with
different emotions, looked up casu.
ally. who? Oh, Miss Taylor! Why!
l suppose she's out for exercise. She's
kept shut up pretty close, suppose.
Nice looking grill"
Nice looking! Perfect doll baby!
I've no time for your so-called prores-
sional nurses, always dolled up in
white caps and white dresses and
aprons and things. It's only pose.
How could anyone do any real work
In get-up like that?"
They do 1t, just the same" de-
clared Frank stoutly.
"They pick out the part they want
to do all right, take temperatures, dab
EN- with alcohol out of bottle and
keep chart, while the family hustles
to do the other things. Whenever l
see the old.fashioned kind with her
sleeves rolled up down in the kitchen
cooking soups and things to make EN-
we'll l say to myself, Now, there's a
nurse'"
Frank laughed. But you don't un-
derstand, grandad. II you want a
cook you hire one, and If you want
a parlor maid you hire one. The
Pattersons are devoted to Laura
Taylor"
80 you know her name, do you?
Seems to me you're getting pretty we'll
acquainted"
Il met her the other night when
the family had her out for q ride in
the car" explained Frank. Il heard
one of the girls call her Laura. l
think she's a relative
Coming home from church, Frank
found himself walking with Muriel
Patterson. Laura is leaving tonight.
she said in her gay little chatterbox
manner Mamma Is just about as
we'll as ever. ! thought maybe you
could come over to tea. We'd love to
have you, and Ill dig up one or two
others"
Frank accepted the invitation with
alacrity.
That night, under the soft light of
the candles, Frank thought that
Laura Taylor, unofficially clad in a
dress of sheer pale pink, looked like
an angel on the wrong side of heaven.
He couldn't take his eyes off her, and
after tea, when the others repaired to
the library to hear something new of
Homer's on the graphophone, he whis.
pered request which she hesitatingly
granted, a walk with him in the gar
den.
A light was burning in the Wickham
house. "Grandad hasn't gone to bed
yeti" remarked Frank. That's un-
usual"
Il must watch the time," finally an
nounced his companion. my train
goes at eleven and l have to change
my dress. BY the way, do you know
anything about the trains on the e. ID.
and l.. road? / have to change cars
at Roxton and the Pattersons have
lost their schedule"
Il have one at the house, returned
Frank. 1T will just take me an in
slant to get it. Suppose you walk over
with mel"
"All right. won't go in, though. I
can wait on the veranda."
And so they turned their steps in
that direction. Frank went into the
library, and In an instant returned In
q panic. Grandfather" he cried. Il
think he's dead! Come quick!"
And so they flew to the old man, who
sat still and white in his chair by the
table Laura had his wrist in Sec
ond. mo, not dead" She spoke hur-
riedly. run over. please, and get my
bag. It's in the lower hall by the
clock"
In three minutes Frank was back,
with the entire family at his heels.
Wed better carry him upstairs"
suggested Mr.. Patterson.
mo, don't touch him." said the
nurse, in a quiet. firm voice Frank
scarcely knew. Il want a glass of wa
ter she added. Quietly and quickly
she opened the bag, got little black
box and dissolved some tablets. Then
she rolled back the old mans sleeve
and went to work. His hearth" she
explained. This is strychnia!'
Her hand went again to his pulse
and stayed there. Nov please let
us get him to the couch-very easy,
now"
And so old Mr.. Wickham got well.
Laura didn't take the eleven o'clock
train, but stayed to nurse him, and
during her two weeks stay the old
man would scarcely let her out Of his
sight.
One day he called Frank in. Son."
he said, If you want to do me ia
vor in my old age, try to persuade
Laura Taylor to marry you. She's
the finest, smartest woman in the
world"
Good advice, grandad, put little
late. laughed Frank "Sha's already