The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-02-15
THE NURSES PAT .5.DOX
BY HAROLD CART r..
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head nurse, and Doctor Raymond. the
senior inferno, were ia love with each
other. Some of the nurses prophesied
that they would &C. married when
the doctor started ais private prac-
tice in the fall ! was not so sure.
I was watching them narrowly--you
know how one falls into the habit OF
being interested in the others Of the
personnel, ip Httle hospitals. | had
seen the romance fame out, remain
for one brief and glorious week, and
come crashing to earth.
/ was wondering what had come
between them when | played the
eayesdropper unintenttorally that
night In May. II was the sort of night
that poets sing about, all Lac scented,
with a young moon and al in yitfng
darkness in the recessns OF the hos
pital garden | don't lEoW what took
me toward the SUNNI r house, but l
heard them talking ~ the door, and
dared not stir for fear ~ letting them
know they were overl.e I'd.
IF you had told n.g Miriam!" l
heard the doctor say.
THAT am married?" ne answered.
so that you need not have fallen
In love with me, | suppose"
mo, Mirfami Heaven knows never
could have prevented that. But at
least | should have lived In no fools
paradise. You can divorce him, dear.
l heard her weeping in his arms,
and | knew that her response was
negative one. She was a Catholic;
divorce did not exist for her church.
l heard her say they. could never
marry, 1 heard his passionate declara-
ton, his reluctant acquie 'cence-and
then l managed to sip aW,' as the
came out of the little place 1 seth.
II would be two months till DUt.4r
Raymond left u.s. Nurse Joyce con-
templated remaining Indefinitely.
! never saw two people look so
miserable as they did during those
two months. Only a week remained
when something occurred that neither
could have foreseen.
I was on duty among the outpa-
tents, and l had perceived the dissi-
pated-looking man in the corner, and
Nurse Joyce look In and disappear
with startled expression. / had car
ried back some bottles to the dispen-
sary when | saw Nurse Joyce there,
weeping in Doctor Raymond's arms.
He is my husband" she was sob
bling. "Dear-dear-if you want
ne"
Later / learned that the man had
recognized his wife and was to under
go an operation. He had come in
quite by chance. 1t was serious, and
might be extremely so, but there was
a probability that he would live
through it.
The next morrtrg It was Nurse Joyce
who administer. tlle ether. ] never
saw an So calm. The poor,
pathetic, trembling wreck upon the
table was gradually lulled into obli-
won. And so he fell asleep and was
wheeled into the operating room.
And as Doctor Raymond proceeded
with his work, and Nurse Joyce sat
at the head. dropping ether quietly
upon the cone, l seemed all at once
to see right into their hearts.
II the patient recovered, knew
that Nurse Joyce was resolved to get
her divorce just the same and commit
sin, as she thought, in marrying while
her husband lived. And 1t seemed
to me then that this had come as a
test. II Nurse Joyce were resolute
not to violate her conscience, but to
send Doctor Raymond from her, then
the man would die. But so long as
she was bent On marrying Raymond
he would get well.
l don't know how / came to reason
out this singular paradox. But /
knew 1t by sort OF intuition. /
prayed that the wreck might die, II
she didn't change her decision. But
and In few hours he was on the
mend. The next day he was declared
out OF danger, and he lay On his bed,
following her with looks of dumb
gratitude as she passed.
I saw her talking to Raymond out
ears are sharp-a nurses have to be.
Anyway, / heard what they were say
ing.
you will come With me as soon as
he is out of danger. then," whispered
Raymond.
/ saw her shake her head and place
her hand on his shoulder.
Il can't, dear" she answered.
His eyes hardened; his lips were
compressed tightly. Why" he de-
handed
Because l have watched him who
was my husband once, and is still,
lying in the bed, watching me In
turn" she answered. His eyes are
like the eyes of a dumb animal. Harry.
Have you not seen them? And l can't
it breaks my heart. but l can't
/ said that it had come as a test to
her. l had felt confident that her hus-
bands useless life served no other
purpose now but to develop the high
est In her. And she had risen to it
nobly. felt quite sure the man would
die.
/ saw Miriam Joyce turn back and
dash her hand across her streaming
eyes. And at that moment / heard
q choking gasp from the bed
A clot of blood, they said, such as
forms rarely after operations and may
cause immediate death if carried into