The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-17
He Lost a Rib and
Got a Wife
By OSCAR COX

1t was shortly after the great united
drive began on the part Of the French
and the English against the Germans.
They were bringing the English wound
ed to the rear, where the surgeons
were attending to them In the recently
constructed hospitals. A young officer
was carried into one Of these hospitals,
where equipment for operating had
been prepared in advance of the drive.
and laid on the operating table. The
only assistant who could be spared for
that particular operation was q Red
Cross nurse. The patient was In too
critical q condition to notice his sur
roundings.
A fragment of a shell had struck
I the man in the breast and broken sew
eral ribs, so crushing one Of them that
the surgeon felt it necessary to re-
move it. When the operation was con-
cluded and the patient returned to con-
seriousness he feebly asked the doctor
what be had done. He was told 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 a 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, us the result"
Surprising that the patient was de-
lirious, the surgeon. not willing to irri.
tate him, assented.
"Well, then, l suppose I'm Adam and
the woman Is Eve. We're Adam and
Eve marriedT"
II don't know about that"
"WeA. In these days couples are
married. Bring chaplain"
Tho surgeon looked from the patient
10 the nurse. She was regarding the
wounded man with great anxiety.
"Come; hurry up." pursued the pa.
dent. n may not pull through this,
and l want Eve to inherit my proper
y. II I don't have q legal heir theFe'll
b no end Of . 6ght among a lot Of
vultares."
Again the surgeon looked at the
nurse. She was very much affected
She gave the doctor no clew as to
Der willingness to be thus suddenly
married and made heir presumptive
to fortune.
you're not going to de-" said the
surgeon to the patient, "at least not
Of this wound. You may get another
that will carry you off,"
, "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 a 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 prayer when the patient In
terrupted him.
| Get up. don't want to be prayed
into heaven; 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 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
man In the agony Of death and was
about to hurry away when the groom
! called him.
Hold on" he said THE bride wants
! a 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 certifi,
cate of marriage. leaving blank space
for the names. Then he turned to the
newly married couple to supply the In.
/ formation.
| hhil'u ~. SudmDeTll0,
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 1t, 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 maxi
ing her nurse. But fate might have
done the trick without playing this
Adam and Eve game 1t doesn't hurt
Eve. but it's mighty hard on Adam
Do you really think, doctor. that can
get on without her In my breastT
NO." replied the surgeon, you can't
get on without her. but you won't die
without your rib"
Despite the seriousness of the situ.
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 folded him In he,