The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-09
GRANDAD's NURSE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

1t was Sunday morning and out in
the lawn swing under the pink and
white blossom-covered trees. Mr.. Cal
vim Wickham and his grandson were
reading the morning papers.
The wide lawn stretched over to
a low iron fence, and there began an
other wide spreading lawn and then
q house. On the porch of this house
q 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 Taylorl Why!
I suppose she's out for exercise. She's
kept shut up pretty close, I suppose.
Nice looking grill"
Nice iookingl Perfect doll babyl
I've no time for your so-called profess
sional nurses, always dolled up in
white caps and white dresses and
aprons and things. It's only a pose.
How could anyone do any real work
in get-up like that?"
They do IT, just the same" de-
clared Frank stoutly.
They pick out the part they want
to do all right, take temperatures, dab
'em with alcohol out Of a bottle and
keep a chart, while the family hustles
to do the other things. Whenever
see the old-fashioned kind with her
sleeves rolled up down in the kitchen
cooking soups and things to make em
well say to myself, Now, there's a
nurse!'"
Frank laughed. But you don't I'M
derstand, grandad. II you want a
cook you hire one, and If you want
parlor maid you hire one. The
Pattersons are devoted to Laura
Taylor"
so you know her name, do you?
Seems to me you're getting pretty well
acquainted
4 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.
think she's 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 az
well as ever. / thought maybe you
could come over to tea. We'd love to
have you. and I'll 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 q
dress of sheer pale pink, looked like
an angel on the wrong side Of heaven.
He couldn't take his eyes of 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, 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. d.
and La 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"
IAN right. won't go in, though. l
can wait on the veranda."
anu 80 tney 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 deadl Come quickl"
And so they few to the old man, who
sat still and white in his chair by the
table. Laura had his wrist in a 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. II want glass OF wa
ter" she added. Quietly and quickly
she opened the bag. got a little black
box and dissolved some tablets. Then
she rolled back the old mans sleeve
and went to work. His heart!" she
explained. This is strychnia!"
Her hand went again RI his nulaa