The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-14
He Lost a Rib and
Got a Wife
By OSCAR cox

was SAOlliy dllCi INC 6iCot uihtSo
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 a Red
Cross nurse. The patient was In too
critical condition to notice his sur
roundings.
A fragment of a shell had struck
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 he 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 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, rs 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. We're Adam and
Eve married"
y 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.
dent 81 may not pull through this,
and l want Eve to inherit my proper
ty. II don't have a legal heir there'll
be no end Of a fight among a lot OF
vultures."
Again the surgeon locked at the
nurse. She was very much affected.
She gave the doctor no clew as to
her willingness to he thus suddenly
married and made heir presumptive
to fortune
you're not going to die" 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
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 q 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 a
man In the agony of death and was
about to hurry away when the groom
called him.
Hold on" he said. 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 certifi
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
land don't You forget It. We two ar,
not strangers by any means. w,
wanted to be married long ago, bu
Lady Gladys parents had other plans
for her. Fate has been good friend I,
US In putting me into the war and max
ing her a nurse. But fate might hav,
done the trick without playing thi
Adam and Eve game. 1t doesn't bur
Eve. but it's mighty hard on Adam
Do you really think. doctor. that cal
get on without her In my breastT'
NO." replied the surgeon. you can
get on without her. but you won't di
without your rib
Despite the seriousness of the stu
alton and the distressing scenes nea
them, smile appeared on the faces o
the little group. except the bride. VIII
sank on her knees beside her newl,
made husband and folded him In he
arms
BY this marriage the bride came int
a a. -