The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-05-25

He's the brayest little chap
whispered Miss Casey, smoothing
the sheet under him with def
hand
Between bells We sat at the desk
and talked In low voices. while the
nurse made out the patients charts
for the doctors inspection next day.
Midnight and supper.tlme came
before We knew IL.
Talk Operations at Supper
The talk in the cheerful little din.
ing room was mostly about opera.
lions, and the chances OF the sick.
est patient
The sickest patient was on Miss
McConaghy's floor. His tempera.
ture Was i0&.G She was going 10
reduce f. We climbed the stairs 10
the mems wards.
The slckoHt patient lay behind a
white screen. He vas a tall man.
OF middle age. His eyes stared: his
mouth Was slightly open. his face
glistened with moisture.
Sees Near Death Sweat
Miss Mcconaghy spoke 20 him
ehoerfully. but her face was grave
as she turned away 10 fiji basin
with ice water. That's almost the
death sweat" she said in low
voice. blu, as long as there's any
HE left we'll keep on trying. lie
may pull thru yet"
lie was conscious, and hls eyes
followed the nurses motionB In
dumb apology for the trouble he
was giving. as she Rwathed him
from head 10 foot In lcc-cold towels.
Hts strong body was not yet much
wasted by sickness. but IL vas more
helpless than that OF n baby.
Again and again she wrung out
the cloths. her hands red with cold.
TIL bis burning skin was cooler
and then she slipped fresh shirt
upon him. tucked fresh sheet over
him. and Night Orderly Tlcrney
lifted him higher on the pillow. He
was exhausted. but the clammlness
was gone from his cheeks as we left
him. 10 make the rounds OF the
wards
Goes the Rounds
Row after row OF beds in the dark.
ened rooms We visited. holding up n
light 10 each for n moment.
The IT. r." ward waa wakeful
and coughing. A very old man Mt
the other end OF the hall walled I'm
n voice like a woman'a. Il Just
can't sleep"
Cancer" the nurse whispered. as
she soothed him. Beside another.
propped high on n board. his face
CHASTITY. We stopped and listened
long. to be sure that he was still
breathing.
Heart" was tho explanation.
But they were not all Ike these.
Three youngsters. in for minor sur.
gical operations 10 enable them 10
enlist, We're sleeping like logs. They
would leave the next day. An old
man wandered Rinlessly down the
hall In an abbreviated night shirt
He says he's hunting for his sus.
penders." grinned Tommy. steering
him gently in the direction OF bed
On the second floor. where Miss
Johnson was doing relief duty. "A
child with the earache. and wake.
ful woman, kept us from falling
asleep.
Ticking Clock Sounds Loud
Clarence moaned often. and once
or twice cried out In pain. Seven.
year-old Frances. whose tonsils hurt
her, came pattering down the hall
in her nightie. and had to be car.
ried back and made comfortable
One o'clock and 2 o'clock and 3
O'Clock dragged by.
The ticking OF the big clock over
our heads sounded very loud. As
Miss Major had said, II seemed rs
II everybody in the world were
asleep but we. and the patients who
called us every few minutes.
Miss Abbott Helps
I held the light while Miss Casey
changed dressing ap.
pendix case. but aggravated. II was
n young girl. her face flushed with
pain The nurse raised the old
dressings and cleaned the wound so
gently that the girl hardly WINGED
and dressed IL afresh. while the
drawn lines smoothed out of the
young face on the pillow
II was almost o'clock. A hasty
cup OF coffee. TO brace mp our heavy
eyelids and quicken our tired feet,
and then the mornings work began.
The window panes were squares OF
dull purple in the dawn. as the
nurses went from bed to bed, read
ing pulses aud taking temperatures
while ! followed humbly with pad
and pencil to write them down,
proud to have even so small n part
In the work.
Before we finished. the lights
were no longer needed. Another hour
OF hurried changing of beds. wash.
ing of faces and hands, and general
strengthening up. and the work OF
the night nurses was over and an.
other dny had come.