New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-01-05

sal on the edge of her narrow, white
pea ana soaked her aching feet in no
! water and ~Witrh-hazel, and practicet
taking pulses on her own slender wrist
with KS little watch.
Out of all the long, hot days, two
periods stood out clearly, to be waited
for and cherished. one was when
early III the afternoon, with the ware
III SpotleSS order, the shades drawn
against the August sun. the tables GOV.
cred with their red covers and the
only sound the drone of the handage-
machine as Sidney steadily turned it.
Doctor Max passed the door on his
way to the surgical ward beyond, and
gave her Il CHEEKY greeting. AT these
times Silnoy'S heart beat almost in
tim" with the ticking Of the little
watch.
The other hour was at twilight,
When, work over for the day, the night
Nurse, with her rubhcr-SOlcd shoes and
tired eyes and jangling keys, having
reported and received the night orders,
IN" nurses gathered in their small par
Tor for prayers, 1t WAS months before
Sidney got over the cXaltation of that
twilight hour, and never did it cease
to bring her healing and peace. In II
way, ii cryStallized for her what the
days work meant: charity and its sis
ter, service, the promise of rest and
pence. Into the little parlor filed the
nurses, and knclt, folding their tired
hands.
"The Lord is my shepherd" read the
Head out of her worn Bible; Il shall
not want"
And the nurses: "IIc makcth me to
lie down in green pastures: he lcadeth
me beside the still waters"
And 50 on through the psalm to the
assurance at the end, "And | will dwell
IN the house of the Lord forever"
Now and then there was II death be-
hind Il Of the white screens. 1t
caused little change in the routine of
tn" ward. y nurse stayed behind the
screen, and her work was done by the
others. When everything was over,
thc time was recorded exactly on the
record, and the body was taken AWAY.
Al first it seemed to Sidney that she
could not stand this no;lrneSS TO death.
She thought the nurses hard because
They took it quietly. Then she found
that 1t was only StoiciSm, resignation.
that they had learned. These things
must be, and the work must 20 on.
Their philosophy made them no less
tender. Some such patient detachment
must be that of the angels who keep
the Great Record.
On her first Sunday h~alf-holiday, she
was free III the morning, and went to
church with her mother, going back to
the hospital after the service. So il
was two weeks before she saw lie
Moyne again. Even then, it was ONLY
for Il short time. Christine and Palmer
Howe came in to see her, and to in
Spect the balcony, now finished.
But Sidney and lie Moync had IL few
words together first.
There was n change il Sidney. lie
.'l'N III was ullth 10 STE IL. SIlb WIS I: |
triile subdued, with a puzzled look in
her blue eyes. Her mouth was tender,
as always, but he thought it drooped.
There was n new atmosphere of visit
lulnesS about the girl that made his
heart ache.
They We're alone in the little pnrlor
with its brown lamp and blue silk
shade. X. never smoked in the parlor,
but by sheer force of habit he held
the pipe in his teeth.
And how have things been going?"
asked Sidney practically.
Your steward has little to report.
Aunt Harriet, who left you her love,
has had the complete order for the
rousseau. | thought I'd ask
you about the veil. We're. rather in
IA %quandary. Do you like this new
of draping the veil from De-
hind the couture in the back"
Sidney had been sitting on the edge
IF her chair, staring.
There" she said-"I knew it, This
house is fatal! They're making an old
" lli'l VI sou III tduy. lltI lDlt NnS
lie sucked calmly at his dead pipe.
Katie has a new prescription-rec-
pe-for bread. 1t has more bread and
airholes. One cake of yeast" .
Sidney sprang TO her feet.
Its perfectly terrible.' she cried.
Because you rent a room in this house
5 no reason why you should give up
our personality and your-your intel |
Mother says you water the
overs every morning, and lock up l
he house before you go to bed. II
meant you to adopt the family"
X. removed his pipe and gazed ear
into the bowl. =
'Bill Taft has had kittens under the l
Norch," he said. And the groceryman
as been sending short weight. We've
ought scales now, and weigh every
s
You are evading the question" II
Dear child, l am doing these things b
l like to do them. For-for Y
ONE time I've been floating, and now n
We got a home"
Sidney gazed helplessly at his i'm
face. He seemed older
nan she had recalled him: the hair
yer his ears was almost white. And
ct he was just thirty. That was j,
almer Howe's age, and Palmer
eemed like a boy. But he held him 81