The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-05-09


and he wanted her to see him at work ::
the age-old instinct of the male to have
his woman see him at his best.
The deepening and broadening of
Sidney's character had been very no.
ticeable in the last few months. She
had gained In decision without be"om-
ing hard; had learned to see things as
they are, not through the rose mist of
early girlhOod: and, far from being
daunted, had developed q philosophy
that had for IFS basis God in his heaven
and all well with the world.
But her new theory of acceptance
did not comprehend everything. She
was in state Of wild revolt, for in
stance, as to Johnny Resented, and
more remotely but not less deeply con-
cerned over Grace Irving.
But her revolt was to be for herself
too. On the day after her appointment
to the operating room, she had her
half-holiday, and when, after restless
night, she went to her new station, 1t
was to learn that Wilson had been
called out Of the city in consultation
and would not operate that day.
O'Hara would take advantage Of the
free afternoon to run In some odds and
ends Of cases.
The operating room made gauze that
morning, and small packets Of tam
pOns: absorbent cotton covered with
sterilized gauze, and fastened togeth-
er-twelve, by careful count, in each
bundle.
Miss Grange, who had been kind to
Sidney in her probation months, taught
her the method.
USED instead Of sponges," she ex-
planned. eff you noticed yesterday,
they were counted before and after
each operation. One Of these missing
is worse than bank clerk out dol
lar at the end of the day. There's no
closing up until it's found!"
Sidney eyed the small packet before
her anxiously.
"What a hideous responsibility I"
she said
From that time on she handled the
small gauze sponges almost reyerentiy.
The operating room-all glass, white
enamel, and shining nickel plate-frst
frightened, then thrilled her. It was
as it, having loved a great actor, she
now trod the enchanted boards on
which he achieved his triumphs. She
was glad that it was her afternoon off,
and that she would not see some lesser
star-O' Hara, to wit--usurping his
piece. But Max had not sent her any
word. That hurt.
The operating room was hive Of
industry, and tongues kept pace with
fingers. What news Of the world came
In through the great doors was trans
lated at once into hospital terms.
What the city forgot the hospital re-
rendered. 1t took up life where the
town left II at its gates. and carried
1t on or saw 1t ended, as the case might
be. So these young women knew the
ending of many stories, the beginning
Of some; but Of none did they know
both the first and last, the beginning
and the end.
By many small kindnesses Sidney
had made herself popular. And there
was more to it than that. She never
shirked. The other girls had the re-
spect for her Of one honest worker
for another. The episode that had
caused her suspension seemed entirely
forgotten. They showed her carefully
what she was TO do; and, because she
must know the why" of everything,
they explained as best they could.
1t was while she was standing by the
great sterilizer that she heard, through
an open door, part of a conversation
that sent her through the day with
her world in revolt.
The takers were putting the an
esthetiZing room in readiness for the
afternoon. Sidney, waiting for the
time to open the sterilizer, was busy for
the first time in her hurried morning.
with her own thoughts. Because she
was very human, there was a
little exultation in her mind. What
would these girls say when they
learned of how things stood between
her and their hero. Not shameful,
this: the honest pride Of a woman in
being chosen from many.
The voices were very clear
"She's eating her heart out"
''Do you think he has really broken
with herr"
Probably not. She knows it's COM
ing; that's ALL"
Sometimes I have wondered"
$50 have others. She oughtn't to
be here, Of course. But among SO many
there is bound to be one now and then
who-who isn't quite"
She hesitated, at a loss for word.
did you-did you ever think over
that trouble with Miss Page about the
medicines? That would have been
easy, and like her"
''She hates Miss Page, of course, but
hardly think II that's true, it was
nearly murder"
There were two voices, a young one,
full of soft southern infections, and an
older voice, trife hard, as from disil-
fusion.
They were working as they talked.
Sidney could hear the clatter of bot
ties on the tray, the scraping of a
moved table.
He was crazy about her last fall
Miss Page" (The younger voice,