The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-05
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
An Emergency Call
By MATILDA EMERSON.
Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure

ID
1F4 nurse. II was her first week on
duty in the emergency room, helping
Miss Paterson write the entry record
Of each patient as the ambulances
brought them in. ..
Il don't see how you can be 30"
she heAitated for word that would not
hurt ale feelings of the other NURSE
$50 used to it all. Seems to me each
case is worse than the last one"
"oh, nearly all of you girls play
tunes on your heart strings when you
first land here. 1t Just has to be, ana
you can't help It. Try to look at it in
that way. You can't afford to be sorry
|g ~. ...... -.. d. IT,. sos
.asa, nor during the whole six months
| Of her probation. Miss Paterson hao
taken fancy TO her from the very be-
/ ginning. She was willing and we'll edU.
| Gated and all OF the doctors liked her.
| The last two weeks OF her probation
period she was placed at the emergen
cy desk at night, and it was here she
met Mrs. Cosby Latimer.
II was a wild, spring night in early
May. There had been heavy rain
storm, followed by high wind, bloW-
ing in from the sea to the east. MadgC
4 had just stepped across the room u
close the window as sudden gust OF
wind blew a lot OF her papers on the
| floor, when the door was pushed open
| by a woman. Madge saw at glauce
that she was not the sort who sought
the shelter of Mercy hospital While
she wore no hat, her long broadcloth
cloak was Enthusiastically correct In its
lines. ana costly in quality. Her heavy
dark hair was streaked with gray and
the wind had loosened 1t SO that 1t wns
half tumbling to her shoulders. The
pallor OF her face was like the hue OF
jasmine flower; even her dry !ipE
seemed bloodless as she moisteued
them nervously, leaning heavily on the
little shelf in front OF the brass graf.
ing at the entry clerks window. a
wave of compassion swept oyeT Madgs,
as she saw the look Of utterly dazed
helplessness in her wide dark eyes.
II beg your pardon" she said, slow.
~, but could you tell me who AM:
Please, please tell me who am. I've
walked so far and couldn't find any
one / dared to ask. I saw the light
from your window. Will you tell ne
who am?"
She suddenly burst into fit of nerv-
Gus weeping, and bowed her face in
her hands. The door leading upstairs
swung open, and little Blair, one Of the
internes, came In, humming.
II say, Miss laurence" he began.
but Madge motioned him to be quieC.
"Mr. Blair" she cried, pleasantly,
"do you think you could take my pla5e
for just few moments? want 20 take
this lady to the reception room"
Blair gave the stranger the once
over" as he would have expressed it,
and murmured, as he took Madges
seat:
better land her IL the Dip"
But Madge shook her head. This
was no case for the d.psomaniac ward
and she knew it. AS they stepped INTO
the big white marble hall together The
woman put out her hand like a child
for Madge to lead her, and she took her
upstairs. When she came back, Blair
noticed that she seemed excited, but
not one thing would she tell him, ex.
cept that she had placed the woman IN
care Of Miss Gage, and It seemed only
simple case of aphasia. IShe told
I him she would. report it as soon as Dr.
Akin came in at 6 o'clock. He was the
house doctor on nervous diseases.
Just as soon as she was alone she
lifted the receiver from the phone.
River, 1914. Hello, hello. | want to
speak with Mr.. -atimer, please" Then
after pause, us this Mr.. Stanley Lat
inner? This is Mercy hospital. No,
I'm only the night nurse In the emer.
gency receiving room. Mr.. Latimer,
your mother has just wandered in here.
She had lost her way, and her mem.
DRY. No, she is not hurt. found your
name in her handbag on letter. You
/ will come at once? Yes, l think that is
best. What? Oh, have the letter;
there will be no publicity"
About twenty minutes later a limou.
sine passed under the red brick arch
and Stanley Latimer jumped out. He
did not mince words at ALL but Madgo
caught the relief in his eyes and yo1cs
when he saw her.
u am sure, Miss Laurence" he said
Rs they went upstairs together, that I
need not tell you how grateful am to
you for sensing the whole emergency
In this case. My mother has not been
herself for several days. have been
out OF the city on duty with the ma.
tional guard and she made some very
ll.advised investments without nv con.
sent. l blame her broker far more
Ithan do her. but between them theS
fost thousands of dollars, and I'm
Rfratd might have been rather harsh
with her when found it out"
Madge looked at him gravely.
Perhaps you did not realize that she
was In a very low state OF health. We
have only made slight examination
\ There seems to be some organic heart
trouble. Don't you think there are
some things more important than the
mere loss of thousands of dollars, Mr,
Latimar?"
Perhaps this was why, when he tool,
his mother away that night. Latimer
carried with him a vivid memory. No
woman had ever said anything to him
nka that before. The following dav
the superintendent called her to his
office.