Middletown transcript., 1917-11-10

o'' quite five. Try to
keep your arms covered" drawing up
the sheet and blanket before she ran
to answer the shrilling phone.
Hello! No, this is Helen.
The nurse is off for couple Of hours.
Yes, she seems q little better.
no, it's not so high-only 1O1.
q, no, I'm glad to do it."
Cant you deaden that 'phone?
when Helen returned to the bed. "Stuff
the bell with something. 1t wakes me
up every time I doze Off"
I'D better fix your broth first. It'll
take q few moments to heat"
"Pull down that shade little more.
No, not so much--there! Wait, you'd
better close that transom-l feel
draft"
The shade and transom adjusted.
Helen ran downstairs to the kitchen.
Finding the broth in glass jar in the
refrigerator, carefully she measured
out a cupful in q small enamel stew
pan.
While it was heating, she could not
help notice that the stove was not
overclean.
Instead of the shining spotlessness
that she expected Of Carries kitchen.
things were neither very orderly nor
very clean. But this was only because
Carrie was i'll.
When she took up the napkin-cov-
cred broth, Carrie was tossing rest
lessly.
"It's too hot" tasting it with a
grimace, "and too salty"
"I didn't salt It," stirring the broth
to cool 1t. II Just poured it out Of
the jar"
"Well. 1t wasn't that salty before"
skeptically,
At all times difficult, Warren's sis
ter when she was Ill had all of his
irritable unreasonableness.
ooh, those tablets! I should've had
them before the broth. No, that little
pin box"
1.-TWO every two hours" read Helen
from the label, "That's all it says"
''The doctor said BEFORE the
BROTH" temperishly. "Oh, asked you
to muffle that phone"
It was only a wrong number call,
and as Helen hung up the receiver she
stopped to fold a blotter and wedge it
behind the bell.
"Heleni" Carries voice came petu-
lantly from the bedroom. "Td better
take those tablets anyway. No. get
some fresh water. And bring glass
Of cracked ice. And wait-yOu'd bet
ter fill this hot-water bag. How much
longer before the nurse comes?"
'She said she'd be back at SIX" MUIR
INJURED Helen, feeling under the covers
for the bag.
"No, it's not hot enough in the bath
room-you'll have to go down to the
kitchen. But give me the tablets first.
Is that the doorbellY
1t was the mail-a letter, a postcard
and two circulars, which the maid
brought up and laid on the bed. Put
the other pillow under my head-and
raise that shade. No, 1 can't see,"
opening the letter. "Turn on this light
by the bed"
While Carrie was absorbed in her
mail, Helen, wondering what the next
demands would be, filled the hot-watera
bag and got the cracked ice.
"Will you get me a clean handker-
chief? Right there in the top drawer
In that cretonne box. No, plain hem
stitched one. And hand me that bottle
Of violet water. The doctor'll be here
this evening. Should put on a fresh
gown now or wait until the nurse
comes? Well, you'd better lay 1t out
anyway. The third drawer"
A profusion Of expensive silk and
crepe lingerie crowded the drawer, con-
firming Helen's belief that about her
underwear Carrie was most extrava-
CANT
mo, one with pink ribbon Yes,
that'll do. Now wish you'd put fresh
cases on these pillows-they look so
rumpled."
The pillows in fresh cases, the bed
Strengthened, the bedside table in or
der, and it was ten minutes of six.
To get home In time for dinner
Helen knew that she must catch the
8:15. The station was only a short
walk from the house, so she waited
another ten minutes before she ven
tured a reluctant, I'm afraid I'll have
to start now-if make that six
fifteen"
"Why, you're not going to leave me
ALONEw
Cant the maid stay with you until
the nurse comes? And Lawrencell be
here in a few minutes. There's no
other train until seventeen. That won't
get me home before eight"
81 wouldn't have let the nurse go if
I hadn't thought you'd be here. But,
Of course, If you don't want to stay
don't let me keep you"
"Now, Carrie, don't take it that way.
You know I'll stay If you need me
but I didn't think a few moments
would make any difference"
With an air Of naughty aloofness,
somewhat difficult to assume in bed.
Carrie turned to the wall, while Helen,
with quiet resignation, took chair by
the bed.
A few moments lnter swift steps
crossed the porch below, and the nurse
came running up.
"I'm so sorry to be late" laying off
the long coat that covered her white