The Irish standard., 1917-01-13

4 ''NOt exactly. Miss Page is very
young, and of course there are other
girls who have not yet had the expe-
rience. But if you make the request"
Il am going to have some good cases
soon. I'll not make a request, of
course; but, if you see at, it would be
good training for Miss Page"
Miss Gregg went on, knowing per-
fectly that at his next operation Doc
tor Wilson would expect Sidney Page
in the operating room. The other doc
tors were not so exigent. She would
| have liked to have all the staff old and
settled, like Doctor O'Hara or the old
er Wilson. These young men came in
and tore things up.
Sidney went into the operating room
that afternoon. For her blue uni
form, kerchief, and cap she exchanged
the hideous operating-room garb: long,
straight white gown with short sleeves
and mob cap, gray-white from many
sterilizations. But the ugly costume
seemed to emphasize her beauty, as the
habit of nun often brings out the
placid saintliness of her face.
The relationship between Sidney and
Max had reached that point that oc-
ours in all relationships between men
and women: when things must either
go forward or go back, but cannot re-
main rs they are. The condition had
existed for the last three months. It
exasperated the man.
| AS matter of fact, Wilson could not
go ahead. The situation with Carlotta
had become tense, irritating. He felt
that she stood ready to block any move
he made. He would not go back, and
he dared not go forward.
| If Sidney was puzzled, she kept it
bravely to herself. In her little room
at night, with the door carefully
locked, she tried to think things out.
There were few treasures that she
looked over regularly: dried flower
from the Christmas roses; label that
he had pasted playfully on the back
Of her hand one duy utter the RUIZ. Ut
surgical dressings WAS over and Which
said: "R, Take once and forever"
There was another piece of paper
over which Sidney spent much time.
It was page torn out of an order
book, and it read: "Sigsbee may
have light diet: Rosenfeld massage"
Underneath was written, very small :
You are the most beautiful person in
the world.
Two reasons had prompted Wilson
to request to have Sidney in the oper-
ating room. He wanted her with him,
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 becom-
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 a philosophy
that had for it's 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 Rosenfeld, and
more remotely but not less deeply con-
cerned over Grace Irving. Soon she
was to learn of Titles predicament,
and to take up the cudgels valiantly
fer her.
But her revolt was to be for herself
too. On the day after her appointment
to the operating room, she had her
/ to1 -hl,Ii Nsy1,n a
night, she went to her new station, it
YVES 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 tbs.
free afternoon to run in some odds are
ends of cases.
The operating room made gauZe tina
morning, and small packets Of tam
pons: absorbent cotton covered witt
sterilized gauze, and fastened togeih
er-twelve, by careful! count, in eacl
bundle.
Miss Grange, who had been kind t:
Sidney in her probation months, laugh:
her the method.
USED instead of sponges," she OK
planned. IF you noticed yesterday
they were counted before and after
each operation. One Of these missing
Is worse than bank clerk out a Coz
lar ut the end Of the day. There's nc
closing up until it's found!"
Sidney eyed the small packet before
her anxiously.
"What hideous responsibility!
she said.
From that time on she handled the
small gauze sponges almost reverently
The operating room--all glass, white
enamel, and shining nickel plate-firs'
frightened, then thrilled her. 1t wa:
as If, having loved great actor, sh,
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
place. But Max had not sent her any
word. That hurt.
| Tho Oneratinp rom was q hive of