The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-02
EVENING STORY
The Kiss.
(By Louise Oliver.)

kathleen had never been able to
conquer her fear of the head surgeon.
From the time as a probationer she
mad heard him berating Miss Lownes
for handing him a probe instead of a
suture in the operating room, she had
experienced a feeling of acute panic
whenever he looked at her. And her
| blood turned to water and her muscles
to jelly if he spoke to her, whether
bidding her the time of day or asking
about a bandage. AS time rolled on
senior nurses to help him at big ops
eratlons they We're periods of such
agony that life became almost too in
tolera bic for endurance.
But in the two years she had known
DIR. Breen he had never spoken to her
unklndly. Even when occasion might
have warranted, for there were occa-
sions, and mistakes due to her fIutter-
ing heart and confused brain, he had
been patience itself, a fact so notice.
able that the rest of the training
school first wondered, then comment
ed and finally gossiped- And jealousy
cost Kathleen many a friend, for the
girls all had a wholesome respect for
the great man and would have given
almost anything they possessed for a
word of appreciation.
But Kathleen, naturally quiet and
retiring, was too busy to notice it very
much. At night she was too tired for
more than a hot bath and perhaps a
! letter or two, and her off duty, which
she got only about one day in four she
devoted to a quiet walk in the park
or necessary shopping. Once every
month she got two days off and went
| home.
The senior nurses were allowed to
| go out on private cases, upon request
I but kathleen had asked as a special
favor not to be sent. She shrank from
/ rDira Into
that she was unwilling to accept every
phase OF the profession she had
| chosen, for she loved nursing, but the
| excitement of the hospital fascinated
her.
One day the head surgeon met her
in the tall. Miss Lownes says you
won't go out on private duty" His
tone was crisp, his eyes keen but not
unklndly- But as usual Kathleen's
knees began to shake and her voice
trembled.
Il didn't say L wouldn't, DR.. Breen
l always do l am told. 1 merely
asked as a favor not to be sent
! "Why?"
Il like it here
But if you were needed"
| I'D go if there were no one else"
| DR.. Breen regarded her moment
in silence, the way her color was COM
| ing and going, the way her fingers
opened and closed.
why are you afraid of me, Miss
Starling?" he asked finally. I'm not
such a bear, am I?''
'N-no!" stammered Kathleen,
turning away her eyes.
And I'm not very old. How old
do you think 1 am? %
I-don't-know.'
"Only thirty. That's not old enough
to develop any full-sized crouch, now
is it?"
NO
What's the matter with the girls
here? Aren't they friendly and nice
to you?"
She was surprised. ct really don't
know. 1 guess I don't make friends
very fast, and maybe it's my fault I'm
| very busy most of the time" She was
| uneasy and wanted to get away The
head nurse was likely to discover that
she was talking to one of the doctors
in the hall and she would be repri-
manded. Hospital rules were strict
DR.. Breen understood Never mind
about Miss Lownes, I'll fix this up with
her. 1 want to ask you something
more. If ever I'm sick or hurt will
you nurse me?"
Yves, DR.. Breen,'' Kathleen's gray
eyes were losing some of their fear.
That's the idea; I thought you
would. You may have occasion some
time, you know. I'll speak to the head
nurse about it so there won't be any
trouble
She thought he was joking and