Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-02-01
CHAPTER TX.

The hot August days dragged on.
MercilesS sunlight beat in through the
Slated shutters of ward windows. At
night, from the roof to which the
nurses retired after prayers for a
breath of air, lower surrounding roofs
were seen to be covered with sleepers
Children dozed precariously on the
edge of eternity; men and women
| spraWled in the grOtesQue postures of
sleep.
There was a sort of feverish irrita-
bility in the air. Even the nurses, sto-
| Ically unmindful of bodily discomfort,
spoke CURLY or not at all. Miss Dana,
in Sidney's ward, went down with a
low fever, and for a day or so Sidney
| and Miss Grange got along as best
| they could. Sidney worked like two or
more, performed maryels of bed MAX
ing, learned to give alcohol baths for
fever with the maximum of result and
the minimum Of time, even made
| rounds with a members of the staff and
came through creditably.
Dr. Ed Wilson had sent a woman pa
| tiert into the ward, and his visits
were the breath Of life to the girl.
How're they treating your he
asked her, one day, abruptly,
Every we'll"
| Look at me squarely. You're pref
ty and you're young. Some of them
will try to take it out of you. That's hui
man nature. Has anyone tried it YETI"
Sidney looked distressed.
| positively, no. It's been hot, and
Of course it's troublesome to tell me
everything. II think they're all
very kind"
He reached out a square, competent
hand, and put it over hers.
eve miss you in the Street" he
said Its all sort of dead there since
you left
He went out and down the corridor.
During the lonely times when Max
| was at college and in Europe he had
| watched her grow from a child to a
| young girl. He did not suspect for
q moment that in that secret heart of
hers he sat newly enthroned, in a
glow Of white light, as MaX's brother !;
| that the mere thought that he lived
| In MaXS house lit was, of course, Max
| house to her), sat at Max's breakfast
| table, could see him whenever he
wished, made the touch of his hand on
| hers a benedicti0n and a caress.
Carlotta Harrison, back from her
vacation, reported for duty and was
assigned to E ward, which was Sid
neys. She gave Sidney a curt little
nod, and proceeded to change the en-
tire routine with the thor0ughness Of
a Central American revolutionary
president. Sidney who had yet to
learn that with some people authority
can only assert itself by change,
| found herself confused, at sea, half
resentful. She got the worst Off-duty
| of the day, or none. Small humilia-
| lions were hers: late meals, disagree
| able duties, endless and often unnec-
| esSary tasks. Ignorant Of the cause
Of her persecution, she went steadily
| on her way.
And she was gaining every day. Her
| to think for herself. On the whole,
| the world was good, she found. And,
of all the good things in it, the best
was service. True there were hot
days and restless nights. weary feet,
ana nov and then a heartache There
yTvaC T. aJ INF 70
! these there was the sound of Doctor
Max's step in the corridor, and his
| smiling nod from the door; there was
3 God bless you" now and then for
the comfort she gave; there were
wonderful nights cn the roof under
the stars, until KS little watch
warned her to bed
X. was having his own troubles in
those days. Late at night, when Anna
and Harriet had retired, he sat on
the balcony and thought of many
things. Anna Page was not well. He
had noticed that her lips were rather
blue, and had called in Doctor Ed. IT
was valyular heart disease. Anna
was not to be told, or Sidney. 1t was
! Hariet's ruling.
Sidney can't help any," said Har-
riet, land for heavens sake let her
have her chance. Anna may live for
years. You know her as well as l
do. If you tell her anything at all,
she'll have Sidney here, waiting on
her hand and foot"
And LIE Moyne, fearful Of urging too
much because his own heart was cry
ing out TO have the girl back, assented
Then, 4. was anxious about Joe.
The boy did not seem to get over the
thing the way he should. Now and
then LIE AIoyne, raslming his old habit
OF wearying himself into sleep, would
walk out into the country. On one
such night he had overtaken- Joe,
tramping along with his head down.
Joe had not wanted his company.
had plainly sulked. But LIE Moyne
had persisted.
I'll not talk" he said; "but since
we're going the same way, we might
as well walk together"
But after a time Joe talked. after
all. 1t was not much at f1rst-a fever
ish complaint about the heat, and that
if there was trouble in Mexico he
thought he'd go.
''Wait until fall, if you're thinking
of IT," Z. advised. ''This is tepid com