Middletown transcript., 1917-01-06

into her low bed ct nine o'clock In the
morning, those days, with her splen-
did hair neatly braided down her back
and her prayers said, and Immediately
her active young mind filled with
images -Christine's wedding, Doctor
Max passing the door of the old ward
and she not there, JOe-and she puz-
zled over Grace and her kind.
On her first night on duty girl
had been brought in from the Avenue.
She had taken p0iscn-nobOdy knew
just what. When the internes had
tried to find out. she had only said:
"What's the user
And she had died.
Sidney kept asking herself. "Why?"
those mornings when she could not get
to sleep. People were kind-men were
kind, really-and yet, for some reason
or other, those things had to be.
Why?
Carlotta Harrison went on night
duty at the same time-her last night
service, as it waj Sidney's first. She
accepted it stoics lily. She had charge
| of the three wasds on the floor just
below Sidney, ALL of the ward into
which all emer ge,cy cases were taken.
Tt was difficult service, perhaps the
most difficult in The house. Carlotta
merely shrugged Aer shoulders.
"Tve always HAD things pretty hard
here" she comAx.ted briefly. when
1 60 out, III sather be competent
enough to run ,shOle hospital single
handed, or I'll he carried out feet
| first"
/ Sidney was glaa to have her so near.
| She knew her f,;ster than she knew
the other nursea Small emergencies
| were constantly srtsing and finding her
at loss. Once at least every night
Miss Harrison wopld hear soft hiss
from the back staircase that connect
ed the two floors, and, going out, would
see Sidney's flushed face and slightly
crooked cap bending over the stair
rail.
"Tm dreadfuliy sorry to bother you"
she would say, "but So-and-So won't
|
here who refuses her medicine" Then
would, follow rapid questions and
equally rapid answers. Much as Car
lotta disliked and feared the girl over
head, it never occurred to her to re-
fuse her assistance. Perhaps the an
gels who keep the great record will
put that to her credit.
Sidney saw her first death shortly
after she went on night duty. 1t was
the most terrible experience of all her
life-it seemed to her that she could
not stand it. Added to all her other
new problems of living was this one
of dying.
She made mistakes, of course. which
the kindly nurses forgot to report
basins left about, errors on her rec
ords. She rinsed her thermometer in
hot water one night. and startled an
inferno by sending him word that Mary
McGuire's temperature was ITO de-
grees. She let Il deliriOus patient escape
from the ward another night and go
airily down the fire escape before she
discovered what had happened! Then
she distinguished herself by flying
down the iror. staircase and bringing
the runaway back Single-handed.
For Christincs wedding the Street
threw OF its drab attire and assumed
wedding garment. Ii the beginning
it WAS iEcredu;ous about some of the
details. The wedding Was TO be at
five o'clock. This, In Itself, de!ied all
tradiucus of tho Street, which was
either married in the very early morn
ing ut tie Cntho:ic church or at eight
O'Clock in ti:e evening ct the Presbyte
riaa. There vas something reckless
about FIVE o'c!oc.,. The Street felt the
dash of it. 1t had queer feeling that
perhaps such q marriage was not quite
legal.
The younger Wilson was to be one
of the ushers. When the newspapers
came oIt with the published list ant
this was discovered, as we'll as tha
Sidney was the maid of honor, there
was Il distinct Quiver through the hos
pital training school. A prObationcl
was authorized to find out particulars
1t was the day Of the wedding then
and Sidney, who had not been to bee
in the dormitory annex, drying hel
hair.
The probationer was distinctly un
easy.
IL just wonder" she said, "if vol
would let some of the girls come il
to see you when you're dressed?"
"Why, of course l will"
Its awfully thrilling, isn't it? And
isn't Doctor Wilson going to be al
usher?'
!, Sidney cOlOred. 81 believe So
The probationer had been instructed
work with a fan at Sidney's hair.
"You've known Doctor Wilson a Ion;
time, haven't your
"Ages."
Hes awfully good-looking, ism
y hep"
Sidney considered. She was not ig
q norant Of the methods Of the school
q If this girl was pumping her
"Tll have to think that over" Sh
) said, with CLINT of mischief in he
$ eyes. "When you know person ter
; ribly well, you hardly know whethe
7 he's gOOd-looking or not"
q Il suppose" said the probationel
J. running the long strands of Sidney
! hair through her fingers "that Mhe]