The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-03-01
THE KISS
BY LOUISE OLIVER.


But In the two q she had know,
Doctor Breen he had never spokeI
to her unkindly. Even when ,occasio,
might have warranted. for there wer,
occasions. and mistakes due to hea
huttering heart and confused brain, III
had beer patience itself. a fact 80 no
ticeable that the res Of the training
school first wondered, then comment.
ed. and finally gossiped.
One day the head surgeon met her
In the hall.
Doctor Breen regarded her q mo
nent In silence, the way her color was
coming and going. the way her fingers
opened and closed.
"Why are you afraid of me. Miss
Startling" he asked finally. I'm not
such a bear, am II"
"N-no" stammered Kathleen. turn.
Ing away her eyes.
"And I'm not vefy old. How old do
you think I ann"
observation-disclosures"
"Only thirty. That's not old enough
to develop any full.sized crouch, now
IL it,"
no.
She was uneasy and wanted to get
away. The head nule was likely to
discover that she was talking to one
OF the doctors In the hall and she
would be reprimanded,
Doctor Breen understood. "Never
mind about Miss Lownes, I'll fix this
up with her. want to ask you some
thing more. II ever I'm sick or hurt,
will you nurse. mel"
Eyes. Doctor Breen." Kathleen's
gray eyes were losing some of their
fear.
Then things began to happen very
fast. The ambulance bell sounded in
the courtyard below and the nurses
and orderlies seemed to be everywhere
At once,
Doctor Breen had hurried away and
Kathleen went back to her patients
In X ward wondering what It was all |
about.
"What is it," she asked an inferno
as the elevator passed her floor slow.
~ with a new burden Of men on
stretchers.
Explosion in the Blue Diamond
Mills" cam the answer.
In an hour Miss Lownes came in.
"You are to go to room twenty-five on
the mems floor" she said icily. "Some
Of the doctors went to the scene of the
accident and a wall tell. Doctor Breen
was hurt"
Doctor Breen hurt! Kathleen CROPPED
her way blindly to the stairs. She had
promised, and she would 60,
He was unconscious and did not
know her, however. Kathleen helped
with bandages and splints, the doctors
and two nurses working silently and
quickly. But there was other work
do-terrible work; and Gey were
elsewhere. So Kathleen was
left alone with her patient for q
while,
he slept all the first day. The night
brought q foyer and the next day de-
He began to talk.
"Pretty! Just the prettiest thing
you eyer saw, but she scares like a
title gray mouse. She's sweet
he went on. "Gray eyes, long
ashes>and skin like alike a t~earose."
lie wasQuiet for a while; then sudden
', Kathleen, little Kathleen, don't be &
lfraid. I'm only thirtyw
The little nurse started and famed tt
ed. Cogd he be talking about herr N
lie was getting very restless and ex-
tied. 'twant her. Get me Kathleen.
.Iathleent" he called.
Finally she said quietly, laying
DOL hani on his, Heres Kathleen be-
ide yoy'
"Kiss lme, dear. Kiss me, Kath-
&c caught her two hands and
ulled hf down. After all, 1t was tn
My to (umor a sick man, and she on
,as too ired to care much what hap IT..
ened. b her lips touched his cheek
ghtly. aft
"Miss ftarling" OFT
It wasMiss Lownes' voice. Kath. VIII
zen looldh up quickly but feariessly.
here WI another woman with the
cad nur}, a richly dressed woman of
iddle AZ, whose resemblance to the 70,
on be bed identified her as his .
other. his
"Kpthlsn !" called the sick man.
"You My go, Miss Startling. There
little say. You are dismissed. pri,
AMI believe" had
And th{ something In the timid IT.
3 mousiof a nurse broke loose.
"You fb condemning me unheard, J
ISIS LoAes, and 1t isn't fair. You YOU
takIt,S advantage Of a sick mans pho
him tSoSet me out Of the way be- 8
use your lever liked me. But be- she
I GOT the little head with its tim,
own Of destnut hair went up very
Oh and Ae gray eyes flashed. II
int to I You something. I'm a ~
airing ali my mother was 4 Brix- seer
q. NeitiE a brlxton 0 q Star ucti
g eve anything dishonorable. "E
! g~randf;}er is John Rigby Brix. Il
who E4t this hospital and en-. and
wed 1t. 4wonder what he'll think. com
ID my fa4r, DR.. Amos Startling, is
. best kisn American surgeon In
. FrenchAmy now" proudly. IN
MISS hofeS "sS aknast. Mrs. plum
cen TOO 3ohisneu 70 speak, Then IN
voice spe quietly from the bed. ~
We heard erything, and l can only ~
line whsY wrong, but ! want moth. con,t
to knoYhlat Kathleen Is going to
try meAren't you. Kathleenr
YES" 44wered the little nurse, A.,
ming tArh him honni1v srh.~. NI'