Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-01-18

1t was some time In the latter part
Of September that Billy Louise got up
in the middle Of q frosty night because
she heard her mother moaning. That
was the beginning. She sent John of
before daylight for the doctor. and be.
fore the next night she stood with her
lips pressed together and watched the
doctor count NOMINEES pulse and take
mommie's temperature and drew in her
breath hardly when she saw how long
he studied the thermometer after
ward.
There was a month or so on Going
to and fro ON her toes and of watching
the clock with mind to medicine Civ
ing. There were nights and nights and
nights when the cabin window winked
like star fallen into the coulee from
dusk to red dawn. Ward rode over
once, stayed all night and went home
in silent rage because he could not
do a thing
There was a week OF fiuctuating
hope and time when the doctor said
mommie must go 70 hospital Boise.
since she had friends there. And there
was terrible, nerve racking journey
to the railroad. And when Ward rode
next to the Wolverine ranch there was
no Billy Louise to taunt or tempt him.
John Pringle and Phoebe told him In
brief. stolid sentences OF the later de-
velopments and gave him q meal and
offered him bed, which he declined.
When the suspense became madden
ing after that he would ride down to
the Wolverine for news. And the news
was monotonously scant. Phoebe could
read and write after fashion, and
Billy Louise sent her q letter now and
then, saying that mommie was about
the same and that she wanted John
to do certain things about the ranch
Sne could not leave mommie, she said
Ward gathered tHat she would not.
Once when be was at the ranch he
wrote letter to Billy Louise and told
her that he would come to Boise If
there was anything he could do and
begged her TO let him know II she
needed any money. Beyond that he
worked and worked and tried to crowd
the lonesomeness out Of his days and
the hunger from his dreams with com.
plete bone WEAKNESS. He did not ex-
Dect an answer TO his letter--at least
he told himself that he did not-but
one day Phoebe gave him thin little
letter.
Billy Louise did not write much.
She explained that she could only
scribble a line or two while mommt.
slept. Mommie was about the same.
She did not think there was anything
Ward could do, and she thanked BIN
for Offering TO help. There was MOTH
ing, she said pathetically. that anybody
could do. Even the doctors did not
seem able to do much except tell her
lies and charge her for them. No; she
did not need any money Thank you
just the same, Ward" That was about
all. 1t did not sound in the least like
Billy Louise.
Ward answered the note then and
there and called her WiIhemina-mine
which was an awkward name to write
and cost him five minutes Of cogitation
over the spelling. But he wanted 1t
down on paper where sac could see it
and remember how 1t sounded when he
said it, even II it did look ,speer Far
Their along he started to cah her Bin
Loo, but rubbed it out and substituted
Lady Girl with capitals). Altogether
he did better than he knew, for he
made Billy Louise cry when she read
ii, and he made, her say Dear Ward
under her breath and remember how
his hair waved over his left temple |
and how he looked when that smile hid |
Just behind his lips and his eyes. and |
he made her forget that she had lost |
faith In him. She needed to cry, and |
she needed to remember ana also to |
forget some things. for life was hard,
dull drab In Boise, with nothing to
tighten it savff q vicarious hope that |
did not comfort.
Billy Louise was not stupid. She |
saw through the vagueness OF the doc
tors, and, besides, she was so hungry |
for her hills that she felt like beating |
the doctors with her fists because they |
did nothing to make her memmie well |
enouf;h to go home. She grew to hate |
the nurse and her neutral cheerfulness. |
That is how the fall passed for Billy
Louise and the early part Of the win
ter.