Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-03
The Daily
Short Story
II DON'T WANT TO GET WELTz
BY Kitty Parsons

dim remembrance of enc thing, and
put out his hand gropingly. There
was nothing there. lie wondered il
there ever mad been-his thoughts
were so confused. He was a long
way from home. ana he thought
Vida had forgotten hlm, too.
PennCck3 wounded aTm Was
slightly better, but that night his
fever went up and for a long time
he was delirious. And through all
the days and nights that followed,
he called for Vida continually.
Il will be Vida, Doctor Daudet,"
announced the little nurse with the
red hair and laughing eyes. THE
poor boy will die--he is 80 lonely
for someone from home, and / can
pretend. / know all about this
girl-she does not love him. But
he need not know IL yet, and after
wards when he IS strong, we can
tell him"
After a long time, he opened his
eyes and looked at her in = puzzled
way.
Wont you kiss me, Vida" he
asked her.
The face was so white and drawn
and the plea so pitiful, that the girl
knelt beside the bed, and kissed him
gently on the forehead-as a
mother might kiss her young son.
You are so beautiful, Vida. and
so kind" he told her His tired lids
/ dropped again and he fell asleep.
For long time she stayed there,
| then at last, the hand that held
hers relaxed, and she slipped ex-
| hausted to the floor The doctor
| found her there and carried her 70
1 couch, where she slept dreamlessly
| for three hours.
| Il am sorry to wake you" said
| the head nurse. as she bent over
| her, but your patient keeps calling
| for someone and We cant seem TO
help him at all. VIII you Gomez"
Patty was on her feet instantly,
and hurried to him. She saw at
once that he was now perfectly ra-
tional, for he Immediately asked
her where Vida was.
She had TO go away she told
him gently, wishing she could tell
him the truth.
She was so changed" he went
CAs A1AAE " as 81 EEILlE anu HAH
/ kissed mel don't see why she
went away If she kissed me" He
looked at the nurse questioniugly.
and TO his surprise her face flushed
crimson.
Hes much better" the doctor
| told her late that afternoon, and
sent her off to get some WeII-earned
sleep.
When she went back to her
duties late that night, she found
Dick flushed with fever. looking
about the room aXiOusly. At sight
Of her he lay back on his pillow
with a sigh Of contentment
II knew you'd come" he eXulted
THAT red headed nurse lied to me
i knew YOU hadn't gone"
The doctor winked at the nurse
over the patients head.
The patient took Patty's hand
Tell me she lied, Vida" he begged
Patty dropped his hand and her
face flushed with anger. So this was
to be her reward-he would prob
ably hate her.
Yes, she lied" she agreed, and
slipped her hand back in his.
Il love you" he breathed with a
new ring in his voice.
There was long silence and
then he went TO sleep.
Patricia Carol sat in the same
position till she fell asleep. When
she woke up, she saw her patient
staring at her intently
Were you Vida?" he asked her
directly, and she told him the truth.
Il was Vida, and the read-headed
nurse all in one. You were not over
complimentary in your delirium."
He laughed happily. III tell
you the real truth and you can hate
me or mott was no more deliriOus
than you are-just at that moment.
| just wanted to have you sit with
me and hold my hand. Please for
give me. l don't really care for
Vida. anyway thought I did, but
I was wrong. care very much
about a very different girl-with
red hair"
Patty was scarlet again. She
never could get over the blushing
habit. try as she would.
'"Ill send another nurse 70 Won
now that you're so much better.
she declared professionally.
II you do, I'll jump out Of bed
and have a relapse right eff. DO
you want me to die?'
Don't be foolish. I'll come back
Ma little while but YOU don't de-
serve TO have me" She walked to-
wards the door.
DO YOU know the song. Il Don't
Want TO Get Well he called after
her
1--WE heard Of it, very distantiy
We'll. when you read all the
words OF the chorus. you'll know
what's the matter with me now.
Will YOU let me tell you when yea
come mack"
No answer.
when will You come back
Il shall be back. sir. she told
him. lust as 500 mas ! can lind the
doctor TO come with me and tell me
if you are perfectly sane.
We'll. II You don't come soon l
won't be" And the 5red headed
nurse disappeared down the hail.
laughing happily
entente powers The Yomiuri