The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-16
EVENING STORY
Changing Her Career.
BY KITTY PARSONS.


that her boy had been injured playing
hockey. she cancelled her first big
concert engagement and then hurried
to the boarding school where he lay
ill.
At the station she was met by DR..
Norwood. who had been kindness and
consideration itself, and had helped
her by his own cheerfulness to fight
the battle that went on day and night
to save her boy. OF course there was
! nurse. but she was SO unsympathet$e,
and SO evidently hostile to any inter-
ference from Nina, that she thought
as little about her as possible.
In the middle of the fourth night,
the boy called for his mother, and
the nurse was forced to call her.
Thru the long hours that followed.
they sat beside him, and when Miss
Cross came back after a short rest,
Nina had fallen asleep, her hand in
the boys.
Hush" whispered the doctor.
Don't wake her"
No. indeed" snapped the nurse.
But I've stood as much of this as
intend to-from my future husband
and 1 won't have you sitting up all
I night with other women, either!
"A sick room is hardly the place for
warned her, and shall not ask you
to apologize to Mrs. Benson now. But
1 think you had better consider well
before entering upon ma rriase with
a man You can trust SO little.
After this scene the attitude of Miss
Cross became more antagonistic than
ever, but Nina ignored it as much as
possible and continued to be pleasant
when they met. But she could not
help but wonder how such nice man
as Doctor Norton could become en-
gagged to such an intensely disagree
able woman. Unfortunately. such
| things did happen.
! Nina was only thirty-two. but she
had had a hard life of work and shift
| ing for herself ever since her husband
died, ten years before. She had plen-
| ty of pluck and grit, but the strait of
| the last week had told on her She
kept up bravely until the crisis was
| past. and then calmly tainted. When
she came to, she was holding the doc
tors hand. and lying on a couch in
| her own room. She recovered herself
| quickly and got up.
I'm sorry, L was so weak Is Carl
betterE''
| Doing famously. Well soon have
| him about again. If you don't take
better care of yourself, we'll have a
new patient on our hands. tho"
"Oh, I'm all right now. And If the
| boys really better I'll have to go home
| this week. have an engagement to
| sing-and if all is we'll, 1 must keep it
this time
you're not fit to work yet-it's
preposterous!"
NO, it isn't doctor. I have to earn
my living and I'm quite happy. You've
all been very kind to me, 100"
who wouldn't be?" burst from the
doctor, then he recollected himself and
| added professionally: Drink this
milk now, and rest as much as you
can for the next day or two. so that
you will be more fit for your journey.
| You'll need all your strength
Nina thanked him and, when he
had gone, she thought good deal
about him.
Everything continued to 80 well.
and in few days Nina left the school
for New York. Doctor Norton drove
her to the train. --.
About a mile from the station, as
| they were rounding corner, wo-
man, driving at a reckless rate of
| speed, came towards them on the
| wrong side of the road. To avoid a
! collision the doctor swung out to the
right and his car turned turtle in a
underbrush. Nina was thrown clear.
but the man was caught under the
car Nina rushed to him and tried to
pull him out.
You must help me-" she called to
the woman. who had stopped her own
car. please hurry-he may die if he
is left here,''
Together they moved and dragged
the doctor to the other car and drove
to the hospital.
"a bad break" the doctors told
her I'VE can't tell much yet, but il
may be serious. Is there anyone to
come to him ?"
Nina went at once to the phone and
come at once. Doctor Norwood was
very ill and might be left crippled.
The nurses reply was short to the
point
II am no longer engaged to Doctor
| Norwood. I've looked after sick peo-
pie so long that I don't think I'm go
ing to marry cripple now. Good
bye"
| Nina was dumbfounded and dread
ed carrying the bad news to the doc
tor. But when they sent for her she
steeled herself and went up to him.
| I'm sorry 1 made you miss your
train" he sighed, looking at her
grateful. Did you telephone
Gladys?"
Yes. but she couldn't leave just
now--Im SO sorry"
| You needn't bel understand per-
J fectly. We both made a mistake and
the break has been coming for a long
time" He closed his eyes with a
sharp gasp of pain.
Can / do anything" asked Nina
softly, gently stroking the contracted
hand.
''Yes-a great dealt"
Tell me, please"
Never leave me again. Oh. what
am 1 saying / forgot that l may be
a cripple Please go before / forget
myself again"
Il want you to forget-whatever
happens don't want to leave you
again. l knew it as soon as we had
the accident I'm dreadful1y lonely
and no one else really needs me, and
1 love you
And I've been trying not to love
you ever since the first day you came
to the school, but it was useless. I'm
almost grateful to that misera BILE
woman who ran over us. I'm SO hap
py." He would have said a lot more,
too but the attendant doctor came
in the room at that moment to see
how he was.