South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-18
An Emergency Call
BY MATILDA EMERSON.


10 was her first week on duty in the
emergency room, helping Miss Pat
erson write the entry record OF each
patient as the ambulances brought
them in.
y don't see how you can be So"
she hesitated for a word that would
not hurt the feelings OF the other
nurse-"so used 10 10 all Seems TO
me each case is worse than the last
one"
"Oh, nearly all OF you girls play
tunes on your heart strings when
you land here. r just has TO be. and
you can't help il. Try TO look at il
IN that way You can't afford 20 be
sorry for them all 1t uses up your
nerve force"
But she did not get used 10 f..
Not then. nor during the whole six
months OF her probation. Miss Pat
erson had taken a fancy TO her from
the very beginning. She was willing
and well educated and all Of the
doctors liked her. The last two weeks
OF her probation period she was
placed at the emergency desk at
night and 70 was here she met Mrs
Crosby Latimer.
10 was a wild, spring night in early
May. There had been a heavy rain
storm, followed by high wind,
blowing in from the sea 10 the east
Madge had Just stepped across the
room 20 close the window as a sud
den gust Of wind blew a lot Of pa
pers on the floor, when the door was
pushed open by a woman. Madge
saw AZ a glance that she was not the
sort who sought the shelter of Mercy
hospital While she were no hat her
long broadcloth cloak was unmis-
takably correct in its lines, and
costly in quality. Her heavy, dark
hair was streaked with gray and the
wind had loosened IL 50 that il was
half tumbling 20 her shoulders. The
palIor OF her face was like the hue
OF a jasmine flower; even her dry
lips seemed b1oodless IS she mois-
ened them nervously, leaning hevily
on the little shelf in front Of the
brass grating at the entry clerks
window. a wave OF compassion
swept over Madge. as ~he saw the
look OF utterly dazed heIplessness in
her wide. dark eyes.
II beg your pardon" she said,
slowly. but can you tell me who ]
am? Please, please tell who I am.
I've walked so far and I couldn't find
any one I dared TO ask. I saw the
light from your window. VIII you
tell me who I am Pc
She suddenly burst into a fit OF
nervous weeping. ana bowed her
head in her hands. TIE door lead
ing upstairs swung open. and little
Blair. one Of the internes. came in,
humming.
Il say. Miss Laurence" he began,
but Madge mOtioned him to be quiet.
Mr.. Blair" she cried, pleasantly. |
do you think you could take my
place for just a few moments? II
want TO take this lady into the re-
ception room"
Blair gave the stranger "the once
over" as he would have expressed
it. and murmured, as ne took
AIadge's seat:
Better land her in the dip"
was no case for the dipsomaniac
ward, and she knew il. AS they
stepped into the big white marble
hall together the woman put out her
hand like a child for Madge to lead
her and she took her upstairs When
she came back, Blair nsticed that
she seemed excited. but not one thing
would she tell sim, except that she
had placed the woman in care OF
Miss Gage. and il seemed only a
simple case of aphasia. She told him
she would report it as soon as DR..
Akin came in at 8 o'c'oclI. He was
the house doctor on nervous diseases.
Just as soon as she was alone she
lifted the receiver from the phone.
River. 794 Hello. hello. want
90 speak 20 Mr.. Latincr please"
Then after a pause, us this Mr..
Stanley Latimer? This is Mercy hos
pita1 No. I'm only the night nurse
in the emergency receiving room
Mr. Latimer. your mother has just
wandered I'm here. She has lost her
way. and her memory. No. she is
not hurt. ] found your name in her
handbag on a letter. You will come
at once. Yes. / think that is best
What? OH. have the letter: there
viii be no publicity"
About twenty minutes latcr a lin
CUISINE passed under the red brick
arch and Stanley Latiloer jumped
out. He did not mince words at all:
but Madge caught the relief i'm his
eyes and voice when he saw her.
Il am sure. Miss Laurence" he
said as they went upstairs together.
that I need not tell YOU low CRATE
ful I am 20 you for sensing the
whole emergency in this case MY
mother has not been herself for sew
raj days. have been out of the
city on duty with the national guard
and she made some very ill-ad-
Vised investments without any con
sent 7 blame her broker far more
than 7 do her. bat between them
they lost thousands OF dollars. and
I'm afraid 1 might have been rather
harsh with her when. : found il .
out"
Madge looked at him .yravely
Perhaps YOU did not ~ealize that /