South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-23

Ellen Magill, on her way down the
corridor TO room "a to take charge
of a pneumonia case that had just
been brought into the hospital,
passed an orderly group of student
nurses on their way to the lecture
room. She smiled a little in answer
10 their cordial greetings. One
girl put out a gray clad arm with
it's turned back cuff Of stiffly
starched white and touched Ellen
furtively as she passed. Ellen nod
ded in quick. sympathetic under
standing. The girl was homesick
probably, unhappy or felt herself
out of place. 1t took a stout heart
TO be a nurse. The profession was
disillusioning 1t showed life in the
raw, stripped of its tinsel and trap
pings 1t required deep, human
sympathy and an unborn love of
service. 1t was a high, a holy call
ing, ministering in Christ-hke abne-
cation, like the disciples of old. to
ills of the flesh and also, 70 the
spirit. And yet through just sSch
service, Ellen had lost the most
beautiful thing in life. faith in the
man she loved.
1t was an old story. She had
nursed him back to life and health
and when he told her that the life
she had saved was hers. she felt a
great surge Of thankfulness and joy
that through personal service, she
had won the greatest of all human
gifts So professional pride touched
her even in her supreme hour.
He had come back TO see her a
few times: there had been cherished
til the edges of the paper had worn.
A long silence ensued, then by
chance, reading a daily paper from
far away city, she saw the an
nouncement OF his marriage to a
wealthy young woman. Something
had died in Ellen Magill that day,
something that she felt time could
not resurrect. Her loss of faith was
not personal, II was general. She
believed in no man. She would
never believe again. Yet her sin
cerity Of purpose, coupled with her
knowledge of her profession, made
her the best nurse in the great in
stitution. She thought OF the girl
who had just touched her as she
passed. Perhaps the girl was suffer
ing. needed her. She planned to
look her up that night when she was
relieved from duty.
She opened the door of "a and
saw a little boy tossing restlessly on
the white iron bed. A man, in the
uniform Of a scout master, sitting
by him, rose when she entered and
bowed gravely.
The boy is one OF my scouts" he
explained briefly. His home sur
roundings are impossible. I want
him to have every chance. That is
why I asked for you"
Afterward she remembered Won
dering DULY how the stranger had
heard OF her but at the time. she
saw only the flushed face OF the boy
the fever bright eyes, the long brown
fingers that picked at the counter
pane whose original design OF un-
natural flowers had long ago been
washed away. She touched the pa
uent professionally mere ana there.
then picked up a coarse bath towel
and began TO rub the feet and limbs
that were cold in spite OF the fever
that was burning him. A racking.
jerlxy cough shook him. It was like
a call to battle. She felt the urge
OF a great service whose recon-
pense IS life.
Day after day as she struggled
over the case. she met the scout
master there. He told her his name
was Hayden Martin. that II the boy
should ever call for him. he would
like TO be notified at once. II the
patient had any relatives. they did
not inquire. Ellen began 20 think
that Jimmy. as he was called. had
nobody but the scout master 10 look
after him.
The fourth week came round. The
doctors said that Jimmy was fall