The Irish standard., 1919-02-15

Inc CAOCA WAS StT1hAu6 SoVou 6S
tired, but smiling, Sister Evangelista
went to the doorway Of the old mans
ward and stood there quietly. waiting
for Sister 1melda, whose turn 1t was
to be on duty for the night.
1t was Ave or six. minutes before
Sister 1melda came almost running
down the corridor. Somehow, the
dear Lord doesn't give me the grace
to be on time," she painted laughing
~. Then she added in apology: Il am
very sorry to have kept you waiting.
After we finished washing the dishes
/ went to play with the kittens. and
forgot to watch the clock"
Like every one else in the house
Sister Evangelista loved merry-heart-
ed Sister 1melda quite as much for
her childish lapses as for her very
real virtues. She smiled with no trace
of annoyance as she answered teas
ingly: "Sister, If you ever come as the
clock strikes seven, E1-but why
talk of impossibilities!"
With hardly pause, she added
more seriously: 1--WE have new
charge-an old, old man from County
Cork, Tim is the only name he seems
to have. gave him the third bed on
the window side. Such helpless old
man he is-thin, and tired, and sad,
and penniless, and pathetically
ashamed of having broken down. He
does not talk much, but two or three
times the poor dear said that he de-
serves all his misfortunes and has no
right to complain"
"God help US all If we were to get
what We deserved" Sister Imelda
chimed in. Silence was the least of
her virtues.
II do not think he means his pow
erty-but must go or shall be late
for Office. Tom Shea is to have his
medicine at ten and at two, If he is
awake"
Half an hour later when Sister
Imelda passed down the ward she
looked curiously at the newcomer, a
frail old man with thin gray hair and
beard. Seeing that he was not asleep
she spoke gently to him, asking If he
was comfortable. To her surprise he
started violently. Instead of replying
he stared at her, bewildered, for a
few moments; then, with little moan,
he turned his face and closed his eyes.
With a feeling of compassion for
the queer little ways Of advanced age,
Sister Imelda passed on. BY the time
she made her second round he had
fallen asleep. She stopped at his bed
side to look, not into his worn, lined
face, but at the rudely chained old
beads which were twined about his
right hand, such beads as she had not
seen since she was girl in Ireland.
They vividly recalled cabin of a
winters evening, with her stalwart
father giving out the Sorrowful Mys-
teries---it was always those that he
had said. whatever the day of the
week, her frail mother kneeling be-
side him, but little nearer to the fire
and grouped irregularly around them
her four brothers and her restless,
sleepy little self. Obeying sudden
impulse she stopped and kissed the
old beads and two tears fell son the
coverlet. God bless them all,' she
murmured and the old man stirred in
his sleep.
AS the days wore on Tim failed
fast. He never complained and was
pathetically grateful for the least
kindness, but he was silent and sad
and evidently did not feel at home.
He made friends of none of the other
old men and seemed not to know one
Sister from another. One day. how
ever, when Sister Margaret gave him
his dinner he smiled wistfully at her,
saying my wife's name was Marga-
ret, only it was Maggie we called
her." and he appeared to be glad
when on Wednesday and Saturday
nights it was Sister Imelda's turn to
be on duty. She would find him awake
and watching for her almost every
hour; and once, very timidly, he asked
If she would sit beside him awhile
81 feel weak and strange tonight, and
your bright face, IL like to see Il" !"
he said. "You see, it's lonely here
o-1 T,o1o~,1 ,o Fo~
Its Gods own country!" Sister
Imelda exclaimed understandingly,
and added: "Tll sit beside you If you
close your eyes and try to go to
sleep. We don't want Sister Evange-
lista to scold us both tomorrow morn.
Ing"
He agreed, but instead of shutting
his eyes, lay looking contentedly at
her until she shook her finger and
went away.
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