The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-01-10
In Times
Like These
wright. 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)
o0
sy GERALD ST. ErIENNR

She was going to make a very pretty
nurse. The blue OF the uniform was
especially becoming to her style of
beauty and matched her eyes wonder
fully. The white starched collars and
cuffs made her look "just too stunning
for anything"-there was no use trying
to tell herself that they didn't. Just
wait until she had passed the proba-
toner term and won the right to wear
cap; wouldn't she make the other
nurses fade into oblivion? What the
uniform lacked In headgear she en-
deav0red tO'make up for In crimps to
her pretty blond hair. At last, when
everything was satisfa ctorily adjusted.
she started out the corridor with q
bring n-your-milllonaires" look In her
face.
LeOnore was just like lots Of other
girls. She had entered the hospital to
take course Of training with the
thought that all was sunshine and
pretty uniforms. Although she would
not have confessed 1t, uppermost In
her mind had been the thought that
after about the first month she would
be instrumental in saving the life of
some handsome young millionaire. who
In gratitude would throw his fortune
and his heart at her feet. 1t required
the first day to take all those silly no
tiOns out Of her head.
"Take those crimps out of your hair
Don't let the superintendent see you
with those. 1t is positively against
the rules" one Of the nurses warned
LeonOre before she had chance to
report to the head nurse for duty.
With a pout on her lips she hurried
back to her room and fiattened out the
crimps with a pint Of water.
II don't know how to take tempera-
tures," Leonore announced to the head
nurse the first thing. expecting of
course to be put In charge Of a patient
ut once.
Certainly you DON'T" the head
nurse smiled, not unkindly. "and you
won't be permitted to learn for some
time. either. Scrubbing out the oper-
ating room Is the first thing you will
do"
Poor Leonore! Never had she work.
ed so hard as she did the first week.
Every night she went to bed too tired
to be homeslck, but by the end of the
week she was taken Ill. In bed, of
duty. she had a chance to think. She
hadn't as much as seen q patient and
she had been there seven whole days.
She had scrubbed everything scrub
able In the place, though, she was sure
Of 1t. The smell Of soap and warm
water was ever with her. Her hands
that bad once been lily white were
swollen and red. Her arms were
chafed right up to the elbows, and her
best uniform was ruined. She wasn't
a nurse, she was a charwoman. She
just would not stay. The people at
home couldn't expect her to. The
thought of home brought the tears
that had been trying to come forth
for hours. After an hour of weeping
she felt better. but the resolve to 20
home was still with her. She hated to
let the head nurse know that she had
been beaten by the work, though. She
would just tell them she was going
aome for few days.
"Why, we are so short of nurses we
can't possibly spare YOU" the super
lntendent said when LeonOre inter-
viewed her.
II can't help IL; am going anyway,
even IL l can't come back" Leonore
started to sob. She hoped the note Of |
rebellion In her tone would win her
instant dismissal, but prObatloners
we're too scarce for such indulgence /
IN the part Of the superintendent.
"Come back as soon as you are bet
ter" the superintendent gave In. But
when Leonore was gone she was al
most sure she would not see her again.
There was no one to meet LeOnore
NJ the station. BY the time she
reached home she was tired and worn
,ut but not tooNtired to sob out the
Whole miserable tide in her mothers
arms.
II knew 1t was too much for you.
laring," her mother comforted. "You
ion't have to go back to that horrid
hospital"
Have you seen Gerald this weck?"
.eonOre asked as soon as she was
ested. Hasn't he been In every day?,
"He was In last evening" her mother
answered. "but the poor, dear boy
ooks so worn out"
How does he look In Uniform
Turning. onderful-doesnt hey"
He does look fine.r her mother
miled. for Gerald Is handsome
oy."
YES" Leonore agreed. and he must
e having ripping time. A soldiers
fe Is the life, mother. I wish I could
ave stayed until he got in uniform.
am going ont to the camp this very
fternoon."
Three o'clock found Leonore In the
nr on the way to the soldiers train
,g camp. Her cheeks we're flushed
'ith the expectation Of the welcome
he would be sure to. get, for Gerald
'as madly in'Iove with her. But they
nd quarfe)eds II wis the first time I
he had remembered that since she
1T to 90 to the hospital. Gerald had