The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-22
Revelations
of o. Wife
Dicky's Mother Delivers An UItimatum
To DR., Petit.
BY ADELE GARRISON.

PettitS sudden appearance in the SICK
room.
But the reahculprit, my mother-in-
law, Miss Sonnot's patient, was abso-
lutely unabashed by the tall physi-
clans disappearing look as he gazed at
the piles of clothing on every chair
and the collection of olden-time patch
worth quilts spread over the foot of
the sick woman's bed.
Against the nurses protests the
elder Mrs. Graham had insisted upon
supervising the unpacking of her
trunks which her sudden illness had
left unopened for days. AS 1 watched
little Miss Sonnot's face regain the
cool professional look which had left
it for an instant, had a shrewd sus-
picion that DIR. Pettit's visit was an
unexpected one, and If she had known
he was coming she would not have
yielded to the demands of her imperi-
| Gus patient.
x am surprised that you should have
| allowed this, Miss Sonnet thought 1
had impressed upon you the absolute
| need for rest and quiet in this case.
| Anything like this cannot help but be
| injurious"
| l flushed miserabIy at DIR. Pettit's
| tone as if l, instead of thenurse were
being censored. But Miss Sonnot's face
| did not change color or expression.
| She had given one little dismayed
start when the physician so unexpect
ly entered the room. Then, for any
emotion her face or figure registered,
| she might have been a statute.
A Battle of Personalities.
Il am very sorry she said, and her
voice was as cool and colorless as if
she had been counting a pulse. But
the patient wished so much to see to
I'the unpacknig of her trunks that 1 fin
| ally consented after I had found her
| pulse and temperature to be absolutely
normal
Most injudicious," returned the pyh-
stefan. Now if you will kindly clear
these away at once" His tone held
the note of arrogance which even the
| best of physicians sometimes assume
! toward the nurses in charge of their
cases
But a thoroughly drilled soldier
could not have excelled the impersonaI
manner with which Miss Sonnet be-
gan to fold the quilts lying open on
the bed. l sprang forward to help
| her.
"Stop!" MY mother laws voice
rang out isnperatively A red spot on
either cheek, her eyes flashing, sine
raised herself from her pillows and
| looked defiantly at the physician.
You seem to forget DR.. Petit, she
said icily, that these are my clothes
| you are so unceremoniously ordering
| put away. Let me disabuse your mind
of one thing, for once and for ALL I
am perfectly willing to follow any good
| physicians directions as to medicine
and care when am really ILL., But /
am not a child. 1 understand my own
strength and constitution perfectly
well, and 1 decline to permit any
nurse or physician to tell me when
shall unpack my trunks or do any
thing else. Let those things alone"
She snapped the last words at Miss
Sonnot and me.
/ / turned nay head away to hide a
smile at the blank amazement depict
ed upon the physicians face. 1 had
| too many experiences of my mother
in-law acid temper and arrogant ways
not to enjoy watching the behavior of
victim as dignified as DR.. Petit.
| But he came out of the ordeal with
flying colors. Don't forget, also" he
! said smiling, but with a grimness be-
| hind the pleasantly, that l am re-
sponsible for whatever happens to you
while you are under my charge. Please
lie back at once and let me take your
| temperature
He advaced to the bed and slipped
the thermometer into her mouth.
| smothering her mumbled protest.
! Shut your eyes," he commanded. 81
want you. to be in absolute repose
while this is taken"
Much to my surprise she obeyed him
meekly. With his eyes the physician
| telegraphed a command TO Miss Son
not.
| The Grim Mouth Tightens.
| Indicating to me silently that was
to fold the quilts and put them back
| in the trunk, the little nurse picked up
the dresses and coats, hung them in
the closet / had emptied for my moth
er-in-laws use. and put her lingerie
| in neat piles in the drawers of the
! chiffonier. Her movements were in
credibly swift. When DR.. Petit took
the thermometer from his patients
mouth and told her that she might
open her eyes, only the blanket COW
cred box by the side of her bed re-
manned Of the collection of personal
| belongings that had Uttered the room.
/ OF course. there were many articles
piled in the living room. but those DIR.
Petit did not appear to notice.
| Knowing the generous sprinkling of
cavenness which my mother in laws
temper possesses. l expected an ex-
I pIosion. But the only evidence she
gave of noticing any change in the
room was a certain grim Tightening Of
| the lines about her mouth.
| MY temperature was normal?" Her
words were an assertion instead OF a
question.
Perfectly" had an idea that the
physician would have been better