Evening star., 1921-05-16
Soothing Hysteria.

was too full Of ice. The girl who
had pushed it impatiently from her
aching head pressed hot fingers to
her head.
II can't stand it; 1 know Til lose
less. Mother goes around whisper
ing, whispering. all the time. and
looking in through crack in the
door to see if I'm asleep, until every
time l see a movement at the door
now feel like screaming. They must
expect me to die. They never. talk
out loud. I want to cry. l want to
laugh. 1 want to scream" And as
the hysteria, against which she was
really struggling. grew. the girl
storm of tear-shattered laughter, and
threshed about the bed in a very
tempest of tears.
Her mother. alarmed. rushed into
the room, and kneelins by the bed.
implored the girl. with tears stream
ing down her own face, to try to be
calm The girls father. hurrying in
from the dinner table. crumpling the
evening paper as he came, strobe up
and down the room, saying: "A r niee
child, Why don't you do something,
mother"
And mother" telephoning for the
doctor and attempting dismally to re-
store order, tearfully admitted tina.
couldn't manage alone another min
ute. That the sick girl was too
much" for her. and that she would
give in at last, Some one would
just have to come in and take care OF
Anna
II don't want a nurse! I won't have
a nurse, want mother. I want
mother, Oh. 1 know I'm going out
Of my mind. Where is mother"
And the girl who had come home
from school in a faraway town with
a nervous breakdown. according to
the school doctors diagnosis. wept
more tempestuously than ever.
There were no available nurses. But
a middle-aged woman. who wore COM
great deal of caring for the sick"
in the neighborhood. was prevailed
upon to come in for the night And
she remained a week. The miracle she
wrought was marvellous But her
first evening in the house was most
distressing.
Doctor. Advice Unheede6.
Tho girl was hysterical Tho mother
and father hung over tho bed and
refused to leave the room. The fam
iiy doctor. who was a kindly soul.
paced up and down In the hall, paus-
ing at the sickroom door every now
now. Better leave Anna to tho nurse:
She knows how to take care OF her
But no one came. Upstairs, how
ever, the nurse was doing some rec.
onnoitering. Tho sick girl had had
save her mother steps. That in It,
self was 4 bad thing. because tho girl
was never away from the attentions
of her family for moment The
door-bell. tho telephon.; passing s
csu to her mother. all these little
annoyances had tended to increase
her tendency to hysteria.
So, in the big spare bedroom that
was all done up IN .y,,n, yellow ano s1na
and coin-spotted muslin curtains, al
neatly ruffied and primly hung. the
nurse stood and made up her mind
1t was an ideal room for a nervous
patient. Big and airy, opening Into
a bathroom on one side and a sleep
ing porch on the other. The wall
paper was delightfully."- plain: II was
plain cream, with q fresoo of big rest
full looking yellow roses near tno cell
ing, A sick person, however nervous.
could not find the temptation 20 ooune
birds or squares. or leaves on tno
wallpaper. That was q blessing. The
furniture was bird's-eye maple, Zach
piece large and plain. and good TO
look upon. It was an ideal room.
Having warmed the bed with glass
only one rubber hot-water bottle in tho
house that did not leak, the nurse I'M
parted her plan to the doctor. who In
turn announced it to the family. VINO
were quite transported at the
thought. and really rather glad when
1t had been explained to them
But can't stand the weight OF tho
icebag on my head" demurred Anna,
w1en. at length. she was costly set
tied In tho big white bod. and the low
lamp with its gold colored 0Aado was
sonding a subdued glow OF light
across tho room that looked - big
and airy after the rather etu44ered
room downstairs. which bad Dsver
boon intended for q bedroom, aay-
way
H. We4EAf - PreasA
Z shall do It to tho bad of the
bod. It's fortunate that tho bed Is
bfass. with rails At the top" And ~
she spoke tho nurse tied the icebA1
With long tapes to the head Of tho bed
% that tho sick garrs forehead came
In direct contact With II, yet received
no weight or pressure.
And tn Anna's Surprise ste feooayed
tho s1zno degree Of comfort from the
scebax and expeeienoed no disoonafort
from In weight
ThaED UOxe other H181Ve21L 6oA, and
anna 18osRorninK lite . ro1o 1nder
the drm- tactful and nndeaUfaadfng
aAniais4rat5on of tho vomAa Who
wore onmua0n- sense shoes aad never
vhlGDaRoA iA th0 sick room nor ev0o
peereA IN At . Gzek n he A0or. loved
to tell ~ she r~Eained her strength
AID cCn:osurc about the way she haA