The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-13
Etening Story
The UnseIfishness of Helen,
BY JANE OSBORN.


Gated shoulder blade, but to have it
happen the week before Christmas
amounts to tragedy"
such was the refrain of the mem
bers of the set to which Bill Stan
ten belonged when they talked over
that motor rnishap which every
one knew but no one said was due
to Bill Stanton's reckless speeding.
Had it been any one a whit less
popular than Bill they would have
said, II told him So But Bill was
well beloved among his friends al
most as much as by his mother, who
had spoiled him amazingly since his
babyhood.
AS long as they all knew that Bill
wasn't badly damaged sometimes they
almost smiled over his mishap. 1t
seemed almost funny to think of big,
impatient, irrepressible Bill Stanton
stretched out on a hospital bed with
doubtless a wisp of a white-frocked
nurse commanding obedience with a
gesture or a single word. For, or
course, he would have to obey orders
at st. Johns. Discipline among pa
tients as well as nurses was very
severe at st. Johns.
At first, of course, there was fever
-probab bly, the first that Bill had
ever experienced in his charmed life
And Bill was delirious, which gave
bits QOIlnS IlOIneF an SACuSO " SIb
by his side for an entire night, pro-
cedure that certainly would not have
been allowed had Bilis condition
been in any way serious.
There was a red-headed slip of a
nurse whom they called Sister Helen
on duty in the private corridor where
Bill had been taken. There was no
special nurses available in the town
and none coAd be imported from the
nearest big city until the morning.
And this little red-haired girl that
bore herself with such a pert self
control was obviously only a proba-
toner. For she wore no cap. When
Bill tried to rise from his bed in his
delirium his mothers pleas were in
vain, but this very young nurse, who
fitted back and forth from room to
room, ordered him with look of her
arched eyebrows.
Once when she had squashed BilPs
ambitions to leave his hospital bed
that night he looked quite nationally
at his mother by HIS side.
Its because she has red hair that
she can manage me So" he said. at
is red isn't it ?"
VERY red said Bills mother ten
derby.
"You remember that other red
haired GIRL he went on, becoming not
so rational, ''you know, mamma" Bill
hadn't called her mamma since he was
small boy. You know her, she
was just like this one. You know,
she used to boss me around the same
way, you know, mamma. She slapped
my face once. I didn't mind the slap,
but the thought that she dared to do
it. What was her name?"
Nellie Dean, 1 guess" said the
mother. 1.-The housekeeper's little
girl"
Nellie Dean" said Bill as if a wave
-
name. Nellie Dean" Then he seemed
to be smiling to himself and rested as
he had not rested since his mishap.
When he opened his eyes they seemed
still peaceful. 81 have been thinking
of her" he told his mother. 'I was
playing with her just yesterday, in the
attic on a rainy day. She slapped
me and think kissed her. I guess
I never told you that, and here she is
again. It is Nellie. I know. I think
1 could go to sleep if you'd leave me
and have them turn the light out and
open the window, if knew Nellie was
somewhere to come when I rang the
bell,'
The mother stepped into the cor
rtdor, to find an older nurse in a cap
just taking her seat at the d sk, while
the younger nurse with red hair stood
beside the elevator, apparently going
off duty. Hospital regulations were
nothing to Bits mother compared to
the satisfaction of Bills whim. 1t was
explained that the younger nurse was
going off. Then Bits bell sounded,
loud and long. The older nurse hur-
ried to his room, whereupon the fever
lsh young man told her to get out.
Il want Nellie Dean" he cried de-
liriously. 81 want that red-headed
girl: She can make me mind, you
can't
Some confusion followed There
was a telephone conversation between
the night nurse on duty and the SUI
perintendent, much ranting on the
part of Bill and excited pleadings on
the part of his mother, and finally it
was agreed that the red-haired girl
should remain on duty for the night.
You see," the mother had ex-
planned to the red-haired nurse,
when Bill was little he was an only
child and I suppose he was spoiled.
He was very headstrong, and really
none of the children in the neighbor-
hood dared to play with him. He was
SO big and boisterous. All boy from
the start. 7 had a housekeeper for a
while. and she had a little wisp of a
red-haired lass:e that-well. she
slapped Bill in the face and pouted
and he toed the mark. She was the
first child he ever played with. I kept
the housekeeper as long as I could
just Oh account OF InaL little Nei1e-
Nellie Dean. always say, and so does
Bill, that it was her red hair. Red
like yours, you know. She taught him
how to play with other children. And
SO, in his delirium. he thought you
were Nellie. That's why he wants
you on the case"
So Bill began to recover rapidly.
The only time his delirium seemed to
return was when the suggestion was
made that any one but the little red
haired nurse should attend him. He
could sleep all night after the first
night, and SO it was agreed, after
much red tape, that the younger
nurse should remain on the case ev-
cry day.
you look Just like Nellie Dean
said Bill, as he watched the red -haired
nurse preparing the bedside stand be-
fore the doctors visit. They called
you Sister Helen have about
made up my mind that you are Nellie
Dean after ALL"
Would you be any happier if you