The Topeka state journal., 1922-03-13
Euening Story
The WaIlfIower.
BY CLARISSA. AIACKIE.

hostess
isn't she? But she can't dance, or
doesn't want to-they call her the
'wallflower'-they are a thoughtless
bunchi" and with a charming upward
lift of her shoulder the most thought
less one of all turned with him and
swung again into the music of the
dance.
DR.. Wynne could not dance very
| well and Elsie was glad to lose him
for one of her own set, a graceful.
black-eyed youth who sparkled as the
town wit.
who is that sitting with Millie
Parker?" asked Elsie suddenly.
THE medicine man is sitting in the
shadow of the wallflower," sighed
He cannot be enjoying himself. -
worried Elsie.
IF looks count he is having the
time Of his life-and say, Elsie, she
looks pretty tonight in that blue
| dress" he added.
''Where is Alfred Brown p" asked
Elsie. changing the subject.
| ''Sh-h--. Whisper 1.-THE fever!''
| mo! That makes thirty cases in
town"
Elsie was silent after that. The
epidemic had started. as such things
usually do. in an unhealthy slum near
/ the rivers edge-there had been
whispers of polluted drinking water
| of milk bottles washed in the river
water-sanitation rules violated, and
the town authorities were confronted
with a grave situation.
Mark Wynne, passing thru the lit
tie town from a hunting trip in the
North, had stopped to lsee his old
friend, the father of Elsie Lee, so his
appearance at the little party was
happy accident.
Long after he had retired that night
he thought of the dread disease which
was sweeping thru Laneboro, and he
thought of something Mile Parker
had said to him that evening while her
young companions fox-trotted around
them
1--WE need nurses" said MilIie
thoughtfully.
They can be sent from town
easily" exclaimed Mark with a men
tai note to start something when he
returned to the city.
I'VE have thirty here now-one for
each case-and now we shall need
more. DR.. Wynne, do you think I
could help in some case-I have taken
care of six people, my own, until they
went-and there is no reason why I
could not help save a life-I am alone
except for some cousins with whom 1
live" She watched him expectantly
Have you any fear of the disease?"
'.No.'
Then you might do-you could
help a regular trained nurse-relieVe
her I will see what I can do"
But when two days later he tried to
get word to MilIie Parker he learned
to his dismay that she had gone to a
farmhouse three miles away to nurse
an old man who was very ill.
Apor as poverty herself, and gone
to nurse man who hasn't money
enought to pay for his own medicine"
complained Miles elderly cousin.
Cannot pay for his own medicine"
repeated the doctor "rn take that
case myself. came down to help
out, and Miss Miles case sounds
like a desperate one"
Desperately foolish" grumbled the
timid soul as she closed the door
gently behind him.
Millie did not question Marks unex-
pected arrival at the plain little house
on the rocky hillside. Old Peter len
kins was very sick-he would never be
any better-it was impossible to find
any one to stay with him-he had no
relatives. and so Millie had come.
"She's a pretty little girl" piped
Peter in one of his lucide moments
reminds me of my Susie-little and
alway tender and iareful of old folks. |
Susie's sleeping out there on the hill |
side along with her man and her sis
alone, and I'm just waiting for the |
word to go. Seems as if it would |
never come" he added querulously
Millie fitted into the room with a |
cup and spoon. "Just a little bit of |
this. Uncle Peter" she coaxed. "See, |
I'll take a taste myself first to keep
you company The old man smiled |
wanly and took the medicine, his dim |
eyes following the blithe young form |
around the room. shes as sweet |
and wholesome as them walkIowers |
my wife planted along the stone WALL" |
he murmured.
NIillie blushed as she met the young
doctors eyes, for she knew that he |
had heard her nickname, of wall
flower
One day Peter had visitor, grave
looking man, who stayed for awhile
and talked in a low tone to the sick 1
man. The next day he came again |
and brought some other people with
him. Doctor Wynne frowned on this,
but Mr.. Jenkins had his own way.
1t was Millie who sat thru the long
was Millie who talked with him about |
Susie and the other children and the
wife who had passed on before and |
who were all waiting for his coming
on that other shore
And you, little wallflower." he
whispered, what of you. all alone in
the world ?''
II shall find a way" said Millie
braVely. trying not to cry over his go
ing, for he did not want to stay. II
am learning to nurse sick people. TAX
ing care OF you has helped me, and
some day I shall go to a large hos
pital training school for nurses and"
mo. no, you will do nothing of the
sort. you shall marry Doctor Wynee.
He loves you, little wallflower, and you
love him. My eyes are dim, but I
could see that" He smiled cheerfully
at her and she hid her blushing face
in her white apron and received his
blessing on her bent head. Mark
Wynne crept away from the room and
Millie did not know that he had
heard those words until long after
ward. Before morning dawned again
Peter Jenkins's happy spirit had
winged upward to join his loved ones
and Mollie was alone.
A few days afterward, when the
house was empty of its tenant and
Millie was preparing to leave, the
strange lawyer came to see her.