The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-01-18
Unselfshness of
Helen
By JANE OSBORN


"Poor Bill: ITS bad enough to be
laid up in the hospital with a strained
knee, a sprained ankle and a dlslo-
Gated shoulder blade. but to have it
happen the week before Christmas
amounts to tragedy"
Such was the refrain Of the men,
hers Of the set to which Bill STAN
ton belonged when they talked over
that motor mishap which every one
knew, but no one said, was due to
Bill StantOn's reckless speeding. Had
It been any one q whit less popular
than Bill. they would have said: II
told him So" But Bill was well be.
loved among his friends. almost as
much as 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 hospital bed with,
doubtless. some wisp of a white-frocked
nurse commanding obedience with a
gesture Or single word. For, Of
course. he would have to obey or
ders ut st. Johns. Discipline among
Patients as well as nurses was very
severe at st. Johns.
At first. of course, there was a
fever-probably the first that Bill had
ever experienced in his charmed life
And Bill was delirious, which gave
Blll's doting mother an excuse to sit
ny his side for an entire night. a pro-
tedure that certainly would not have
leen allowed had Bits condition been
In any way serious.
There was red-headed slip of a
nurse whom they called Sister Helen
on duty In the private corridor where
Bill had been taken. There were no
special nurses available in the town.
and none could be imported from the
nearest big city until the morning, and
this little red-headed girl that bore
herself with such pert self-control was
obviously only prObationer. For she
wore no cap. When Bill tried to rise
from his high bed in his dellrium his
mothers pleas were in vain. but this
very young nurse, who fitted back and
forth f.Om room to room, ordered him
with look of her arched eyebrows.
Once when she had squashed Bill's
ambitions to leave his hospital bed
that night he looked quite nationally
at his mother by his side.
TITS because she has red hair that
she can manage me So" he said. ut
Is red. isn't itT'
Every red" said Bits 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 hoy. "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 didn't mind the slap. but the
thought that she dared to do 1t. What
was her manner"
Nellie Dean, ! guess" said the
mother. "The housekeeper's little
girl"
"Nellie Dean" said Bill, as If a
wave Of peace spread over him with
the 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. II have
been thinking Of her." he told his
mother. II was playing with her
just yesterday, in the attic on a rainy
day. She slapped me. and think I
kissed her. guess l never told you
that. and here she Is again. 1t is
Nellie. know. think could 60 to
sleep II you'd leave me and have them
turn the light out and open the win.
dow. II I knew Nellie was somewhere
to come when rang the bell.''
The mother stepped into the cor.
ridor to find an older nurse in a
cap Just taking her seat at the desk
while the younger nurse with red hair
stood beside the elevator. apparently
going OF duty. Hospital regulations
were nothing to Bill's mother com
pared to the satisfaction of Bits
within. It was explained that the
younger nurse was going off. Then
Bills bell sounded, loud and long. The
older nurse hurried to his room, where
upon the feverish young man told hel
to get out.
Il want Nellie Dean" he cried de
liriously. II want that red-headed girl
She can make me mind. You can't"
Some confusion followed. There
was n telephone conversation between
the night nurse on duty and the SUI
perintendent. much ranting on the par,
Of Bill and excited pleading on the
part Of his mother, and finally it was
agreed that the red-headed girl shOult
remain OIL duty for the night.
"You see," the mother had explained
to the red-headed nurse. "when Bill
was little he was an only child, and
suppose he was spoiled. He was very
headstrong. and really none Of the chill
dren in the neighborhOOd dared to play
with him. He was SO big and bolster
Gus. All boy from the start.