The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-13
TIE "
ST. OR ST. DRY !
The Wallflower.
BY cLARIssA a[ACKIR.

= So =
IS the girl in the cor.
ssner?' asked Mark wynne OF
'tsnis young hostess.
oh, that is Siillie Parker
pretty, isn't she? But she can't
lance, or doesn't want to-they
cal her the 'wallflower"-they
are q thoughtless bunch!" and
With q charming upward lift OF
her shoulder the most thought.
less one OF all turned with him
ana swung again Into the music
efsthe dance.
pf. Wynne could not dance
] yety well aud Elsie was glad to
elcse him for one OF her own set,
q graceful, bIack.eyed youth, who
snafkled as the town wit.
WHO Is that sitting with Mile
IRafker?" asked Elsie suddenly.
The medicine man Is sitting In
the shadow Of the wall flower, y
sighed George.
rHe cannot be enjoying him.
self" worried Elsie.
III looks count he Is haying
the time OF his life-and say, Ri.
sic, she looks pretty tonight in
that blue dress" he added.
Where is Alfred Brown" ask.
ed Elsie changing the subject.
esh-h-h. Whisper 1.-THE fe.
vert"
.No! 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-sani.
tation rules violated, and the
town authorities were confronted
with a grave situation.
Mark Wynne, passing through
the little town from hunting
trip In the north, had stopped tO
see his old friend, the father Of
Elsie Lee, so his appearance at
the little party was happy acct
dent.
Long after he had retired that
night he thought OF the dread dis.
ease which was sweeping through
Laneboro and he thought some
Thing Of Mile Parker had said to
him that evening while her young
companions fox-trotted around
eve need nurses" said Mile,
thoughtfully.
"They can be sent from town.
easily exclaimed Mark, with a
mental 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 could help III some
case-I have taken care OF six
people, my own, until they went
and there is no reason why
could not help save life-I am
alone except. for some cousins
with whom l live" She watched
him expectantly.
Have you any fear Of the dis
ease?"
tNo."
"Then you might do-you
Gould help a regular trained
nurse-relieve her. l will see
what ! can do"
But when two days later he
tried to. get word to Millte Parker
he learned to his dismay that she
had gone to a farm house three
miles away to nurse an old man
awho was very i'll.
Poor as poverty herself. and
gone to nurse a man who hasn't
money enough to pay for his own
medicine, complained Miles ell
DERBY cousin.
"Cannot pay for his own medi-
cineYr repeated tho doctor. "1'll
take that case myself. I came
down to help out. and Miss
Millie's case sounds like a desper-
ate one
''Desperately foolish" grum-
bled tho timid soul as she closed
the door gently behind him,
Mile did not question Marks
unexpected arrival at the plain
little house on the rocky hillside.
old Peter Jenkins was very sick
4she would never be better-it
was impossible to find any one to
stay with htm--he had no rela>
tiyes, and SO Mile had come.
"She's pretty little girl" pip
ed Peter in one Of his lucid mo-
mems: reminds me Of my Susie
little and always tender and
careful Of old folks. SusIe's
Sleeping out there on the hillside
sElong with her ma and her sisters
and brothers. They left me all
alone, and I'm just waiting the
word to go. Seems as II It would
never come" he added querul-
onsly.
Aiillie fitted into the room
with a cup and spoon. Just a lit.
lie bit Of this. Uncle Peter" she
eoaxed. "See I'll take a taste my
self first to keep you company"
The old man smiled wnnly and
u