The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-10-26

They piled the seats high, but at the
hospital it was all quickly unpacked
and Ann had no excuse to linger. fas-
elnated, in the yawning doorway. In
no time at all she was on her way
back, lost in gloomy disappointment,
when suddenly, while crossing a street
the horses SHE'D violently to one side.
Ann reused herself bewilderedly, and
looked hurriedly about her. A man
was standing In the middle of the road
close beside her; he swayed toward
her as she passed. so that for an un-
pleasant instant she feared that he
would be caught by the carriage. She
thought that he must be drunk, and
she looked back curiously. He lay, a
crumpled blue heap, in the roadway.
He was soldier! In moment she
was kneeling beside him, turning his
pallid face toward her, with hands
that trembled.
"Oh, what is it?" she cried. did
we run you DOWN.
mo, ma'am. Pm just sick.
Light case of typhoid, doctor said"
AIMS tone was relieved. "You can't
go on lying here, you know. Where
were you going? I'll drive you there"
She signaled to her coachman to come
to help him get up.
He closed his eyes YEARLY. "Hos-
pital." he said weakly.
"Oh," Ann pleaded, "don't faint
Please don't faintr'
II won't" the soldier promised, and
kept his word, even when the coach
man hauled him up into the open car
riage, while Ann stood at the horses
heads to keep them perfectly quiet.
He was, however. alarmingly white as
he lay back against the cushions.
When the hospital was reached the
man reused himself.
I'll see if they have stretcher,
and can carry you in," Ann volun-
| teered.
mo. I'll walk. I feel
better after my ride" And he was
better; he managed to descend, with
only AIMS eager help, but he chung
gratefully to the gate-post when he
reached it. He looked wistfully up the
walk that led to the door, "Tll never
make it," he said childishly. "But
don't leave me, will your"
AIMS eyes filled with unexpected
tears. Never" she promised. She
held him up manfully.
An orderly looked out of the open
doorway. "John!" he bawled, as he
sprang forward. He brushed Ann
aside as though she were the merest
der. Almost Immediately John ap-
peared. He was a nurse-Ann could
tell that, because his apron was
bloody from the operating room-but
his technique was the same as the or
derly's, for he, too, ignored Ann. He
put capable arm around her soldier.
and between them the two men
hustled him up the steps, and through
the open doorway. Ann followed for
lornly; she felt very superfluous.
"Well," she murmured. "Well %
She was possessed by feeling of ex-
lldtlcSS, anu Sic WAS L.,
too, which she knew was unreasonable
of her. There were benches against
the wall, and she dropped down on
one, disconsolately. men," she said
to herself, "how horrid they are!'
Her eyes filled again, and she luxuri-
ated in her tears.
I'm trouble?" A great, shaggy gray
man. comfortably shabby and amaz-
ingly kind-looking, enveloped her in
an expansive personality.
Ann looked up at him and nodded
drearily.
The stranger sat down beside her,
quite as if he had known her all his
life. "Tell me about it, sister," he
said buoyantly.
II want to be nurse" she replied,
unexpectedly to herself, and as she
voiced the grievance, she knew that
what she resented was not the casual
manner of the two attendants; it was
being shut out from their paradise.
"And why not?" demanded her new
friend.
"But what can I do?"
"Can you nurse?"
81 never have"
"No-you are too young. The men
like middle-aged nurses and mothers
of families"
But if l can't nurse, is there any,
thing else?'
81 should say So" he fairly shouted
81 believe the reason 1 am able to do
good among the wounded boys is that
/ am so strong and well-and so are
you, and beautiful, too. Men come in
faint and wounded; they need nourjsh-
ing things to eat. l am going now to
buy oyster soup for those that came
from the Philadelphia ferry. It will
give them an addition to their dinner.
They like homemade biscuits, too,
and sweet cookies and jelly; you could
go through the hospital every day do
ing good deeds. You can read to them,
and talk cheering talk to them; save
lives by keeping men from giving up!
You can do errands for them" En-
couraged by AIMS fascinated stare, he
drew little notebook from his pocket.
Il keep list here of things they want,
and buy them for them. And so it
goes. Want to help?"
"Oh, yes" Ann gasped
"Come along then-I'll get you
started. What is your name?"
Ann Byrne."
"Well, Annie, good luck! My name
is Whitman-Walt-eve hear of me?"
NO" Her ignorance spoke elo-
quently of the perfection of her up
bringing.