Phillips County herald., 1923-09-27
Displayed Too
, Much Zeal

BY CLARA DELAFIELD
.-s-.-s-.-.-s-.-s s-s-s-.-.-...-.-.
%. 1928. Western Newspaper Unlon.)

LIN uSiutcu Wlle Interviewer
= Nurse Hambley in the hall. MY
husbands very low, Nurse" she said.
"The doctor holds out no hope"
The family, consisting Of a son, two
daughters, and maiden aunt, was
lowering near Nurse Hambley made
some conventional remark and went
up to the sick mans room. She was
surprised at the poverty Of the place
the patched sheets.
Ned Pycraft lay unconscious on his
pillows, his white hair streaming over
his wrinkled forehead. The doctor
was at his side. He turned to the
nurse.
mot much chance for the old man."
he said. "Old Pycraft's time has come.
Good thing for his family when he
passes out. They say he's worth a
million. and grudges every penny he
gives them.
'This Is the crisis. He's lain un-
conscious for three days now. II he
wakes he'll pull through, but he's
slowly slipping downhilh Just do
what you can"
The family lowered about. "Poor.
darling father!" murmured Blanche,
theA elder daughter. Dear father"
said Ada, the second. They were pro-
fuse in. their inquiries. Couldn't
something be done to pull him
through?
"T!l do my very best, Of course"
opoxyarad Nurco uap,hiay
All that day she sat by the sick
mans side. her fingers on the futter-
ing pulse. BY her side was a bottle
Of brandy. Whenever the pulse
seemed to cease she poured few
drops into old Pycraft's throat.
Night came The sick man had
not stirred. He was fast in the coma
that precedes death. Now Nurse
Hambley put forth such efforts as she
had never made before. In this grim
battle she was determined TO hold
on to the last minute.
She was new to her profession, new
10 the town, she had an enthusiasm
which was. perhaps, unusual. The
thought of the wife and children in.
creased her zeal. Mlser old Ned
might be. but none the less dear to
tEsm.
A dozen times during that night
she rose to assure some agitated In.
quirer that Ned Pycraft was still hold.
ing his own. She had refused to ad-
NIT his wife to the SICK room, prom
lslng to summon bei II sinking spell
developed. Toward morning the pulse
iuttered angerousIy-seemed to
cease. There Is a desperate remedy
for such a condition. Nurse Hamblcy
seized the dying man In her arms
and shook him. shook him vigorously
until the tired heart renewed Its ac-
tion.
children. They rnnged themselves
about the bed Then every few min.
utes she molstened Neds tongue with
few drops Of brandy. until. after an
hour or 10. the pulse was once more
: perceptIble In the wrist.
Perceptibie3 As daylight came into
the shabby room 1t grew stronger.
stronger than ever before. She did
not dare believe II. But II was so.
The shallow. hurried breathing be
came more regular. Nurse Hambley
looked Into the face OF the weeping
. wife across the bed. 't
"Oh. I believe he'll iivei" she said.
Nobody answered her. All were
stariag at Ned Pycraft. for he had
stirred foe the first time In days. And
slowly the eyeiids nuttered open. Ned
PycrNft recognized his wife and
smiled. !"
After that he grew stronger mo.
mentariiy. When the doctor came
In about nine o'clock there was no
longer nny doubt that he had survived
the crisis. Ned Pycraft was mutter-
Ing. He was asking for his bank
book.
"You've saved him." said the doctor.
The wife looked curiously at Nurse
IIambley. so did the daughters and
the son ns they ranged out OF the
rot:n. leaving the doctor and the nurse
alone.
"iis1l pull through now." the doc.
tor said. ''lIe ought TO be good for
years. But" he looked at Nurse
Iiambicy impressively--"if II hadn't
been for your attention hs wouldn't
be alive this morning. I, didn't ex'
pcct to Ind him living"
II did what I could for the snkc OF
Ills dear Ones" said Nurse Ifambley.
"Iir-yes." said the doctor.
The dear ones were coming In at the
soor. Their eyes were stlll turned
on the nurse In that curious wny. And
suddenly. with horror. she rcNd be
meath those mnsks of faces read tho
unspoken hatred. their resspiment