The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1923-02-15
HER WHITE HANDS
BY MILDRED WAITE


Portable chair. her hostess room afford
ed. She was a small creature, as daln.
lily dressed and formed as a Dresden
figure.
"Well," she asked, with mild intel
est, what is the verdict?"
BEG pardon" the big man said. ~
dare. say was staring rudely; the I'M
conscious rudeness born of studying
ones patients"
u the girl objected, lam not pa
tient. Perhaps, however, you may have
formed some helpful character dag
nosis. Your scrutiny registered dlssat-
isfaetlon. Where do l olIend|
Doctor Homer Amsden leaned for
ward impulsively: he took the Young
woman's hands in his own. looking
down upon them. They were beautiful
hands, the nails pink and tapering, the
slender fingers. white and soft as vel
"DolI,s hands be soid cross,v .The
tvnical hind of tbe rodarp nieosure.
loving and admired woman Not ono
Gallons of vorthv toil--not +be HIND
Of our mothers Mains ronohened In
unselfsb effort fo,. homo ana family
hroadaned thronoh Loving lohorn
u,,,o ,,,, ,s,.,, 9,,,.,. .vo,,
,,,,,,. ~ s,,,,,,r.,.s>', - -,
rat,ua a. loostn ha soid st hova
Ioornod h,.,,souona,s and hrrto, frarb.
,o,, r, ~ sn,,col 90 -, ,,,.,,for-,,o,,,,
nna - oaoa - 49,, 49, a,,.,
So ros,,tot,o,, thaso,,. 20 I'm 9,o,,
me- am curlons-bow do Won hammer
to como IN this humble Uamndon9n
81 came ot fine reouest of valued
friand y tho nbvsicion toId ber
"You have met. of course, young
Doctor Philips? He is almost an idol
here. and with reason. His life is prac-
tically given over to the villagers. II
he were not held by enforced family
ties Paul would make name for him.
self in the bigger world. We were
school companions. I. free from family
obligation, went away, as they used
to say. to make my fortune. Paul
stayed because his widowed mother
was dependent invalid. His only sis
ter, crippled from childhood, became an
added burden. SO Paul lives in this
little corner of the world, life of sac
ritice and devotion, cheerful, uncom-
planning in his solitary lot. Solitary In
that sense that he may never be free
to marry
Coralie Curtis carefully adjusted her
ruffled skirts.
"Don't you suppose" she asked,
shat one day some Hampton young
woman will be glad to share his trials
for his dear sake?"
Paul's friend laughed reminiscently.
"You have not" he said, apparently
met Paul's family"
"Difficult?" questioned Coralie.
s'For years." the doctor replied, paul
has been begging to have the living
room of tbe old family home repapered
to present needs; the other rooms
modernized and made more cheerful
see today the same rlotous rose
paper, the same antiquated gloom.
There is no ruler more despotic than
your invalid"
Coralie sighed; her blue eyes be-
tween their dark-fringed lids were very
grave.
81 nm sorry" she said "poul Phil
ms Is oil worthy of honninessn
"You know bimqn
"onlv since T came bare RI visit this
old friend of INV motbar,s am now
opite alone in the world md even con.
sldering making uampdon nv future
home. Different from the great city
but friendly"
~ heard of YOU" the surgeon said.
after my arrival"
Carelessly she seated herself before
the piano: a melody rippled forth,
sweet MS n birds song. .sTbat" she
laughed back at him. "the hands can
do"
Paul telephoned the surgeon that
night at the inn. 'T've been busy over
at the Hudson's," he explained, "two
children down with diphtheria Tried
everywhere to get nurse for Mrs.
Miss Curtis is visiting there,
you know, and tried to get her out
before quarantine, but she would not
90. Insisted on remaining to nurse
those kids. "If only"-Paul Philips
Curtis escapes, she's
never had the disease. WIN you go
with me to the slSin-grafting case in
the morning?"
81 WILL" answered the surgeon,
abruptly, and hung up the receiver.
"If only Coralie does not contract
welcomed s ny doctor su '1 next I morning az