The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-21

70
She saw In their eyes the meek
yet feverish enthusiasm she felt
in her own thoughts. She stood
long while, letting the hot water,
then the cold dash against her
face: she held up her arms, de.
lighting in the thin silver streams
| pouring over her shoulders. Odd
that she was here-alnaos like a
new life-like a birth into diff.
ferent world. It would be this
all of this for her-she would
make 1t So
When she came back to the
room, Myrtle was in bed, reading.
She began Immediately to talk:
Say. why can't they use plain
English In these darn books?
Listen to this--gastroentro-
1 give IT up--that's only half of
Chickie was in the habit OF
speaking with herself when she
lay in bed just now she was
fun of conversation such as this:
Ho--toTnOrrow exciting - I'll
work. !. ] want to get up early
but why was Jake so ironic about
It? He doesn't really trust me.
He thinks I'm weak-Well-but
I'm not going to Boz"
tMrytle V kept interrupting her,
even though she pretended to
Sleep. Finally Mrytle said:
YOU'RE devilish sociable, aren't
You? Lord, just about begin to
wake up at Midnight In a few
moments she was snoring with
catchy breath that sounded as
though she would strange.
Chickie got out of bed and
looked from the window. There
was one great star lust above the
spired hills and all the sky was
Of midnight. blue. She looked at
this until her eyes grew warm
with tears. Yes-how blessed
that; there are tomorrows. And
that, at last, the yesterday is
It seemed to her in those first
days in the ward that the work
was a, constellation. and she. eyan
more than others. fitted for it. :
sr9glc than another's might have
been.
MrsSQuinn was the little woman
VINO looked like Jennie-the one
VINO SAID when Chickie combed
her hair: You're 80 gentle" 1t
was Chtckie's fourth day that this
pduent called for water again and
again. When ChiclSie, smiled at
ner. she took. short, heaving
breaths and her eyes wavered SO
that Chckie was frightened.
once she said in vague. lost
way: No one come for memo
one cares for memo one-my legs
are heavy-move the blankets"
. There were blue, tortuous veins
IN these poor. aching limbs.
Chickie had almost tainted once
seeing them. She had been afraid
tnat the veins would burst. Now
MFs. Quinn begged: Battle
them-you stay tere-never mind
theM-no one cares
Chickie said: "Yes--of. course
they, do"
The woman smiled. IT made
Ch1ckie's throat clutch the way
she smiled: "No-dear-no one
A little latter she called for
water again. Then she reached
with a helpless, distracted gesture
under the pillow and took out a
ptn-~a little brassy scarf pin with
2 red stone. She moved it TO
tMekls: "Ksepsake-you,re good
Even as she held the, glass Of
water her hand trembled violently,
Her eyes that had been Wandering
ABOUT the room fixed in a stare
OF mortal anguish. They riveted
on Chickie in pitiful bewilder-
naent. Then a gray blueness like a
nvlng shadow went across her
mouth. That was all-her Jaws
pArfed-her head dropped back.
Ghtckie went white with. terror.
She started in a little run down
the ward. She said to the super.
DYING
The supervisor got up qu.tely
ana walked to Mrs. Quinn's bed.
She looked at the blush face, got
a screen and walled It about the
bed. In the same cold, measured
way she phOned the inferno.
And, while she waited for his
coming, went back to her charto
This seemed a rnonstrous thing 70
Chiclkie. She was shaken 70 the
heart and wished to rush hack r.
the bed; to speak to the dead
Vol woIIaan; even touch her face-oh,
1880 ouHO VI II
A strained, miserable silence like
covering thing had crept into
the long room. From other beds,
eyes were fixed on the curtained
screen.
The doctor came, He was there
nut few moments. Then the
nurse ph0ned again.
And this time a man entered
the ward pushing a guerney. He
mad a white sheet under his arm.
he: too, went behind the screen.
Chlck1e brought a glass OF water
to. another patient in the he'd
adjoining. She saw the man than
snoye the body to the. stretcher,
cover 1t with the sheet. The
other patient twitched her sleeve.
Gone-is she? 7 knew it this
Chickie couldn't speak. n
seemed to her that they should
nave waited; that they should
nave knelt down: that some one
should have pressed the poor old
woman's hand -
She passed the supervisor at her
desk. She wanted to say: where
are they taking her? Isn't it
awful? Why, she was Just talk.
mg-poorN old thing-she gave me
this" The supervisor seemed to
have forgotten. -
NOT ten minutes after this the
mstructress in one of the classes
sent for Chiokie. She was to learn
how to make. a bed. It was
ment.
$500, CHAPTER KILT
~ MAKING A RED
Miss Alberta was squarely built.