The Washington times., 1924-04-19
CHAPTER XII.
NEW BEGINNING.

NEW BEGINNING.
Martha Blake said to her when
she came to bid her goodby: $50
you're going to lose yourself for a
while, Chickie? And you're going
to bring us back nobler, bigger
self"
Chickie answered with q laugh:
"Ho-you preach at me"
Yet leaving Jonathan at the
steps Of the hospital; going back
to her room in the Nurses Home,
Chiclkie felt within her this STIR
ring uplift Of Remuneration. Oh
glorious to out loose like this;
plunge with all her heart into a
new life-different from anything
she had ever known-utterly diff
ferent.
She stood now in her blue and
white uniform filled with a sense
Of exaltation: Of beginning again
yet this time thrillingly. She
looked about the room, nervous
yet eager.
There were two white iron
beds, two wardrobes and two
great chests of drawers. Chickie's
roommate had arrived the pre-
vious week. A gray sweater was
flung on the bed and on the
dresser was a box Of powder half
open. Chickie wondered what
this girl might be like; II they
would become friends.
In other rooms she heard voices.
From her window she could see
VNxXyiV DnolFo fhA 0kok,Vo ~ IL,
erty and even the spires of the
far-distant st. Ignatius Church.
She felt alone, yet with a deep
establishment of peace.
And as she stood there, Myrtle
Downs entered-a girl about twen-
ty-six, with large eyes and a mar
row intent face. Her apron was
crumpled; her cheeks pale with
kind of sullen excitement.
She gave Chickie swift, curl
Gus glance: You're Bryce,
suppose!'
Chickie laughed: IT suppose
I am"
Myrtle gave a toss with her
head, went over to her dresser
and very angrily powdered her
cheeks. An she did this she
talked explosively. Made a bed
YETI"
Chickie stared. Made a bed?
Hundreds of them"
"Humph. So you just arrived?
I'm thinking Of quitting" Myr-
ties eyes blinked. They treat
you like worm. I don't have
to stand for this. I'll tell them
SO. I'd like to know what diff
ference 1t makes to a patient
whether the corners Of a sheet
are squared or plain"
Suddenly Myrtle shrugged. ooh,
well-all in a life.'
Then Chiclxie said: You and I
are roomInates, aren't wei"
Sure thing! Do you think !
just blew in here by accident"
Now she turned around and sur.
veyed Chickie with a lesiurely
completeness, saying: why have
you come into training?"
Il thought Id like it-you meet
SO many people and you can do
lot of good for them. Why
did your
Excitement and other reasons.
But know I'm not going to
like 1t. I wasn't born for this.
There's class-did you know
that. Wen just be in time"
Myrtle pulled open drawers,
rifled their contents, left the draw
ers open. "Got an extra hand.
kerchief? Mine are all in the
laundry" She came over to-
Chickie's dresser "Thanks-say,
you're neat, aren't you? Always
keep things like that?"
Yes
Come on, then-I1l let you
arrange mine-sone day."
Chickie was a little discon-
certed, even a bit miffed with this
sharp familiar treatment, but her
nerves were now too finely
strung to be daunted.
And when she sat In the lee.
ture room with twenty other be.
glnners. the majority of them
eager and flushed as herself. she
listened to the nurse in q dream.
On-they were starting on q ca,
reer OF magnificent service. The
demands were great; the discipline
severe. They must be willing to
forget themselves for the good of
others and the harmony Of the
group. Yes-the instructress end
ca with a quotation-the words of
It rang like an inspiration into
Chickie's thought:
You have found your purpose.
ring your life out into Il: and
the loftier your purpose is the
more sure you will be to make
the world richer with every en-
richment of yourself"
Chickie thought that beautiful.
me whole of that first day she
was Keyed to an abnormal excite,
ment' She was allowed to 20
INTO one OF the wards. And as
sne looked at the long row of
white beds; at the forms of
women. some Of them fiat on
their backs, others sitting half
upright, each one seemed to her
mysterious, tremendously import.
ant. One asked for a drink ~
Water-she could have run to get
1t and when 1t came to the mass.
ing Of the trays she would have
and chat. '
Ihere was a young girl who
nad heart failure. When Chickie
SET down her tray she whispered:
WIPE off my face, nurse, will
E yr Chickie felt as though an
nonor were hers.
evening Care" they called this
wnen she went from bed to bed
straightening out sheets, washing
hands and faces; cleaning Guns.
bringing fresh ice water.
one woman looked to her like