Evening star., 1925-12-13

doesn't know her business, and every
things just as messy and terrible as
II can be,'
Would you mind telling me how
you found out the nurse didn't know
her business"
You find out various unpleasant
things when you're forced to stay
around the house"
Il feel somewhat encouraged" he
said slowly. LAS l told you, l prom
ise nothing; / only do the best l can"
Luella looked up at him, startled.
What do you mean?" she protested.
you've done nothing for me-nothing
at ALL
Nothing much-yet," he said heav-
lily. 1T takes time. Mrs. Hemple. You
see. you're such a particularly selfish
child"
The words were said in a dry mono
fense. but Luella felt that he had gone
too far.
I've met your type before she
said coldly. For some reason you
seem to think that you have a stand
Ing here as the old friend of the fam
1Iy' But / don't make friends quick
ly. DIR. Smith. and I haven't given YOU
the privilege of being so---she
wanted to say "insolent," but the word
eluOeQ neT- SO ISTSOildl Will Ilt.
WHEN the front door had closed
w behind him Luella tiptoed softly
into. the nursery.
..iIow's baby?" she asked abstract
edly.
"Ninety-nine one" whispered the
nurse, holding the thermometer to the
light. Il just took it,
"Is that much" asked Luella,
frowning.
"Its just three-tifths of a degree.
That isn't SO much for the afternoon.
They often run up a little with q
cold
Luella went over to the cot and laid
her hand on her sons flushed cheek,
thinking, in the midst of her anxiety.
how much he resembled the pink
faced cherub of the soap advertise
ment in the bus. Bless his heart,
She turned to the nurse.
do you know how to cook?
''Why, I'm not a good cook"
well, can you do the baby'S food
tonight? That woman has left, and
l don't know what to do"
"Oh, yes. / can do the baby's food
That's all right, then. I'll try TO
fix something for Mr.. Hemple. Please
have your door open so YOU can hear
the bell when the doctor comes. And
let me know"
So many doctors. There had scarce
ly been an hour all day when there
wasn't a doctor in the house. The
specialist at 10--their family doctor
at 10. and again at 3. Now the baby
doctor was due-and this afternoon
there had been DR.. Smith. heavy. per
sistent, unwelcome. in the parlor.
Luella went into the kitchen. She
for herself-she had often done that
when people ended up at the apart
ment after the theater. But the vege-
tables for Charles We're a different
matter-they had to be left to boil or
stew or something. and the stove had
so many doors and ovens that she
couldn't decide which to use.
After 10 minutes of frantic mud
ding in the kitchen, she went to the
baby'S nurse. whom she diSliked, and
confessed that she was unable to cook
her husbands dinner. The nurse an
nounced that she had a splitting head
ache, and that with a sick child her
hands We're already full, but she con-
sented, without enthusiasm, to show
Luella what to do.
Swallowing her humiliation, Luella
obeyed orders while the nurse expert
mented, grumbling, with the unfa-
IIlllldI SiONe. blflllcI was StdIltu dileI
a fashion. Then it was time for the
nurse to bathe Chuck. and Luella sat
down alone at the kitchen table, and
listened to the bubbling perfume that
escaped from the pans.
And women do this every day." she
thought. Thousands of women.
Cook and take care of sick people
and go out to work, too.
But she didn't think of those wom-
en- as being like her, except in the
superficial aspect of having two feet
and two hands. She said it as she
might have said, South Sea Island
ers wear rings in their noses" She
was merely Summing today in her
own home, and she wasn't enjoying
it. She knew that, for her, it was
merely A ridiculous exception.
Suddenly she became aware of slow
approaching steps in the dining room
and then in the buffers pantry. Half
afraid that it was DR.. Smith coming
to pay another call, she looked up
and saw the nurse coming through
the pantry door. 1t fla shed through
Luella's mind that the nurse was
going to be sick, TOO. And she was
| right-the nurse had hardly reached
the kitchen door when she lurched
and clutched at the handle as a wing
ed bird clings to a branch. Then she
! receded wordlessly to the floor. Sim
ultaneously the doorbell rang; and
| Luella, getting to her feet. gasped
with relief that the baby doctor had
come.
Tainted, that's ALL" he said, tax
| ing the girls head into his lap The
eyes fluttered. Yep, she tainted,
| that's ALL
| "Everybody's sickr' cried Luella
| with a sort of despairing humor.
| ''Everybody's sick but me. DOCTOR"
"This ones not sick he said after