New Britain herald., 1925-05-09
Te TeIYILNlp{p[S[R WIFE
c ,ess MA sEnVlcB INC.
%y Beatrice Burton

! NlUlld NGHt bAt lltp tlV ''ibhb kitchen. Ranghild, in her black dress, stood at tho sink washing let tuce leaves in colander.
 "Wll We have dinner at the usual timer" she asked chokily. Her eyes were red-rimmed.
 Without warning she began to cry, covering her face with her wet rcd hands. Gloria stared at hor.
 What in the world Is the matter with your" she asked. "You've just got 10 get hold oi yourself Rang hnd! MT. Gregorys not dead, yet, you know"
 "Oh, I know that pneumonia! My man, he died Of 1t five winters ago in Sweden ." Ranghild sobbed. She took a handkerchief from her apron pocket and wiped her swollen eyelids.
 That's how I happened to come to this country. I couldn't bear 10 stay at home without my Henrik. Everything made me think of him the pine woods where we went for picnics, the light from the blast furnace where he worked. Shall we have the potatoes baked or mashed for dinner, tonight, Mrs. Grcgory?" Ranghild asked. with mighty effort for sef-control. She could see that Mrs. Gregory was not ;u+araetad In hpr story
 "I didn't know you were a widow RanghiId," Gloria said. And bake the potatoes, please"
 She went back into the living room and picked up fashion magazine
 Mrs. Gregory" came Mrs. O'Hara's voice from the stairway.
 Gloria went out into the hall.
 The nurse had changed into her white uniform and cap. She was bending over the bannisters,
 Your husband is calling for you" she said softly.
 "I thought he was dclirious. He didn't know anything while ago" Gloria answered.
 She did not want to go upstairs to Dick. She hated the thought ot seeing him breathe in that terrible, hurrying way. It frightened her.
 The look of his face had fright oncd her this afternoon the skin flushed. the eyes bright with fever. No. she was not going to go unstairs and see him again, fl there was any way out of it.
 "Dr. Seymour told me 10 keep out of Mr. Gregory's roon1,' she said to the nurse. Hes made me take all my things out of 1t, even" Mrs. O'Hara smiled gently. "Dr. Seymour is still upstairs. He told me to call you himself she said.
 With slow, reluctant feet Gloria went upstairs.
 From behind the closed door Of | Dicks room she could hear To" moaning sound II was not llkF Dicks voice. And yet 1t was his voice.
 . "G'ory." it was over and over. With hand on the knob Of the door. Gloria turned and faced Mrs $ O'Hara who had followed her up stairs.
 l 'T can't go in" she protested f again. simply can't. You don know what you're asking of m' 2 She darted across the hall and into tho guest room, closing the door be hind her.
 She threw herself down on thF lluo silk cover Of the bed. and GOV n cred her ears with her hands to shut out the sound Of Dicks moaning Hut she heard it, anyway It went
 on and on in her brain "GlorA "Glory Glory ! At last shr got up and tappe( ! on the door Of the sick room, Mrs UHara opened 1t at once.
 Glory ttptoed into the room. 7 . The silk curtains had been taker dn"n. R NeNSpdpcT oill loui'H'H ''' | rosy shade of the reading lamp. A , white towel had been laid on thu ] top of her own dressing table. An' or it was whole row of bottles. j ! hospital chart hung at the foot 0 D Dicks bed
 s And on it Dick lay, breathing il a those short terrible gasps,
 "Is he going to die?'" Gloria whis
 pcred 10 Mrs. O'Ilara. n Mrs. OHara studied Gloria witt
 her serious eyes.