The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-07-24


MADE a bed YETI"
Chickie stared. Made a bed? Hun
dreds of them"
"Humph So you just arrived?
I'm thinking Of quitting" Myrtle's
| eyes blinked. "They treat you like
a worm. 1 cont have to stand for
this. I'll tell them so. I'd like to
know what difference it makes to a
patient whether the corners CT a
sheet are squared or plain.
Suddenly Myrtle shrugged. "Oh,
well-all in life"
Then Chickie said: You and l
are roommates, aren't WEI"
-"Sure thingl DO you think I just
blew in here by accident?" Now
she turned around and surveyed
Chickie with a leisurely corr plete-
ness, saying: why have you come
into training?"
Il thought I'd like it-you meet so
many people and you can do a lot
of good for them. Why did you?"
Excitement and other reasons.
But 1 know I'm not going to like
it. l wasn't born for this. There's
a class-did you know that. Well
just be in time"
Myrtle pulled open drawers, r!fed
their contents, left the drawers open.
Got an extra handkerchief? Mine
are all in the laundry" She came
over to Chickies dresser. Thanks
say, you're neat, aren't you? Always
keep things like that?"
"Yes"-
tCome on, then-Ill let you
arrange mine-some day.
Chickie was little disconnected,
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 lecture
room with twenty other be-
ginners, the majority of them eager
and flushed as herself, she listened
to the nurse in dream. Oh-they
were starting on a career of mag
nificent service. The demands were
great; the discipline severe. They
must be willing to forget themselves
for the good of others and the har-
mony Of the Sgroup. Yes-the in
structress ended with a quotation
the words of it rang like an inspira-
ton into Chickie's thought:
You have found your purpose.
Fling your life out into it; and the
loftier your purpose is the more
sure you will be to make the world
richer with every enrichment of
yourself"
Chickie thought that beautiful.
The whole Of that first day she was
keyed to an abnormal excitement.
She was allowed to go into one of
the wards. And as she looked at
the long row Of white beds; at the
forms Of women, some of them flat
on their backs, others sitting half
upright, each one seemed to her
mysterious, tremendously important.
One asked for a drink of water-she
could have run to get it and when
it came to the passing of the trays
she would have liked to sit at each
bed moment and chat.
There was young girl who had
heart failure. When Chickie set
down her tray she whispered: Wipe
off my face, nurse, will you?" Chick
lie felt as though an honor were hers.
Evening Care" they called this
when she went from bed to bed,
Strengthening out sheets, washing
hands and faces; cleaning cups.
bringing fresh ice water.
One woman looked to her like
Jennie-a gentle face with such
young girl eyes though she must
have been at least fifty. Chickie
combed her hair. The woman said ::
You're very gentle" Chickie's
eyes shone.
That seemed a benediction to her
She went back to her room, elated.
Every day would be warm with
these rich contacts.
She thought of the woman with
the sweet eyes-wondered if there
had been great joys in her life and
now that she was dying were there
many left to grieve. Or was she all
alone?O/Had she always done with
out and without?
Chickie looked from the window,
picking out the patch of sky that
should be just above the cottage on
Thirtieth st. They were wondering
how she got along-they were talk
ing Of her-she promised Jonathan
she would phone.
AS she was about to go down
stairs, Myrtle came in; How did
you get by? Did they run you
ragged? I had one patient my first
day and 1 had to bring her water
every two minutes and another one
who made me wash her cup nine
teen times, declare"
81 had it easy, then
Myrtle was standing again before
her mirror. Her eyes were very
bright. She gave Chickie smile
Been down in the reception hall
within the last minute? Weeeeel
It's wonderful
The phone bell rang. Myrtle
answered, looked at Chickie with a
vast interest: Its for you! I'll
be darned-"
When Chickie didn't understand
she repeated: Whats in the hall
is waiting for you. You better. gal
lop down or he'll be grabbedr'
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