The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-08-12
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fictitious and are not to be taken 40 70
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know that her heart was breaking
make him hapry-a bride who was
glad of her marriage.
The smile that she gave him was
as radiant Us the sun rising over
dark stormy waters. 1t was such
smile as a bride of June might
have sent to her 'over from under
veil weighted with orange blossoms
and seeing it, Miss Sims, that
hardened veteran Of the wards, broke
down and cried aloud.
Like a baby" as she confessed
that morning at o'clock breakfast
to the other nurses. I've seen many
a sad sight in my seventeen years
of batting around from hospital to
hosiptal-but meyer anything like
that marriage, last night
When it was over, Old DR.. F1tzroy
led Mary Rose out into the wide hall,
with its rubbery smell and staring
white walls.
I'm going to send you home with
Ito, now my girl" he said to her
very gently. you've been very brave
-" He stopped his gray head. and
kissed the white forehead.
"No," Mary Rose answered him
clearly. I'M going to stay with
Tom right to the end"
THAT may not come for hours and
hours, Toms father told her, and
for a moment his voice had the pro.
fessional sharpness of a great doc
tor. "a broken neck doesn't always
mean immediate death-and Tom
won't know you, anyway. They're
giving him some more morphine
Then suddenly his voice choked up,
and he couldn't go on.
He opened the door Of the room
where his wife lay, Frustrated by
her grief. and closed 1t behind him.
Mary Rose stood where he had
left her for long time-turning and
twisting the ring on her finger, the
ring that Tom had carried in his
pocket for weeks The ring that
made her his wife.
Outside the rain had ceased, and
| the wind was almost stilled
Mary Rose turned to the window
and raised the shade. She could see
the illuminated face of a clock. high
up in the tower OF some distant
building. 1t was half past FIVE.
She found her coat and her hat
and slipped out into the cold dawn.
and started home, alone.
Very quietly she let herself into
the little brown house. went softly
out into the kitchen and made a pot
of coffee. But when it vas made
she could not drink it. The very
| smell of it made her i'll.
AS she started up the stairs, her
mother's sleepy voice from above.
startled her: as that you, Mary
Rose? What time is it? Was Tom
badly hurt?"
Mary Rose went into her room.
and sat down beside her on the bed.
! She opened her lips to speak. but no
| sound would come from them. She
felt her mothers hand on hers. and
her insistent voice again: WAS
Tom badly hurt, Rosey?"
Somehow or other she managed to
tell her the whole story. between the
spasms Of sobbing that racked her
whole body-and her mother held
her in her arms and cried with her.
Cried with her for the sorrow and
the grief and the cruelty of life that
is part Of its poignant glory.
80
1t was daylight before Mary Rose
was III her bed. And above the
roofs of the city the sun had come
up and was shining as IL there was
nothing but happiness and joy in
the whole world.
It was then that she remembered
that today was Christmas Eve.
She lay down on her pillows. and
incredibly, she fell asleep at, once.
When she wakened her room was
aglow with pale December sunlight.
kThe handle of the door turned, and
her mother opened it just a crack
and peeped in.
I'm awake. dear. Come in
Mary Rose said, and raised herself
on her elbow. whats the word
from the hospital?"
Mrs. Middleton came up.
She was carrying a little tray in
her hands, and she came and set it
down on the bed.
why, Tom seems to be resting
comfortably, the nurse said" she
told the girl. They're going to
phone If there's any change. Here's
this bit of toast. You eat it and I'll
run down for the coffee. It's all
made"
Mary Rose looked at the little
watch that was strapped to her