The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-08-16
JARED,
THE HARD
~ BOILED /;
(@ by D. j. walsh.l


JARED MEADOWS lowered beside
his wife's bed, scorn writ large In
his attitude and on his handsome,
y rudy face. His eyes of that
bright, unclouded blue that denotes a
nature not given to softness. to senti-
mental concern for the woes of this
world dwelt briefly on his wife's re-
cumbent figure and then turned In
distaste, away.
Phyllis Meadows, her small, delicate
face turned toward the window, lay
and regarded with unseeing eyes the
country without. Her lips trembled
and a flush crept up and burned into
momentary rose her thin, pale cheek.
Calmly, resonantly, Jared voiced his
sentiments.
doctors are grafters. Keep peo-
pie in bed and coddle 'em up to get
their money. You've got to use your
will power; make up your mind you're
all right and you'll be all right. No, /
don't hold with doctors. Why, ] never
had a doctor PAWN over me in all
my life"
Phyllis made no comment; contin-
ued to stare irertly out upon the land
scape. Jared expected her, the first
day at home from the hospital after
an emergency appendicitis operation,
to plunge into housekeeping, to get his
meals, wash the dishes, churn, bake,
feed the chickens, yes, and probably
hoe the turnips, she reflected bitterly.
And you couldn't make big. strong
Jared understand. You couldn't.
Healthy. strong, candid. sensible" he
was simply unable to comprehend
frailty. And she didn't want him to!
His strength she adored. His intoler-
ance of weakness seemed to her god
like. Attentively she listened as he
went on.
II sure never thought you would
ever be the kind of woman to lie
around and compel busy man to wait
on you"
"I'll-I'll try to get up and get some
thing for your dinner" she murmured,
and winked her eyelids to dispell the
black dots from before her frightened
eyes. Why, she couldn't. She couldn't.
Yesterday nurse had taken care of
her. Today she had to take care of
Jared. And they had told her 1t would
be two months before she would be
strong enough to take up her work at
the point where she had laid it down.
But she turned and smiled up at her
blue-eyed Jared.
"That's my girl" Jared rewarded
and she ;elt his lips upon her cheek.
his hand firm upon her shoulder. 'T've
got bushel of things to do today.
Can't work on an empty stomach. you
know. I told Tina Burkell she'd not
h. Hrounl 8re any more,
er you were mo- Hacker. Ipaid
land said she cduld skedaddle.
tell you the doctors do just like ]
said. coddle you up, keep you in bed.
Why, how'd they make living if folks
wouldn't stay sick while for 'emi
You're all right, Phyllis. You're all
right. Utter nonsense this business of
bein' sick is. Well, I'll be getting to
work. Good to have you home. old
girl. Jehosophat! I missed you some
thing awful!" Again Phyllis thrilled
at the touch Of his lips.
"Oh, will try to 10 as he wants
me to. He is so dear-big. old strong
Jared" she whispered as she felt the
little farmhouse shake at his march
through it.
The hours sped by. She dozed few
minutes now and again, but always
was the dread upon her of the mo-
ment, eleven o'clock. when she must
get up and begin preparation for
Jareds dinner. And he could not dc
with Just a lunch. Dear me. Fancy
Jared Meadows coming IN to cereal
and milk and fruit and store cookies
Oh, he would despise her, never have
any love for her again If she failed
him. All, but hadn't the hospital been
a heavenly place. All day she could
lie still, all day and all day, resting
getting well, eating, drinking, think
ing, dreaming, building up strength
At the hospital everybody had smiled
at her, nurses had brought her things
brushed her hair, the doctors had been
syMpathetically interesting. kind, un'
derstanding. And she had been home
sick. How could she have been, she
asked, longing for the peace Of the
place. Well, she had been homesick
for Jared, for this hale blue-eyed
young giant who was her husband
Never once had she failed to cry when
the sisters sang vespers and she knew
night was coming down and she was
alone in the big white-peopled place
far, far from Jared. In her mind now
as she lay she dwelt upon his strength
Perhaps If she thought of his health
oud vf0or a. would holm hor fa yofu