Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-10-11
JARED,
THE HARD
BOILED
NAN~S~HA&A9@ 9~~~~~~~%

YARED MEADOWS lowered beside
his wife's bed, scorn writ large In
his attitude and on his handsome,
- 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 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
Doe 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
fraiIty. And she didn't want him tol
His strength she adored. His intoler'
ance of weakness seemed to her god
like. Attentively she listened as he
went on.
81 sure never thought you would
ever be the kind of woman to lie
around and compel busy man to wait
on you"
"Tll-I'll try to get up and get some
thing for your dinner" she murmured,
and wlnked her eyelids to dispell the
black dots from before her frightened
eyes. Why. she couldn't. She couldn't.
Yesterday a 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 1t down.
But she turned and smiled up at her
blue-eyed Jared.
"Thats my GIRL" Jared rewarded
and she elt his lips upon her cheek,
his hand firm upon her shoulder "Tve
got bushel of things to do today.
Can't work on an empty stomach, you
know. told Tina Burwell she'd not
need to hang around here any more.
| told her you were no Stacker. paid
her off and said she could 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 a while for EN-?
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. Iehosophatl missed you some
thing awfulT Again Phyllis thrilled
at the touch Of his lips.
"Oh will try to do as he wants
me to. He Is so dear-blg, old strong
Jared" she whispered as she felt the
little farmhouse shake at his march
through It.
The hours sped by. She dozed a 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
.Iareds dinner Anu he could not do
with Just lunch Dear me- Fancy
Jared .,ead0ws coming IN to cereal
and milk and fruit and store cookies
oh. he would despise her, never have
any love for her again II she failed
him. All. bur hadnt 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 Ter hair. the doctors had been
sympathetically interesting, kind, I'M
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 homeslck
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
and vlgOr II would help her to gain
them for herself She must have some
will power as he suggested. IF you
think you're all right you are all
right" he had said. Perhaps that was
perfectly true. Perhaps she was only
thinking she was unable to work.
doctors are utter nonsense" he had
said.
The kitchen clock struck eleven.
She lifted her head from the pillow.
Utter nausea oyercame her. She let 1t
flop down again. forced II up again.
Painting, she summoned her will TO aid
her. Her feet sought weakly the floor.
All. she was standing. She held to a
chair. put her hands out, clutched the
dresser, the sides Of the doorway. At
last she reached the dlnlng-room. II
she kept hold Of something all the
way she rigli gel TO the kitchen.
But no. she coulGn't, without stopping
n second to rcri t'lere on the chair by,
tie wlrfw. She sank weakly down,
rlns,d her eye. conscious Of nothing
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