Evening star., 1933-06-18

The 60-odd members Of the graduate
field nursing staff Of the Instructive
Visiting Society of Washington habitu-
ally encounter appealing, curious and
sometimes humorous cases and incidents
in the course Of their extensive daily
rounds. The heads of the organization
urged them to write in brief form at
least one of these, a prize being offered
each month for the best. The little
contest ran six months. The activities
of visiting nurse often go beyond the
limits of actual nursing; she some.
times becomes guide, philosopher and
friend for the individual or family for
which she cares. The winning efforts
in the first two months of the contest
were printed in The Star last week.
Herewith are given those for the third
an. fourth months. The last two will
be printed in later issue.
NO. 3.
A Visit by Santa Claus.
Little Miss Patterson sat down be-
fore the watery mirror and studied her
face. She wasn't admiring herself.
Nature had given her so plain a counte-
nance in the beginning that she had
remained a spinister all her life. She
had been too homely girl to be at
tractive to the boys she had known,
and the hurt of it had always made
her sensitive and retiring. Now she
was nearing the sixtieth year of sec
ond-hand life. She had always lived
in some one elses house-had always
worn some one else's clothes and loved
some one else's babies. But 1t had been
a useful life. Relatives had been glad
to have her visit them. Now that COM
fort had been taken from her, they
didn't want her any more.
The face that peered back at MISS
Patterson from the mirror was blurred
with tears and rufled by the flaws IN
the mirror. But even tears and flaws
couldn't have produced the distorted,
tortured countenance she saw there.
For Miss Patterson had an 1ncurable
disease, a wasting. eating disease. that
was transforming her plain, friendly
features into q mask Of horror. she
knew she was repulsive to the grown
ups. But what hurt most was that the
children were becoming afraid OF her.
No one could look at her without shud-
dering, except the nurse who VISITED
each day. She did the best she could
to cover the deformity with sklll1ui
bandaging, and she was gentle and
kind and best of all, matter r-of-fact.
She didn't think Miss Patterson was
the worst sight she had ever seen, ana
though she had watched and watched,
Miss Patterson had never been able 10
catch even the slightest evidence OF
shrinking or Of distaste. But even
skill and kindness couldn't hide the
growing disagreement much longer ana
little Miss Patterson was trying des-
nerately to be brave about it. If Christ,
mas was not so near, she felt she couio
stand 1t better. She had always oeen
so happy with the children at CHRIST
mas. This year she could only nope 10
be the spector at the feast. .
Unable to stand too mucn punln-
ment, Miss Patterson moved from De
fore the mirror to her small chair at
the window. Across the street Santa
Claus was pacing up and down before
a store. advertising Christmas toys ne
wasn't a very good Santa. HIS suit
was too big for him and his whiskers
were shabby. But as she watched MIN
absently an idea flashed into her mind
and the ghost Of smile fickered at
the corners Of her mouth.
"Miss Howard" to the nurse when
she came, chow much would a Santa
Claus suit cost?"
"Why," taken by surprise, Il don't
know. It would depend on how elap-
crate a one was needed. They are
easy to make If one is clever with
the needle" "a,
That's an idea-I can make It,"
Then, with an eagerness she could
not restrain, els there a place where
people with disease like mine can be
cared for?"
"Why, yes, Of course" Then, glancing
at her patient, What do you have on
your mind, little lady? Out with 1t
before you burst with It'll"
Miss Patterson laughed-for the f1rst
time in weeks.
"oh! Miss Howard. have a plan!
Please help me-"
The family objected at first, but
they were not unkind, and so on Christ
mas eve a very small, very excited
Santa Claus appeared In the living
room before the children went to bed
and in a very gruff voice that suited
the Jolly masculine false face and whis-
kers, distributed the Christmas gifts.
After the first shock Of surprise the
children were entranced and danced
and giggled about him in delight. When
they were all engrossed with their
gifts and while the lamps in the room
were dimmed and only the lights on