The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-11-15

| NneD lanny WIS thirty yehAs oAo
and Stephen Burt was sixteen, she had
him for a patient. He had measles-
what nice. well-mannered boyf she
| thought, the first day she had him.
What a dear ladl" she reflected the
second day. "What a good kind, con-
siderate patientl" she exclaimed to the
doctor on the third day. He must
| have had q sweet. sensible mother
Perhaps" the doctor had replied.
II never knew her and neither did the
boy. She died at his birth. He's man.
raised. His father is an old friend and
patient of NINE"
HAS he a stepmother7" Even then,
Lanny realized she would be victim
of pang of jealousy II the doctor an
swered In the affirmative, for already
the boy had aroused her maternal In
stlnct. She was relieved to learn that
his father had foIsted no such trial
upon the boy.
On the fourth day Of his illness she
called him '.dearie" On the Nth day,
when she proffered him castor OIL he
rebeled. but when Lanny said: Now.
darling, I'll feel bad If you refuse to
obey me-" the boy had been instantly
contrite.
I'm sorry, Lanny." he apologized-
I'm pig to oppose you." And then
he groaned and took it-and Lanny
kissed him and wanted to weep over
him because he was such dear and
hadn't any mother-not even STEP
mother
"Lanny,"s he said to her on the
seventh day, do you know love you
lot? | wish dad would marry you, so
you could be with me all the time"
Lanny's heart swelled with the
poignant grief of her baffled maternity
at that honest boyish avowal.
On the eighth day he developed
double pneumonia. as sequel to the
measles He almost died--and so did
Lanny. The doctor swore-and so did
Stephens father-that nothing but
Lanny's devoted nursing brought him
through. She wept the day she real
lied II she drew another days salary
as his nurse. she would he accepting
money under false pretenses; and she
wept on two counts. First, because she
was leaving Stephen. and second, be-
cause Stephens father insisted on be-
Ing too grateful for her services.
There Is reward due you, Miss
Lanning," he told her, 'over and be-
yond the rriflng remuneration given
you In exchange for your devoted
services. That's debt Steve and I
can never repay, but the boy thinks we
ought to make pretense at payment
and so do L. And he opened her
handbag and slipped an envelope In It.
When she got back to the nurses
home, where she lived between calls,
she discovered he had given her five
thousand dollars Young Stephen had
already given her his photograph, In
dorsed. ITO my dear Lanny. With love
from Steve
Nursing Is the most personal and Inn
personal profession In the world. Lam
ny never expected to see Stephen Burt
again, but she sent him at Christmas a
four-ounce Fairy fishing rod from
II Hardy's In London. 1t cost her q
months wages. She knew his father
was fishing enthusiast and would
probably IncuIcate the same enthusiasm
In his boy. Steve had sent her roses
y on her birthday and his love. by tele-
u graph, Christmas eve, together with an
exquisite little watch To replace the
1 ~. rtr ~
\ pulse beats On New Year's day. a
Ii year later, he made a formal cal and
g. she was out on a case; so the day she
m was relieved she called upon him.
Hello. Lanny." he sald-and kissed
her. II wanted to see you TO get some
= advice. Do you think, Lanny, that Ia
ID make half decent doctor3'
God made you for DOCTOR Lanny
assured him. you'll not have to bs
- : more than n mediocre doctor 10 b.
= financially successful. You were borr
- With the ideal personality"
:, Thanks. Lanny. ! want to be doc
: tor but | want to be good one. to'
a. so you tell me what am TO do abou
1t. I've just graduated from higl
school, Made the honor roll" he con
= lded shyly.
= How far up the honor roll?" Ian
!. ny's query had almost fierce qualit
In 1t.
= Number one"
= "And you were our of school tw
- months OF your last term. I'm pron
. of you. StevIe."
- where shall 30 to college, Lanny
=, Where do you intend to practlc
" when you're q doctor, StevieW
j. ''Righ, here. In San Francisco"
ia I'm that event you should attend
"a. local university. You'll go to Star
ford university" Lanny decided y
49, you graduate with honor there your
IN bound to get an interneshlp In Star
- ford University hospital. About tW
,as years Of that and yon'll know what yn
J. want to specialize In. 80 of your
~ for II postgraduate course In Berlil
Vienna and London for four year
Than vnuffl rptflrn and In he vol