Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-01-03

thought, the first day she had him.
What a dear lad! she reflected the
second day. "What a good, kind, con-
siderate patient u she exclaimed to the
doctor on the third day. "He must
have had a sweet, sensible mother"
Perhaps" the doctor had replied.
~ 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 mine"
HAS he a stepmother?"~ Even then,
Lanny realized she would be a victim
Of a pang of jealousy If the doctor an
swered In the affirmative, for already
the boy had aroused her maternal In
stinct. 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 fifth day.
when she proffered him castor oil, he
rebelled but when Lanny said: Now,
darling, I'll feel bad IL you refuse to
obey me-" the boy had been instantly
contrite.
I'm sorry, Lanny," he ~apologlzed.
I'm a 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 q dear and
hadn't any mother-not ever a STEP
mother
"Lanny," he said to her on the
seventh day, do you know | love you a
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 a sequel to the
measles. He almost died-and so did
| Stephens father-that nothing but
Lanny's devoted nursing brought him
through. She wept the day she real
lied If she drew another days salary
as his nurse, she would be 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 a reward due you, Miss
Lanning," he told her, lover and be-
yond the trihing remuneration given
you in exchange for your devoted
services. That's a debt Steve and |
car never repay. but the boy thinks we
ought TO make a pretense at payment
and so do l." And ne opened her
handbag and slipped an envelope in 1t.
When she got back to the nurses
home, where she lived between calls,
she discovered he had given her five
thousand dollarsl 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
f%our-ounce Fairy fishing rod from
tIdtuN > III lsOuuOH. ~ toSi hti a
months wages. She knew his father
was q fishing enthusiast and would
probably inculcate the same enthusiasm
in his boy. Steve had sent her roses
on her birthday and his love, by tele-
graph. Christmas eve, together with an
exquisite little watch to replace the
dollar timepiece she used to count
pulse beats. On New Years day. a
year later, he made a formal call and
she was out on a case so the day she
was relieved she called upon him.
Hello, Lanny," he said-and kissed
her. II wanted to see you to get some
advice. Do you think, Lanny, that I'd
make a half decent doctor?"
God made you for a doctor" Lanny
assured him. "You'n not have to he
more than q mediocre doctor to be
financially successful. You were born
with the ideal personality"
Thanks, Lanny. | want to be a doc
tor. but | want to be q good one, too
so you tell me what | am to do about
it. I've just graduated from higt
school. Made the honor loll," he con
hded shyly.
How far up the homo, rolf" Ian
ny's query had almost a fierce quality
in 1t.
Number one"
"And you were out Of school two
months Of your last term I'm proud
Of you. Stevie."
"Where shall ! go to college, I.annyY
where do you intend to practic,
when you're a doctor. Stevie?"
Right here, In San Francisco"
I'm that event you should attend {
local university. You'n go to Stan
ford university" Lanny decided. II
you graduate with honor there you're
bound TO get an interneship In Stan
ford University hospital. About TIVE
years of that and you'll know what yol
want to specialize in, so off your q
for a postgraduate course In Berlin
Vienna and London for four years
Then you'll return and I'll be you
office nurse and manager. How's tina
for a program?"
Just dandy, Lanny."
ut means ten years of grind, StevIe
but don't let time brighten you" sh,