The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-10-15
person, exactly the type that would IN
hacon,o m old maid

MIN tuf pdtteut- AiC uau mcoSice~
-aWhat nice. welEmannered boyin she
thought. the first day she had him.
What dear lad" she reflected the
second day. what good, kind, con-
siderate PATIENT" she exclaimed to the
doctor on the third day. HE must
have had sweet. sensible mother"
perhaps" the doctor had replied.
II never knew her and neither did the
hoy. She died at his birth. He's man.
raised His father Is an old friend and
patient of NINE
HAS he stepmother?" Even then.
I.anny realized she would be victim
of pang of jealousy II the doctor an
swered in the affirmative, for already
the hoy 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: Nov,
darling. I'll feel bad II you refuse to
obey me-" the boy had been Instantly
contrte.
I'm sorry, Lanny." he apologlzed.
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 a dear and
hadn't any mother-nor even step
motherl
"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 baifled 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 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 sS
| Ing too grateful for her services.
| There Is reward due you, Miss
| I.anning,n he told her, "over and be-
| yond the trif1ing remuneration given
| you in exchange for your devoted
| services, That's a debt Steve and
| 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 1t.
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 al Christmas q
four-ounce Fairy fishing rod from
Hardy's In London. 1t cost her a
months wages. She knew his father
was a fishing enthusiast and would
probably incucate the same enthusiasm
in his boy. Steve had sent her roses
on her birthday; and his love, by tele
graph. Christmas eve together With al
| ~ mot n rnnfuPn thf
dollar tmepiece she used to coun
pulse beats. On New Years day. {
year later. he made formal call ant
she was out on case, 80 the day sh'
was relieved she called upon him.
Hello, Lanny," he said-and kissed
her. i wanted to see you to get som'
advice. Do you think. Lanny, that X
make half decent doctor?"
God made you for DOCTOR" Lam.
assured him. "You'll not have to b.
more than q mediocre doctor to b.
financially successful You were borl
with the Ideal personality"
THANKS, Lanny. want to be doc
tor, but want to be good one, toe
SO you tell me what | am to do abou
1t. I've just graduated from hig
school. Made the honor roll" he cor
fided shyly..
How far up the honor roll? Lar
nys query had almost fierce qualit
In It.
Number one"
"And you were out OF school tw
months OF your last term I'm prou
OF you, StevIe.'
where shall 60 to college, Lanny
Where do you intend to practie
when you're doctor, StevleY
Right here. In San Francisco"
!, I'm that event you should attend
local university. You'll go to Sta
ford university" Lanny decided. :"
YOU graduate with honor there your
! bound to get an inrerneship In Sta
: ford University hospital. About tV
wears of that and you'll know what ye
want to specialize In, so Off you'll
for a postgraduate course In Berli
Vienna and London for four year
Then you'll return and I'll be yo'
office nurse and manager. How's tn
for a program?"
aIust dandy LaDny"