The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-03-28
Conscript' S Wife

Nv BETTY WALLACE

Continued from Page ~
back from the far land 10 which
she had Journeyed 80 strangely.
with her eyes wide open.
NEXT morning. Martha waited
~ Tor the doctor in the hospital
corridor. How is my sister" she
asked him bluntly. She seemed
50 strange last night-for a little
while"
The doctor had kind. shrewd
eyes. and a resSsuring smile. She
wasn't doing very well yesterday.
But shes better now think
your coming has helped her"
lis she out Of danger -
He made a tent Of his fingers
and said carefully. Its hard to
Judge. But II she has nothing
extrsneous to worry sbout-if she
can be made TO think Of nothing
but getting we'll 7 see"
So she telephoned Air Transport
from the coinbox in the hospital
lobby. Paul wasn't in his office.
She talked 10 the chief engineer.
My sisters very i'll in the hos
pital. Very i'll. l must stay here.
There are three children. and she's
been worrying =. I don't know
how long I'll be gone. Until she's
we'll"
He was very kind. then. An
right. Mrs. Marshall. Don't worry
about anything III get girl
from Sales to help with your work
until you're back
Swiftly she planned her days.
Morning visits to Helen. bringing
the children. Shed bring them
neat and clean, Then home. lunch.
tidying up the house. putting the
children to bed for their maps. At
4. she'd slip back to the hospital
alone. BY $50. when Eugene
came home. dinner would be fixed.
the children rested. In the eve
ming. Eugene could see Helen while
Martha stayed with the children.
II was a good plan. But it
didn't work.
GENE. who was S. and Sister
VI who was :. could dress them
selves all right. But the effect
was weird. And Martha had to
be dressing the baby. getting
breakfast, feeding the baby. and
somehow straighten herself out
before they could go. BY then the
baby had to be changed. Genie had
gotten his blouse dirty, the baby
was crying. and it was 1880 and
they were nowhere near the hos
pital. In despair, she comman-
deered taxi.
Genie and Sister had to be de-
sisted. violently. from climbing up
on Helen's bed. "Oh, darlings,"
Helen whispered. "Sweeties ."
The children. suddenly very grave.
stood one at each side of the bed
and Sister began to sob. Mama.
you're so white, Mama, you're
not going to die. are you"
of course not. Sis" Martha
cried harshly. "Of course not!"-
Helen wanted the baby lifted so
she could kiss him. There were
tears of joy in her eyes as she
thanked Martha. Its SO good OF
you. Marth'."
Nonsense" Martha cleared her
throat. How are you feeling this
morning? Clipper"
The pinched white lines of pain
around Helen's lips belied her
brave Fine"
They didn't stay long. When
they reached the bungalow. the
baby was damp mess. Martha's
dress was ruined. Sister had blum
cred into mud puddle, and Genie
had found three stones which he
insisted on bringing into the house
with him.
Il don't think we'll go to the
hospital every day Martha told
the children. Il think well have
the lady next door in here. morn
ings. to mind you while I go"
pY Friday, with Helen definitely
- getting better. if slowly. Mar
tina was almost in command OF
herself and the children. The baby
had learned that No" meant he
mustn't pull the tablecloth, drag
ging all the dishes to destruction
with il. Genie had learned that
big boy five years old could wash
his own face and hands, must not
jump on the sofa. must drink ALL
his milk. and must never. never
let the water run in the bathroom
until it overlooked the bowl and
made an ocean on the floor. And
Sister had learned that 7-year-
old young lady took her own baths
and wheeled her little brother up
and down the sidewalk-without a
single splitter an hour every af-
ternoon. She also dried dishes
with hardly any accidents.
Martha was cutting up a
chicken, Friday afternoon, and
hoping fervently that the no-spill
record for baby-rolling had not
been broken. when the doorbell
rang. She raced to answer II,
fearful Of the bsby's safety.
But when she flung the door
open. il was Paul.
Paul Elliott. his hat in his hand,
his new car parked at the curb.
and his ewes startled NV God.