Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1913 — RAY OF SUNSHINE [ARTICLE]

RAY OF SUNSHINE

“You poor dear! Tm so glad to see you that I’d like to kiss you, but I suppose I’d better not. Of course you’ve got nothing contagious; still, it’s best to be on one’s guard. “The nurse didn’t want me to come in for fear company might make you more nervous. ’Company!’ I paid. ‘Why, that’s ridiculous. I’m not company, I’m her very best and most Intimate friend.’ So she made me promlab to stay only ten minutes by the Mock. She was on her way out for a constitutional, yon say? Most likely to meet some man or other. What’s that? A settled woman? My dear, these trained nurses are never settled. You may be sure that when you’re not looking she’s making eyes at your Frank. Nurses! Why, all they really do is eat three meals a day and draw their pay. Oh, I know ’em! “Well, anyhow. I'm in here and she won’t be back in an hoar’s time, I’m sure, so I won’t worry about watching the clock. Besides, what yon need more than anything else is cheering up. That’s why I came over. "Shall I plump your pillow up a little for you? There! That’s better, isn’t it? I can see now how thin you've grown. Positively, dear, as you’re lying in that position you have the same look that your slater did in her last illness. -Hasn’t Frank noticed it? But then, men are unobservant creatures in anything that concerns their wives. “You liked the-flowers I sent? I’m so glad. Do you know, I thought they were rather pretty, to. I ordered the same kind made up in a floral design for Aunt Georgiana’s funeral. Isn’t it odd, come to think of it, that her trouble was exactly like yours, only in a more advanced stage? Frank was telling me your symptoms the other day when I met him downtown, and it’s just the way Aunt Georgiana’s illness started off. "How’s little Frank’s throat? What? Yon didn’t know there was anything the matter with it? My goodness! Now, I’ve let the cat out of the bag, 1 suppose. It just occurs to me that Frank told me not to mention it to you. Promise me that you won’t tell him I told you. Yes, I do remember now, he said the boy is staying with bis aunt while you’re laid up. I’m dreadfully sorry I told you. How perfectly stupid of me! "Try to be calm. That’s what I always say to myself when anything happens. You’ll get well much quicker and that’s what you want, particularly if the boy’s throat trouble develops into diphtheria as you’d want to nurse him. "Now, don’t try to talk. It’s very exhausting and you must save all your strength. You’ll need It when you get well, in any event, I said to myself as I came np the stairs, ‘Any one can tell by the way things look that Bess is sick.’ But don’t worry on that account Servants are servants. What do they care if the dust is an inch thick and the house looking as if a cyclone had struck it? “The time I had appendicitis my house looked almost as bad as yours does now. I nearly had another attack getting it into order again. You say that your maid has always been dependable? Well, I’m glad of I was wondering what kind of person she is. She was talking to a very suspicious looking character at the side entrance as I came in. He looked like a burglar to me. “Hand you your drops? They’re on the table? now, let me give the stuff to you. There! How clumsy of me! I’ve spilled some on your lovely bed cover. I can’t imagine how 1 happened to do that—l never did such a thing before. 1 think the air in here has made me a little dizzy, it’s so close. I can be so handy, with things that I really believe I’ve missed my vocation in not being a trained nurse. Besides, Tom says I'm a perfect ray of sunshine in the sick room. “You’re not taking all this stuff on the table, are you? It looks like a regular drug store. That reminds me. Coming over on the car I read such a dreadful thing in the newspaper. A green drug clerk put up an overdose of something or other for headache and the woman died ten minutes after she took the stuff. Yes, here in town —Smeek Brundly’s. Gracious! That’s where this stuff is from, isn’t it? But, then, there’s no need to worry now, because if any of the prescriptions were wrong you’d have known it by this time. Betides, the clerk has been discharged. “Well! Here’s the norse. Twenty minutes? It doesn’t seem possible.’’ (In a whisper.) “Such impertinence! Did you see the way she looked at me? If I were you, dear, I’d discharge that sour . faced thing at once. She’s enough to make you a chronic invalid! (Aloud.) "Well, good-by. Be a good girl and don’t worry about anything. lam coming over when you're on the mend and stay a whole afternoon. You need some one to keep you cheered up. God-by. dear." (Exit, glaring at norse.)