Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 180, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1916 — A MEDICAL TREATISE [ARTICLE]

A MEDICAL TREATISE

By J. B. C. YOUNG.

The little nurse was coming down the hallway with a tray for her patient in room 16. It was about four o’clock, and, of course, Mac Thompson was standing somewhere near, with his hands in his pockets and his hat on the back of his head, waiting for her. Beside him stood Bill Field#, who immediately brought his heels together and bowed profoundly when he saw her coming. “Hello, Miss Arthur,” said Mae, with a most irritating smile. “How do yon do?” said the little nurse primly, and marched on with her tray. “Allow me,” said Mac, as be pushed open the door. “Thank you, Mr. Thompson.” And she whisked past him into the room. Bill disappeared down the hall, and Mac sauntered up and down and waited for his tormentor to reappear. Out she whisked and was proceeding to pass him with another sweet and preoccupied smile when he caught her apron. “Let me go this instant, Mac. Let go my apron. I Just wish you medical students wouldn’t come bothering me when I’m busy.” “Hey? Plural? Which ones have been bothering you? Give me their names. Til see to them directly. I’m the only medical student licensed to bother you.” Mac took out his notebook and pen with a flourish and looked at her in a business-like way. She bad to laugh. “Mac, you ridiculous thing, you’ll never be sensible. But, seriously now, you are interrupting me In my work. I wish you would go away.” She screwed her face up into a frown. “I’ve got my orders. Farewell, cruel young woman.” And then he turned right about and walked stiffly down the hall. “What a boy!” she said scornfully, with a smile at the corner of her mouth. How she longed to shake him, as she watched him cross the street from hospital that night. Strange how she watched for him every night

“Hello, honey!” he said next night, when she came out of room 16 with her arms full. She had just been thinking of him, and she looked up with a smile that was too brilliant to be anything but genuine. Mac’s face lost its bantering look and he stooped and kissed the upturned face. “You darling!” he said huskily. But the little nurse was petrified with horror. Had he thought she was glad to see him? Did he dare to think she had wanted to see him? “Oh, how dare you? I—I—” Her thoughts trailed off into nothingness, and she made her escape into her room and had a weep for very rage. “How dare he? Horrid thing! He took advantage! I’ll never, never, never—” But she did not say what she would never do. “Miss Arthur.” Mac was standing before her in the doorway when she came out of a room next evening. There was grim determination in his face, and the little nurse was panicky. Oh, for anything to stave this reckoning off! “Oh no! Oh, no, no!” she stammered, and would have fled. He turned quickly, and caught his finger in the doorjamb. “Jove!” he muttered forcefully, an he rescued his hand and examined it. “Ob, Mac, I’ve hurt you! How did I do it? Do let me see it, please do!”

Now Mac, naturally a wily young man, saw his advantage at once, and drew his face up into a still more excruciating scowl. “Jove!” he said again, pretending that the pain made him oblivious of her presence. "Dear Mae, do let me see it rU bandage it I’m so sorry, Mac, dear.” The little nurse was so truly distressed that she did not care what she said. “Not out here, come on into this empty room. Jove, but it pains 1 Are you very sorry?” “Oh, yes, so sorry!” “Shame!” thought Mac to himself, “but it’s got to be done!’ He raised a pained face to her sorrow-stricken one. “Would you be sorry if my hand had to be amputated?” “Oh. Mac!” And she buried her head on his arm in tears. “Would you marry a man with only one hand?” The little nurse nodded her head, choking with sobs, and Mac cheerfully grinned over her head and winked his eye at the window. “Oh, but you would rather have a good article than a damaged one." “I love you anyway, Mac.” “Then it’s all right, girlie, for I didn’t hurt my hand at all,” said Mae cheerfully, printing another kigs on the astonished face of the little nurse. She was so relieved that she kissed him in return. “Mac, where are you?” came BiIFS voice from the hall outside. "Here.” “Coming to class meeting?" said Bill, putting his head inside the door. “What the deuce are you doing Inside here? Eh? Well, I’ll be —. Congratulations P* Bill vanished discreetly. A few minutes later Mac came out of the hospital with a jaunty step. He waved his hand at the little nurse, who openly stood at the window and smiled. - *-~ **“ ~' ' (Copyright. 1318, by the McClure Newape--1 per Syndicate.)