The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 988, December 3, 1898Various
General
The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 988, December 3, 1898
Various
Children's literature -- Periodicals
The poor, bare room was well swept and tidy, and the woman herself was
as clean and orderly as she knew how to be. Months of hospital days had
taught her much, and she had a husband tenderly anxious to please her
by "doing for her" as carefully and as long as he could. Sister had
been expected "one of these days," and she was touched to find, when
she set to work to wash and dress an unhealed wound, that a ragged but
clean towel was laid ready for her use afterwards.
Surgical duties performed, she sat beside Mrs. Sutton with her wasted
hand in hers, listening to her laboured breathing and turning over a
possibility in her mind.
"We'll try it!" she said suddenly out loud. And then, smiling at the
woman's surprised expression, she went on. "What do you say to our
getting a breath of fresh air together? Shall we have a drive?"
"Oh, Sister! Not really? Could I?"
Sister Warwick certainly had a way of sweeping aside difficulties when
her mind was set to an end. She went to the nearest cab-stand, picked
out the driver with care, and came back with the hansom to the entrance
of the court. It could go no further.
A boy was found to hold the horse, and together she and cabby carried
Mrs. Sutton down the old stairs. She was comfortably wedged into the
corner of the seat with pillows, and a footstool was found for her
feet. Then Sister gave the man her instructions--
"It is to be a shilling drive, please, and take us to see a bit of
something green."
"Right you are, Nuss! Embankment's the place for we!"
Away they went--the air cool in their faces--until the sick woman began
to draw long breaths of enjoyment, and even a little colour crept into
her pale cheeks. Under the trees, with the glittering water on one side
and patches of green grass within railings on the other. There was a
laburnum in blossom. Some of the windows of the houses were bright with
scarlet geraniums and marguerites. A donkey-cart came towards them
laden with ferns and plants in bloom.
Mrs. Sutton's eyes feasted on it all. A few happy tears rolled down
her cheeks. She had not hoped or thought to see these things until she
rested in "the Park of God." And the sky was so blue! Heaven would be
clearer to her imagination after this.
But Sister Warwick began to wonder when their driver meant to turn
homewards. It was a very long shilling's-worth already, and she had not
wanted to spend more out of her slender purse. At last she pushed up
the little trap-door.
"I think we had better be going back now," she said.
"Very well, Nuss. If you please."
But they had had at least a four-mile drive before they drew up at the
court again and helped the tired but happy woman to her room once more.
When, with rough tenderness, he had given all the assistance he could,
Sister Warwick followed the man on to the little landing. She offered
him half-a-crown.
"I know it ought really to be more," she said.
He put back the coin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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