Gratia's Trials — page 212: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 203 est emergency, with the single exception of the faithful old col- ored man, Scipio. | The doctor looked gravely down at his patients. . ‘‘T will not say that I do not consider them very ill,” he said to Mrs. Falconer, ‘‘because that would be misrepresenting matters, but in_this disease almost as much depends upon good nursing as on medical prescription. A doctor's drugs can do no good if they are not regularly administered, and nature must be aided in every possible way. It is of the very first importance that you secure a good nurse at once—-two if posssible.” ‘¢ But where shall I get them?” Mrs, Falconer asked, despair- ingly. ‘People will not come near me. My servants have all fled away, except old Scipio, as if we had the plague in the house.” The doctor looked a little puzzled. ‘‘There is reason in my mother’s question,’ Falconer, with a sad smile. ‘‘You are right,” said the doctor. ‘‘ There is a good deal of this fever about just at present, and good nurses, always scarce enough, are in the greatest possible demand. But I'll tell you where I think you could obtain one, if they are obtain- , ‘able anywhere, and that is at the Sisterhood of St. Hildegarde.” ‘« Sisters of Charity?” ‘*Something of that sort, and yet not exactly that—a com- munity of noble Protestant women who devote their lives to go- ing about and doing good. Go there and try your luck. Say I sent you, if you please; I have appealed successfully to them more than once.” | He penciled the address on one of his professional cards, and handed. it to Colonel Falconer. | ‘©Go at once,” he said. ‘‘ There is not an instant’s time to lose.” | And Hugo Falconer obeyed. A serene-faced old lady came to him, in response to his re- quest to see the lady in charge. She heard his story with sym- said Colonel Comicbooks.co m