IN THE BABIES' WARD

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11, 18 March 1909, Page 437

IN THE BABIES' WARD

In the line of anxious, inquiring friends waiting m the hospital corridor was seated a young man, very young, manifestly Irish, and carrying the marks of his trade • in the plaster that caked his shoes and spattered nis trousers. The superintendent of nurses looked disapprovingly at the patch of grey dust that surrounded the big, * Bhuffling feet. . .. . ' You should have wiped your shoes on the mat- at the door,' she said. 'I beg your pardon, mum,' he said humbly; I torgot it through bein' that disturbed in me mind. I'm come.to,, see is me wife doin' well?— Mrs. Delia Gaffney, I'm— him. 'You are her husband?' ' I am that, mum.' ' She is doing well,' _ ' Has she — is it 'He gazed in her face, with parted lips. ' She has a boy. 3 , , , . A The blood rushed hotly up to the sandy hair that overhung his brow. He pushed the hair back with an unsteady hand as he stammered: 'Is he — is he— a good wan ?' ' Just like all of them,' she answered indifferently. c There's niver another wan of thim all that's mine, mum ' he replied, with a sort of ungainly dignity. ' Might I have speech of me wife? Might I see thimP' He choked * on the word. « • No ; not before Sunday,' the superintendent answered stiffly. - The nurse at her elbow ventured to suggest ' There is no one else in the maternity ward at present, Miss Stone, and the young woman is very well.' ' I can make no exception to the rule,' retorted the superintendent, and passed into the office. 'If we held an autopsy on that woman, said the junior intern, ' I suppose we should find a heart ; it is the only way in which we shall ever obtain evidence of its existence.' ' I wonder if I dare,' the nurse mused. 'Go ahead,' the young doctor encouraged her; 'she's safe for twenty mi»utes in the office.' ' I'll tell you about your baby,' she smiled on the young man, who "Vas shambling dejectedly toward the door ; ' you shall see your wife on Sunday.' They were at the door now, and out of hearing of the others. Oro around to the back of the building, to the small door near the corner, and I'll take you up to have a peep at the baby,' &he whispered. . He almost betrayed her by the exclamation that escaped him. She pushed him through the door. Be quiet— be quick,' she said ;' there's very little time.' When he readied the small door at the corner, she was already turning "the key. The door, seldom used, refused to open. ' Push, push,' she called through the keyhole 'but don't make a noise.'^ She led the way along the 'paved corridor, warning him to be as quiet as pos- ' I'll make no noise at all, mum,' he assured her, as he followed, crouching, with great hands sweeping thp-wall to steady- his tiptoeing steps, while his shoes creaked ' I dare not let you see your wife,' she said; 'the superintendent would b« sure to find it out. But the baby can tell no tales, and you shall see him— just for a -minute. ' 'I'm sure you're very good, and I'm much beholden to ye ' he answered in a smothered voice like the rumble N of wind in the chimney. Then,' drawing his hand out of his uocket * Take it— that's all right ; take it, now,' he urged, as she shrank from the proffered quarter-dollar. It's but r little for what yoa're doin' for me; it's worth a week's pay "<Keep it to help buy^the baby-carriage,' she-sug-gested. v

'That's so,' he chuckled; 'I'll get a dandy wan 1' ' Don't get it until your, wife comes home,' she cautioned. 'She •will like *" to select it herself.' ' Mebbe she'd do it ; better,3 he. admittedly • meekly. 'We'll need to be savin. He's'goin' to cosfcl' He grinned with" evident satisfaction at the thought;:, --\ 5, And we'll not be runnin' about evenin's - now, neither.'.- The grin broadened as the' lengthening list" of privations added to' the value of its unconscious cause. ...V-. . - In the /.babies' ward he Tiung .in dumb, wpnder above the shuffling bundle from- which the nurse tiirned> back the covers, "and touched the mottled cheek timidly"*, with herfinger, producing a twitching of the mouth sufficiently like a smile to fill him with, delight." , 'D'ye mind hpw he laughs, the wise little thing 1' .he/ cried gleefully. 'Ain't he a sort of a queer "color? "* It'll change,- will it?-. Well, I'm .glad to* hear itor ,It might, be prettier. There's, a great dale of babies here, isn't there, mvm — and yous do be in the way of knowin-' a lot about thim ?' She nodded. ' Thin, will yous ■ tell me . ' thrue?' His manner was as solemn as if he were administering, the oath to a' witness. ' Will yous tell me thrue, is he a good wan? Is his back and his legs all they had ought to be P' ■ * ■ - 'He's a fine-boy,' she assured him; '^'-you'll be proud of Jbim.' -,~ • !- ' I'm that now/ he said. ' ' ~ ' You look too young to have others,' the nurse isaid. All the soul there was in Dan Gaffney looked from his "earnest eyes, that met" hers as he said, with a thrill of .reverence in his voice: . - > ' He's me furst-borrun child.' „ Gripping, the side of the crib,, he leaned , close, to the tiny red ear, murmuring, ' Little lad, -me" own little lad"! ' scanning the small wrinkled face as if for some sign of recognition, repeating over and . over : ' Little lad, little lad ! ' • . • .. * . ..,■','•- He had- forgotten the nurse, and the rie§d for" haste. -She roused. him regretfully. ' •..,,... ' You must go now. Sunday, afternoon you may see him again,' and your wife too. Oome ! You will "get me in trouble if you stay any longer.' 'I'd do nothin' to hurt ye, mum, God" bless ye,! -Whin Delia's ;able, she'll say what's becomin' ; I'm not ekal to it. Good-bye, little lad.' At the head of the stairs she was saying: ' Mind you say nothing about this ; and the baby can f-e trusted to tell no tales — Heavens ! ' The president of " the senior staff was; standing in the op&n door of private ward number three, and the cold voice the superintendent of nurses sounded close behind him\"'"_ Miss Stone,' said the doctor over his shoulder, ' I'll - close this door; there's a draught from somewhere. . . I'll tell no tales, either; but get out as fast as you can.' With a grateful- look toward the doctor, the nurse huried her guest downstairs and pushed him out at the corner door. Dr. Standish heard the creak of the closing door, and loosened his grip on the knob he had been holding. Miss Stone darted out of the room. ' Jenks must oil that lock at once,', he said ; 'I've been struggling with-it; for two full minutes and couldn't turn it. I must look for that draught.; Mrs. Frye says she has felt it all the morning. Miss Lane, have you had that door open ? ' she called sharply down the stairway. ' Just for an instant, Miss Stone,' the nurse -replied sweetly ; ' the damp" weather has made it stick so don't you think it should be opened now and then^P ' - . Dan Gaffney had reached the street, Jand she .felt no fear of detection, but stood watching him, wondering to see the lately slouching, figure erect, , almpst.-soldierly,- the shuffling tread firm and quick, hastening to,- meet a welcome task. He stopped a little- girl -.who was pushing a baby before her in its carriage, stooped over the. baby, whistled to it and poked a finger, in its cheek — with the result of awakening a terrified shriek' and- arousing- the indignation of the little elder sister.- Dismayed at « such a failure of the only fatherly art he knew, he made overtures of peace to the baby's guardian with a hand that had dipped into his pocket. The , child accepted tho proffered war . indemnity with smiling satisfaction, and trundled the baby away. The young father stood watching until they had turned, a corner, "then wleeled about, stamped a foot" emphatically, threw his haads into his pockets, and Hhrew back his head' in a big, happy, boyish laugh. ' ' - ' " The mist that dimmed the nurse's eyes for- a moment was dispelled by a, flash of defiance. ' I'd do it again,' she whispered, 'in spite of the Stone and her ', wrath.' — Haclure's' Magazine-.