great deal, and that he must not land on justments of the next life, are not afraid a strange shore without a considerable of finding themselves very much out of stock of cash. Rab wrote back that all place among any common humanity. was well, that he should not have spent Manners might be rough, and language all his money when he arrived out, and coarse, but there were men always ready that with his introductions and his Lon- to "give a turn" when they saw him don experience he would be sure to get pause to pant and wipe his brow under some light counting-house work very any particularly heavy burden. And all easily. the people about him seemed so used to Rab bought a few potatoes and prac- doing things they did not wish, and to tised scraping them, and made his own giving up what they did, that Rab fairly bed and washed up his own tea-things. blushed, and silenced forever even the His landlady and her servant girl seemed scarcely audible misgivings and pangs of to think at first that he was going mad, his own heart. The sailors' wives and but presently came to the conclusion mothers aye, and widows too - came that it was as well to have some prepara- and stood about the ship sometimes, and tion for "roughing it in the bush," of gossiped and treated him with all the which they had a curious mixture of woman's kindly yearning over the "poor ideas, based on a picnic on Wormwood gentleman." Knowing nothing whatScrubs, and the perusal of Mayne Reid's "Maroon." They would potter about poor Rab, giving him instructions, and asking all sorts of inconsequent questions. But he was grateful for their good-natured interest, and their ignorant sympathy even did him good, though it was for trials and troubles only of their own imagining. ever of him, they made out their own little history. Most of them thought he must have been a little wild-nothing very bad, you know, but not "settling, and that therefore his friends had cast him off. "Their hearts 'ud soften a bit if they could see him now," said one. But the cook's old wife, who had been three long voyages, and had seen “a many people an' their different ways,” was sure it was only all through some cross in love. But all Rab's manly independence did not grudge his sisters the kindly rights of love and kinship. Though he could have afforded such rough outfit as his Rab was off at last, an unnoticed unit lowly place required, still he cheerfully in the crowd of passengers and crew. In allowed them to make one of their own the hurry of his work, he got scarcely a considerate and dainty planning. Chris- moment to look at the receding shore as tian wrote him that Jessie Macfarlane the ship sailed out of dock. It was not helped them, and was their greatest Clachan Beach, the scene of his boyhood cheerer and comfort. Nor did Rab hurt and of many a dear and happy hour. his sisters' feelings by persisting in re- But yet it was dear to him now, and his paying them in the strict letter of the eyes were moist as they looked at it. debt, though he sent them each a little There are some people who love places golden locket holding a scrap of his hair, that seem outwardly very bare of pleaswhich he asked them to accept as a part-ant association for them. Is it that ing memorial. The truth was, he bought three lockets, but the third he did not send. He put his hair in it, and pondered over it, but finally put it away in his own trunk, thinking that some day he might send it, and joyfully tell the story of the time and purpose of its purchase. If that was not to be, then Rab decided that it was wiser and kinder not to send it now. angels have been with them there? May they not "have had meat to eat which we know not of "? Nobody ever heard much about the long voyage out. Rab's first letter was but short, written hastily to catch the mail, which was just leaving the port when his ship arrived. He only told of his safe arrival, and that he had found the voyage so trying that he must rest a little before he should be fit for much. He should have plenty of news to tell by the next mail. For days before the ship sailed he had to be down working among her stores. It was hard work after all, and tried his strength sadly, otherwise he found he Poor fellow! By the next mail he had did not mind it very much, his prejudices, to own that he was in the hospital. But like most other shadows, having van-he softened the fact for those who had to ished as he boldly walked up to them. hear it. The hospital was the only place Rab had always been one of those people where one could get good attendance and who, keeping in view the possible ad- nursing in this busy new country, where each other, and the doctor's eyes fell. Rab saw that he fully understood and freely consented. They will be so grateful for hearing of me up to the very last," said Rab. Rab's letter gave no hint whereon to found such a supposition, but Flora felt sure that the hospital must be an institu- Rab thought of the locket he had tion where the sick out of the many bought for Jessie. No; she must never "extra men" of that unsettled land paid hear of that now. And yet, with all the for such comfort and kindness as could clearness of that old revelation of the not be obtained elsewhere at any reason- day of his doom, he felt that she did able cost. Flora was enthusiastic about know all about it, but that it was with a the thoughtful benevolence that must knowledge that was best apart from have planned such an establishment for word or token. She was his. They the benefit of those deprived of natural would walk together on the eternal hills aids by the abnormal circumstances of beyond the valley of the shadow of death. the case. But one day, while she was He could wait for the endless To-mortalking fast on this subject, she looked row; for that eternity of revealing up and met Christian's eyes, and sudden-against which time can keep its brief ly she stopped, burst out crying, and never named the subject again. Oh, there must have been hot and bitter tears shed unseen on the solitary hospital pillow. Whatever one may be willing to pay for independence, it may become too dear for one's power at last. But Rab said nothing of his pain, or of his defeated struggle. God knew-and that was enough. Weary, weary mails between Britain and Australia! It was hard, hard to wait in the house on Clachan Market amid mutual comfort and the stays of habit and duty. What must it have been to wait out there among strange faces, work on this earth all done and put away? But God and his angels are as near in Adelaide as in Clachan. And perhaps the vision of “the city not made with hands shines but more clearly on the blank hospital wall! secrets and the heart its short silence. "You needn't send home my box," he said to the surgeon. "Please to tell my people that I bade you sell my traps for the benefit of the hospital. It is all I can do." Then, seeing that the doctor hesitated, he comprehended, and said, "If you will give me a piece of paper, I will write that down as my will, and then you can send it home." 'He ought to have died before this," was the surgeon's comment to his colleague. "I wondered how he lasted so. But I understand better now I see how anxious he is for next mail." What made Rab so anxious for it? There could not be much news from Clachan. There could be no healing virtue in poor Christian's letter that "should suffice him for whom all else had failed. But Rab said to himself that to see that mail come in he would give all and then he smiled, and remembered that he had nothing to give. He died just two hours before the British mail arrived. Rab got two letters which had followed him on his journey, and had been written in ignorant and eager hope that the voyage would accomplish its work of cure. Rab never received any more. And he knew there was sure to be one coming inert Christison." answer to his. And it seemed to him as if he ought to be able to live to read it. He felt ready to blame himself as dying in sheer cowardly impatience. "There will be a mail in two or three days," he said to the house-surgeon; "and there is sure to be a letter for me by that mail. Do the mails often come in before they are due?" He There were two letters for "Mr. RobThe doctor, to whom he had spoken of his sisters, thought he could see the sensible Scotch spinsters in the thicker of the two epistles, with its big seal impressed with a “C." looked at the other letter with more curiosity. The writing was small and neat -a little timid. The envelope had a crest stamped upon it. The doctor, who was a Scotchman, recognized the sign of "Very seldom," answered the doctor. Clan Macfarlane. The only address he "If I give you our address at home, knew was to the house on Clachan Marwill you write a few lines to them?"ket. No, no," said the doctor," I won't Rab asked. The question was put send the poor girl's letter back to her quietly; but the tone made the doctor through anybody's hand. I'll send back look up, and he and his patient looked at the sister's letter when I write to the 66 parents; but I'll take this back to the office, and let it go home through the dead-letter post." If Rab Christison, through the clouds and pains of the falling flesh, had still felt the something coming, who can doubt that when risen to new and finer powers, exceeding the best powers we know, as those best human powers exceed the powers of the brute, he still knew what came, and the tender heart, brave as it was pure, which sent it. The young colonial doctor had been very good to his patient, and he did his best also to fulfil his last request. He spent two whole evenings trying to indite a letter that should fully satisfy the yearning hearts at Clachan. Less pains might have succeeded better. But there was nobody to criticise that night when it was read amid bursts of tears in the parlour behind the shop, when Jamie Dee, the rough errand-lad, hanging about the door, skulked off, and put up the shutters without waiting to be bidden. And Jessie Macfarlane came and went as of old with Miss Christian and Miss Flora. She put on no mourning. But from that day it has been more natural to Jessie to buy anything for anybody else than finery for herself. Her letter came back to her, and she read it through, and wondered how she could have been so terribly frightened when she wrote it. It somehow seemed different, as it might have seemed if Rab had lived and come home, and married her, and she had found it in his desk in the long years afterwards. She felt as if she loved the little letter which had gone after Rab, though it had missed him. But it was only her own letter, and she burned it. Nobody knows; nobody ever will know. But Christian, talking one day of Rab, mentioned his simple will, which the doctor had sent home. "It was very right and thoughtful of my brother," she said. "I think we should all do so, however little we have to leave. I should not have thought of it for myself; but I've done it since then. There's the locket with Rab's hair put down for you, Jessie." And they both stitched away, and did not look at each other. Jessie Macfarlane lives to this day in Clachan, an old maid, pretty in her primness, and gentle and pathetic in her oldfashioned, reserved sentiment. There is no "story" to be told about her: no whisper wherever she goes, nothing that 66 can keep old pangs at fresh sting-point. She is very young-like," people say, knowing not that her girlhood is inclosed in a crystal, whence it shall only escape into the land of everlasting youth. Have I told a sad story? I did not mean so to do. It is not sad to me. It is only the story of how a man made the very best of his life, and, out of his sorrow and weakness and loss, marched onwarda hero. From The Saturday Review. AMATEUR NURSING. AFFECTION only, however warm, will not qualify a sick-nurse. The cool head and steady hand of a professional stranger is too often to be preferred. Many a life has been sacrificed by ignorance or stupidity or anxiety where the nurse would gladly have died to save the patient. The event of a fever has before now been determined by the clapping of a door, or by an injudicious spoonful of unsuitable food. The indulgence may prove fatal of some whim which a fond mother cannot deny to her sick child. The longedfor change of posture may be accorded a day too soon. The cruel application of another blister may be put off a day too long. A moment's thorough draught, a cup of tea, a piece of news, a second pillow may settle the struggle between life and death. How often the doctor leaves a house feeling that it is only in spite of the nursing that his patient will recover! He shudders to think of the messes which will be brought up as beef-tea. He is in despair when a poultice is prescribed, as he is almost certain it will be so applied as to do more harm than good. And, valuable as all kinds of baths are in illness, he dare not order them, knowing the insane way in which his orders will be carried out. Above all, he is afraid of what may be termed the "cumulative dose," whether of medicine or nourishment; and finds it impossible to persuade either the patient or his family that half a dozen tablespoons of brandy in half a dozen hours are not the same thing as one glass in six hours; or that, where he orders medicine to be taken every two hours, the effect will not be the same if a double or treble dose is taken at once to save trouble. There is a strong and not altogether unreasonable prejudice against employing professional nurses, and especially hospital nurses, as long as the amateurs one ready in a house rejoices heartily. hold out. "Sisters are resorted to now His own credit as well as the recovery of in many cases, but unfortunately there his patient is probably assured. Seldom, are benighted souls who do not like however, has he this good fortune. His "Sisters," delightful as they are often ordinary experience is very different. found to be; people who are puzzled If he wishes the sick-room kept at a cerabout their position, like Lord Dundreary tain temperature, he cannot have it manabout Sam; patients who associate them, aged. The fire is alternately half extinct perhaps not unnaturally, with confession and blazing up the chimney. There is and extreme unction. It is ill-naturedly no care to have it warm at sunrise and said that, unless sisterhoods wore uni- sunset, and moderate when the sun is forms, ladies could not be found to go shining and the air warm. The invalid into them; that the coffee-coloured or is awakened from a priceless sleep by black dress, the becoming straw bonnet, hearing the cinders fall on the unproand the silver crucifix have an effect on tected fender, or by the noise of a clumsy the female mind like that produced upon hand putting on coals, which might easily every boy by the aspect of a life-guards- have been wrapped in pieces of damp man in his panoply; but it is certain that paper and left ready for noiseless use. many sick people who have to submit to The morning meal is perhaps delayed hired or professional nursing of any kind until the patient has passed from appewould prefer to see no white lawn or blue tite to faintness. Perhaps, when it comes, serge, no rosary or knotted cords. There the tea is smoked. Household troubles is an opening for what may be called are freely discussed in the room. Mary medical assistants, to take a place be- has given warning because there is so tween lady doctors and ordinary sick- much more going up and down stairs nurses. They might be taken from the since Missus was ill; the cook is so exclass which now supplies the suffering travagant, and yesterday's dinner was fellowship of governesses, already too spoilt; Johnny has cut his finger, and numerous; and from which companions Lucy has tumbled down-stairs; such who are no company are now drawn. things are told as if they would amuse They would require to have the keen per- the invalid. But worse than this is the ceptions and nice ways of ladies, yet mysterious whispering at the door, and they must not be above supplying all the the secrets obviously kept to excite the patient's needs. Their training ought nervous patient's suspicions. The irrinot to be made expensive, for women are tating creak of a dry boot, the shuffling apt in learning these things; hands which of a loose slipper, try a sick person's pacould never play a sonata of Beethoven, tience unreasonably; and the amateur might adjust a bandage, and voices whose nurse argues against such silly fancies, singing would be painful to hear might and thinks they are matters in which soothe the sick one's ear with kindly reasoning can be of any avail. words. Where the lady of the house is untrained nurse never commences her laid up such a nurse could answer her arrangements for the night until the letters, see a visitor who called to in-patient is just beginning to grow a little quire, read the newspaper intelligently, sleepy. She then arranges the pillows, talk of something besides the dying ago-moves the chairs, stirs the fire, and pernies of her last case, and perhaps judge haps makes up her own bed. Such fusses wisely when the patient must be kept at sleeping-time produce fever in a most quiet and when she may see a friend. unaccountable way, and the amateur is Such a person could without offence dis- amazed and bewildered because the pamiss a visitor who stayed too long, and tient lies awake all night. Besides all assume the responsibility of allowing the this, and no matter how noisy and elabchildren to see mamma, while she ordered orate the preparations for the night's their goings to prevent a racket or a cry. campaign, several things are forgotten But it is painful to see a patient nursed down-stairs; no beef-tea is to be had in in the common manner. The tact re- the middle of the night, no spoon for the quired for a sick-room differs from all medicine, no boiling water. Amateurs other kinds of experience. Amateur do not know that sick people should not nurses seldom possess it. Now and then be asked what they will have, but should a lady is to the manner born, and with- be saved even the mental exertion of out instruction or previous experience making a choice. However desirable it blossoms into a full-grown nurse at a may be that they should arrange their moment's notice. The doctor who finds 'affairs, business matters should not be The discussed before them. Sometimes a man who has not made his will before his illness will be anxious and uneasy till he has made it, and will get better when the matter is off his mind. But to arrange such things requires nicety and tact such as the amateur, who perhaps shares the sick man's anxiety, cannot show. lifelong self-questionings as to whether anything more might have been done. Some people, again, are never to be warned of danger until it is too late. The doctor's grave looks are unseen, his warnings unheeded, and then he has to bear the blame of the result. When a death oc night, is seldom thought of; yet a little trouble taken in time has often saved a delicate constitution from falling into consumption. Even in a bad climate it is only by experiment that any one can tell how far this terror of all families may be escaped. People are wholly demoralized by fear when its name is mentioned. Medical men who hesitate to use the In convalescence, even more than in word, knowing what despair it will lead illness, the attentions of an inexperienced to, are accused of deceit. The frantic nurse are often trying to the invalid. If parent whose child is threatened tries all he has been well nursed he is still amen- kinds of experiments, rushes wildly from able to the discipline of the sick-room, place to place, consults all kinds of and will probably do what he is bid. But quacks, uses half a dozen methods of if he has not learned unquestioning treatment, perhaps all at the same time, obedience to a benevolent but irresponsi- alternately keeps the patient constantly ble power, he has many things to suffer in the open air and secludes him altobefore he gets well. At first, perhaps, | gether, and when the end, inevitable in he will be allowed to sit up hours when such cases, comes at last, is subject to minutes were the doctor's orders. He is able to persuade his nurse to give him a tumbler of claret, when the medical allowance was a wineglass. He is allowed to see the newspaper for a few minutes, and he reads an exciting novel. He is permitted to see a visitor, and his a room full of company. He is over-curs for the first time in a household, the loaded with muffling when he takes his first walk, and is allowed to sit on a cold garden seat. When he goes home no nourishment is ready for him, and the chances are his house-clothes are unaired. And as he gradually emancipates himself from the bondage of illness, and returns to ordinary life, it is seldom that his reviving appetite is properly humoured. The sequela, as they are called, of many fevers are both induced and aggravated by the carelessness by which unwholesome food is offered to the recovering invalid. This is even more often the case where there is chronic illness or delicacy of constitution. It is amazing to see a man suffering from a deadly complaint set down to a dinner where he has to choose between stewed kidneys and salt beef. If he is cautious, which is not often the case, his hostess will wonder to see him prefer a bread-and-water diet. But the entire ignorance of what constitutes wholesomeness in food is a curious feature in the character of many housekeepers. In all diseases of the respiratory organs the importance of care in adjusting the temperature, especially at calamity comes with a crushing force. |