The Junior Classics, vol 6 | Page 8

you
tend him, I've heard a great deal about hospitals, and liked it very much.
To-day I said I wanted to go and be a nurse, like Aunt Mercy; but Will
laughed, and told me I'd better begin by nursing sick birds and
butterflies and pussies before I tried to take care of men. I did not like
to be made fun of, but I've been thinking that it would be very pleasant
to have a little hospital all my own, and be a nurse in it, because, if I

took pains, so many pretty creatures might be made well, perhaps.
Could I, mamma?"
Her mother wanted to smile at the idea, but did not, for Nelly looked up
with her heart and eyes so full of tender compassion, both for the
unknown men for whom her little hands had done their best, and for the
smaller sufferers nearer home, that she stroked the shining head, and
answered readily:
"Yes, Nelly, it will be a proper charity for such a young Samaritan, and
you may learn much if you are in earnest. You must study how to feed
and nurse your little patients, else your pity will do no good, and your
hospital become a prison. I will help you, and Tony shall be your
surgeon."
"O mamma, how good you always are to me! Indeed, I am in truly
earnest; I will learn, I will be kind, and may I go now and begin?"
"You may, but tell me first where will you have your hospital?"
"In my room, mamma; it is so snug and sunny, and I never should
forget it there," said Nelly.
"You must not forget it anywhere. I think that plan will not do. How
would you like to find caterpillars walking in your bed, to hear sick
pussies mewing in the night, to have beetles clinging to your clothes, or
see mice, bugs, and birds tumbling downstairs whenever the door was
open?" said her mother.
Nelly laughed at that thought a minute, then clapped her hands, and
cried: "Let us have the old summer-house! My doves only use the
upper part, and it would be so like Frank in the storybook. Please say
yes again, mamma."
Her mother did say yes, and, snatching up her hat, Nelly ran to find
Tony, the gardener's son, a pleasant lad of twelve, who was Nelly's
favorite playmate. Tony pronounced the plan a "jolly" one, and, leaving
his work, followed his young mistress to the summer-house, for she

could not wait one minute.
"What must we do first?" she asked, as they stood looking in at the dim,
dusty room, full of garden tools, bags of seeds, old flower-pots, and
watering-cans.
"Clear out the rubbish, miss," answered Tony.
"Here it goes, then," and Nelly began bundling everything out in such
haste that she broke two flower-pots, scattered all the squash-seeds, and
brought a pile of rakes and hoes clattering down about her ears.
"Just wait a bit, and let me take the lead, miss. You hand me things, I'll
pile 'em in the barrow and wheel 'em off to the barn; then it will save
time, and be finished up tidy."
Nelly did as he advised, and very soon nothing but dust remained.
"What next?" she asked, not knowing in the least.
"I'll sweep up while you see if Polly can come and scrub the room out.
It ought to be done before you stay here, let alone the patients."
"So it had," said Nelly, looking very wise all of a sudden. "Will says
the wards--that means the rooms, Tony--are scrubbed every day or two,
and kept very clean, and well venti--something--I can't say it; but it
means having a plenty of air come in. I can clean windows while Polly
mops, and then we shall soon be done."
Away she ran, feeling very busy and important. Polly came, and very
soon the room looked like another place. The four latticed windows
were set wide open, so the sunshine came dancing through the vines
that grew outside, and curious roses peeped in to see what frolic was
afoot. The walls shone white again, for not a spider dared to stay; the
wide seat which encircled the room was dustless now,--the floor as nice
as willing hands could make it; and the south wind blew away all
musty odors with its fragrant breath.

"How fine it looks!" cried Nelly, dancing on the doorstep, lest a
foot-print should mar the still damp floor.
"I'd almost like to fall sick for the sake of staying here," said Tony,
admiringly. "Now, what sort of beds are you going to have, miss?"
"I suppose it won't do to put butterflies and toads and worms into beds
like the real soldiers where Will was?" answered Nelly, looking