There's eight livin' critters to stow away when it's time to
turn in, and one whole bed's took up by the patient. WHERE do they put
the rest? Hang 'em up on nails?"
The nurse laughed. "Goodness knows!" she said. "He should have been
taken to the hospital. In fact, the doctor and I at first insisted upon
his removal there. He would have been much better off. But neither he
nor his wife would hear of it. She said he would die sure without his
home comforts."
"Humph! I should think more likely he'd die with 'em, or under 'em. I
watch that fleshy wife of his with fear and tremblin'. Every time she
goes nigh the bed I expect her to trip over a young one and fall. And if
she fell on that poor rack-o'-bones," with a wave of the hand toward the
invalid, "'twould be the final smash--like a brick chimney fallin' on a
lath hencoop."
At that moment the "brick chimney" herself entered the rooms and the
nurse accosted her.
"Captain Warren here," she said, "was asking where you all found
sleeping quarters."
Mrs. Moriarty smiled broadly. "Sure, 'tis aisy," she explained. "When
the ould man is laid up we're all happy to be a bit uncomfortable. Not
that we are, neither. You see, sor, me and Nora and Rosy sleep in the
other bed; and Dinnie has a bit of a shakedown in the parlor; and Honora
is in the kitchen; and--"
"There! there!" Captain Elisha interrupted hastily, "don't tell me any
more.
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