“If you’d only take up some nice work for the Government, dear, such as the other girls are doing!” she sighed, “work that would bring you into contact with nice people! You always have to do something queer. I’m sure I don’t know where you got your low tendencies!”
But Ruth would be off before more could be said. This was an old topic of Aunt Rhoda’s and had been most fully discussed during the young years of Ruth’s life, so that she did not care to enter into it further.
But Ruth was not fully satisfied with just helping her Italians. The very week she came back from camp she had gone to their old family physician who held a high and responsible position in the medical world, and made her plea:
“Daddy-Doctor,” she said, using her old childish name for him, “you’ve got to find a way for me to go over there and help the war. I know I don’t know much about nursing, but I’m sure I could learn. I’ve taken care of Grandpa and Auntie a great many times and watched the trained nurses, and I’m sure if Lalla Farrington and Bernice Brooks could get into the Red Cross and go over in such a short time I’m as bright as they.”
“Brighter!” said the old doctor eyeing her approvingly. “But what will your people say?”
“They’ll have to let me, Daddy-Doctor. Besides, everybody else is doing it, and you know that has great weight with Aunt Rhoda.”
“It’s a hard life, child! You never saw much of pain and suffering and horror.”
“Well, it’s time, then.”
“But those men over there you would have to care for will not be like your grandfather and aunt. They will be dirty and bloody, and covered with filth and vermin.”
“Well, what of that!”