“May I run across the bit of woods and see Jennie Hale a little while?”
Her mother said yes, and the next moment Gracie was skipping along through the “bit of woods” towards the home of her little friend, when all at once she struck her foot against a little stump, bounded into the air for an instant, then fell heavily. There she lay moaning in dreadful pain.
“Oh, dear!” she cried, “I’ve broken my ankle, I know I have, and that horrid Dr. Stuart will have to set it, and he sha’n’t, he sha’n’t! I’ll die if he does! Oh, dear, what shall I do!”
Dr. Frank Bates, a colored student in the medical department of the college for freedmen, close by, was walking slowly along with a book in his hand—a way these students have, somehow, of improving every moment—when he thought he heard a moan. He listened, and sure enough it was a moan, very near, too, and putting the book in his pocket, he soon reached the spot where Gracie was lying.
He was a very tall, strong young man, but tender-hearted and gentle as a woman could be. He knelt beside Gracie, who cried with pain when he tried to lift her.
“There, there,” he crooned pityingly, his great, soft eyes full of compassion; “wait a moment, and Dr. Frank’ll make it all right for poor sissy;” and seeing at once what was the real trouble, he fortunately found a little board, and tearing his bright Madras handkerchief into strips, with what skill he could carefully splintered and bandaged the broken limb; then lifting her firmly in his strong arms, he carried her steadily and safely along to her home.
Grade’s mother, in all her distress at her little girl’s pain, did not forget to thank him warmly for what he had done. Then she added. “Now we will send for Dr. Stuart, and soon have you comfortable, poor little Gracie.”
But to Mrs. Gray’s surprise, Gracie cried out: “Oh no, no, mamma, let Dr. Frank stay; I know my limb is broken and must be set all right; he told me so; but I want Dr. Frank; I’ll be good, only let him stay.”
Turning to the young giant who stood quietly by, Mrs. Gray asked if he dared undertake the case, and understood properly what must be done.
And he proved he did understand perfectly, for not even the famous Dr. Stuart could more carefully or skillfully have done what was needed than did Dr. Frank.