The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-11-17
Got Into the Wrong Room,
The Mistake OF a Woman In q. Washing.
ton Hotel.
Memphis Commercial.

Memphis Commercial.
With the sole exception Of Chicago,
it is probable that Washington shell
tcrs, in the course of a year, more
strangers from the country than any
other city in the United States. As
consequence clerks in the hotels at
the capital always have a good stock
of stories in which the innocent
stranger furnishes the laugh. The
most lauglablc incident that las oc-
Cured, though, happened not long ago
in one of the down town taverns.
An old gentleman and his wife arrlv-
cd from a Western city and took up
quarters on the third floor. The hus-
band was an invalid, having suffered
from stomach trouble for many years.
He came to the capital to press his
claims for the Office Of postmaster in
his city, and brought his wife along
for the purpose Of taking care of him.
The first night the couple were in
the hotel the old gentleman was sciz-
ed suddenly about midnight with Vi
olent cramps. 1t was an old afliictlon
with him, and, knowing that her
husband was likely to be so afflicted
at any minute, the wife had come pre-
pared for any emergency, having Il
quantity of mustard and clothes in
her satchcl. Very hot Mustard plas-
ters, it seemed, were The only thing
that afforded the sufferer any relief
in such attacks.
| Accordingly, when her husband ut
tered his first groan, his good wife
sprang out of bed, slipped on a wrap
per and dived into the depths of the
gripsack after the mustard. She pro
duccd a small tin box filed with the
harmless looking yellow powder ant
roll of soft strips OF smusln. ther
glided softly out of the room, remark
ing to her husband, who lay on tho
bed bent up lik Il jack-knife:
"I'll have your plaster ready in 1
moment, dear"
Noiselessly she hurried along th'
corridor, until she reached the toile
room, where, by means Of a flow o
hot water, she prepared a plaste
about the size of a dinner plate
Then she hurried back to the room
The gas in the room had been turned
very low, but there was light enough
for the faithful wife to see what sh
was doing. She approached the sid
of the bed very gently, and with al
the tenderness of her nature, applied
the plaster to the painracked abdo
men of the man. Then she crosse,
to the other side Of the bed, and, ly
ing down carefully, awaited results
"Do you feel easier, dear?" she In
! quired swcetly after few minutes.
No answer.
"Don't you feel better, pet ?" sll
asked again, as she turned over
| gently caress her husband.
, "Ugh! y was the reply, as the NAL
: form turned and stretched. The
there was yell and scramble sue
as never before or since disturbed til
peaceful quictude of that hotel. Til
: woman had made the astonishing dIl
9 cOyery that the man to whom sll
. had applied the mustard plaster WA
not her husband, but instead was
! total stranger. She had entered til
l wrong room.
$ Bounding out like frightened al
tclope, she rushed into the adjoinln
! room wrlnglng her hands and hal
: dead with fear and excitement. He
: sick husband, who by this time ha
grown easier, was sitting upright |
! bed, and as his wife entered tho rooI
= and sank exhausted on the floor h
y said:
r "What on earth Is the matter, Ma
thay Has anybody hurt you? Spea
: quick, woman !"
4 10, 10, mercy, ! got into III