The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-09-07
Written for The Prison Mirror.
Sandy.

Sandy was one of five convalescent
patients at the U. S. Naval Hospital at
Y Yokohama, Japan. He had but Just
recovered from severe attack of pneu-
monia and, though not we'll enough to
report for duty aboard ship, he never
theless kept DIR. Stokes busy refusing
him permission to do so. What Sandy
actually wanted was change. He
was tired of the quite easy life at the
hospital. He craved for excitement
which after a time he found to his
sorrow in the person of one, Shelburg,
who arrived that afternoon from the
Cruiser Charleston, then enjoying her
famous siesta which lasted for nearly
year in the we'll protected harbor of
Nagasaki, Japan. He entered at the
hospital as insane. While not weigh
ing more than one hundred pounds, if
he weighed that; yet he made things
Interesting for quite time, and as
there was no place where he could be
locked up so as to prevent him from
doing any mischief, the Doctor was
finally obliged to have him brought
into the main ward, where he was
strapped to one of the cots. Even then
he struggled as only maniac can; but
finding this useless, he commenced to
roundly abuse everybody in general
Sandy, in particular, getting his share.
His yelling prevented those who would
otherwise have been in the land of
dreams from even thinking of such a
thing. All they could do was to lie
awake, vainly wishing that the imag-
mary beings on whom he called would
appear on tie scene and remove him.
But no such luck. Just at this time
the Doctor appeared, and having salts
fed himself as to the straps etc. by
which Shelburg was secured, he pro-
ceeded to give his orders for the night.
There were to be four watches of two
hours each and Sandy was to have the
third watch. In case anything oc-
Cured to warrant the Doctors pres
ence, the party on watch was to press
the electric button, at the head OF one
of the cots. All went we'll until few
minutes before Sandy's turn came In
some manner or other Shelburg had
succeeded in getting one of his hands
out of the mutf in which it had been
confined but as he seemed to be quiet
enough, it was not thought necessary
to arouse the Doctor. Close beside the
bed-although it was supposed to have
been out Of his reach-a small table
had been placed on which were two
pitchers containing water, also two
glasses, one beside each pitcher. Sandy
had been on watch but few minutes
when Shelburg asked for drink of
water. While Sandy had his doubts
about being able to dodge the muff
which, by the way, had a heavy band
of steel at each end, still he could not
refuse the poor fellows request for
water; so accordingly, he approached
the table and after half filling one of
the glasses, held it to the sufferers lips.
Shelburg's thirst having been quenched,
Sandy once more seated himself in the
chair beside the stove, about twenty
feet from the bed. He had but just
arranged. himself in a comfortable
position when something happened
which he was quite sure was not on
the program. Shelburg had, during
the short interval Sandy's back had
been turned, possessed himself of both
the pitchers and one of the glasses.
Sandys first thought was to gain pos
session of the articles in question, but
that was not an easy matter.
However, the question was solved as
far as the glass was concerned, for
before he could dodge, the glass struck
him full on the head, breaking in
pieces as it did so and cutting deep
but not dangerous cash. Sandy came
to the conclusion that things were get
ting interesting, so he rang for the
Doctor. In the meantime Shelburg had
hoth pitohorc in rocorvo oDd %bo o;r