The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-08-23

silence which remained unbroken until
Jim appeared with the triumphant an
nouncement that the experiment was :,
success. But no aunt appeared to ques-
ton this assertion. Fearing that the
fumes had overpowered her stole up &c
her room. Empty! l ran to our own
chamber. There, snugly ensconced in
my own bed, lay Aunt Jem.
my DEAR" she announced as l entered,
Il couldn't stand that frightful smell, 81
III sleep with you and Jim can share mis-
friends room: Be sure you don't dis,
that she blew out the candle and settled
herself comfortably to sleep.
Gloom settled upon the household after
the defeat. Fred frankly admitted tina.
he saw no way of escape for us; that he
for one intended to pull up stakes and
fee from the enemy. Our faithful Katie
gave notice that she would be leaving at
volunteered to engage her successor:
Jim and l were secretly. meditating a
fight when Fred should have deserted
us, seeing no other way out of the di-
lemma. when our friend startled us by
appearing at the breakfast table with a
smiling face: This unusual occurrence
lewed my husband to the laboratory as
soon as l could escape from Aunt Jem.
Fred had spent the previous evening
| with Prof. Turner, who was even then
winning fame as bacteriologist. and
had returned with an idea seething in
his brain upon which he at once deter
mined to stake our all.
Confusion reigned in the upper rooms
for the next day or two: Strange men
carrying strange boxes labeled ITO be de-
livered to Mr.. Frederick Brent in per-
son tracked through my little hallway,
queer, noises echoed through the house.
room from morning till night. Aunt
.|em was racked with curiosity. bnt not
syllable would the arch conspirators
reveal. The keyhole was again called
into active service. Sorrow-stricken, she
retired after single glimpse. Rats, rab-
bits and guinea pigs were ranged around
the walls in wire cages. But Aunt Jem
offered no protest: to science she gladly
offered even her dread of rats. Three
days later the bomb exploded. Aunt .Jem
retired to her room rather earlier than
usual. ostensibly to write letters. The
mems voices could be heard excitedly
discussing the dangerous experiment
promptly posted to the keyhole. and then
fell back with shrek. Pandemonium
had broken loose in the other room, the
two men tearing around in frantic search
FOR something.
."Cotch him! Catch him. shrieked
Jim.
There he goes replied Jim, with a
wild lunge under the bed.
NO: see: he's under the door crack.
Open it If You value your life
And sui1ing the action to the words
Jim wrenched the door open and few into
Aunt lens outstretched arms. The old
lady collapsed upon the couch. and the
something. gray whirred past Aunt Jem's
astonished eyes, with Fred in its wake:
then his door closed with bang.
a rat. groaned Aunt Jem. "a rat in
my room. Oh. I can't stay here
NO, nor anywhere else" said my hus-
hand. seizing her roughly by the arm;
o4 a o, OF the room Of yon value your life,
fumigated for that rat was-''
What was the matter?"
WAS no ordinary rat"
But"
1--WE had innoculated it,:
"Innoculated lt?''
Eyes, with cholera germs.''
Never before: and never since, have l
seen such sight. SPECIFICS, Aunt Jem
walked past me. few down the stairs,
seized my hat and raincoat, which hap
pened to be lying on chair. and opened
the door: Hailine passing cab she
climbed IN. and we heard her direct the
driver to drive to the station with all
And my hat and coat l walled.
You shall have another. sweetheart"
cried Jim. embracin~ me rapturously:
they were worth it,
And this little thing did it," cried
Fred. exhibiting tiny toy mouse.
The next day we received a telegram
directing US to forward her trunk to her
home. | objected to the fumigation to
which Jim subjected her clothes, but he
said:
''she will stay at home while the odor
of the sulphur lasts -
1t must have fingered quite two
months, for Aunt Jem did not again ven-
ture forth during that time. Then she
resumed her round of inspection.
But she never came to US again.
from the German for the New
York Commercial Advertiser by s. Ten
Eyck Prince.
AL. Weinig Buffalo's gamey and ire
SsvY r Il - ~