The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-10-08
1879.

| he saw no way OF escape for us; that ne
for one intended to pull up stakes and
| flee from the enemy. Our faithful Katy
gave notice that she would be leaving at
the end of the month, and-Aunt Jem
volunteered to engage her successor
Jim and 1 were secretly meditating
| flight after Fred should have deserted us,
seeing no other way out of the dilemma,
when our friend startled US by appearing
at the breakfast table with a smiling
face. This unusual occurrence revived
my fainting hopes, and l followed my
husband to the laboratory as soon as l
could escape from Aunt Jem. Fred had
spent the previous evening with Profess
or Turner who was even then winning
fame as a bacteriologist and had returned
with an idea seething in his brain upon
which he at once determined 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 Me- Frederick Brent in per-
son" tracked through my little hallway,
queer noises echoed through the house,
and the two men were closeted in Fred's
room from morning till night. Aunt
Jem was racked with curiosity but not
a syllable would the arch conspiFators re-
veal. The keyhole was again called into
active service. Sorrow stricken, she re-
tired after a 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 they
were engaged upon. Aunt Jem promptly
posted to the keyhole and then fell back
with a shrek. Pandemonium had bro
ken loose in the other room, the two men
tearing around in frantic search for
something.
Catch him! Catch himr' shrieked
Jim.
"There he goes!" replied Fred, with a
wild lunge under the bed.
'No; see, he's under the door crack!
Open it if you value your life!"
And suiting the action to the words
Jim wrenched the door open and flew
into Aunt Jem's outstretched arms. The
old lady collapsed upon the couch, and
the two men made for the bed. Present
ly something gray whirred past Aunt
Jem's astonished eyes, with Fred in its
wake. Then his door closed with bang.
"a ratr' groaned Aunt Jem. "a rat
in my room! Oh, can't stay herel'
mo, nor any one elsep' said my hus-
band, seizing her roughly by the arm.
"Out of the room if you value your life,
and let no one in! This place must be
fumigated, for that rat vas
"What was the matter?"
"Was no ordinary rat"
"But"-
'We had inoculated il"
"Inoculated it?"
eyes, with cholera germs"
Never before and never since have l
seen such a sight. Speeches., Aunt
Jem walked past me, flew down the
stairs, seized my hat and raincoat, which
happened to be lying on a chair, and
opened the door. Hailing passing cab,
she climbed in, and we heard her direct
the driver to drive to the station with all
possible speed.
"And my hat and coat!' l walled.
"You shall have another, sweetheart"
cried Jim, embracing 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 l objected to the fumigation to
which Jim subjected her clothes, but he
said:
She'll 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 re
sumed her round of inspection.
But she never came to us again.
Adapted From the German For New
York Commercial Advertiser.