Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-15
A HOSPITAL
INCIDENT
By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

Willie Madden picked up the bowl
of brown sugar, and giving the oil
cloth-covered table wipe with the
sleeve of his jacket, hobbled into the
pantry.
The pantry was empty Miss Ar
thurs, the nurse, was busy back in
the ward, turning down small beds
for smaller occupants, hunting out
"nighties'' for the babies changing hot
pillows for cool ones, and providing
that final drink of water which is for
ever associated with bedtime and
which helps to postpone, if only for a
moment, the inevitable turning down
of the light.
Willie Madden loitered for a mo-
ment in the pantry, finishing a bowl
of bread and milk which he found
there, and filling his pockets with
Jumps from the sugar bowl. Then he
limped back again. The ward was
growing quiet now. Over in a corner
behind a screen, the 'Hunkie' baby
was getting it's bran bath, while on
the red-covered center table three
nursing bottles reposed in a basin of
hot water, substitute mothers for as
many waiting infants
Willie Madden, autocrat of the
ward, sat down on the side of his
small bed and leaned his crutch
against a. chair, his broken leg ex-
tended stif1y before him.
! Willie Madden was not sleepy.
Mice hour to go to bed" he grumbled
to a boy on the other side. six
! o'clock amt 10 bedtime. Last edi-
TONS just out"
TT amt so bad when you can walk
around and get tired" said the next
his small body, and whose legs and
arms tossed restlessly Il guess |
won't Fever be tired again. I'm goin'
to sit up next week, though"
= Willie Madden debated for a mo-
it eagerly, holding it in his thin fin
ment. Then he reached for his trous-
ers and fumbled in the pockets.
Here he said, carelessly tossing
over lump of sugar, take that to
make you feel better"
The boy in the plaster jacket took
gers and nibbling at it to make it
last. Miss Arthurs gave the last dose
of medicine, and locking the cupboard
went YEARLY out, her keys jingling
in her hand. A moment later the
night nurse stopped at the door, her
rubber-heeled shoes making no sound,
/, and smiled goodnight to the chill
| dreIi. &TS5ssfsI IA sryE---.. s-t--t-4-a-.ss
The boy cautiously crept out OF
bed and reached for his crutches. 1t
was evident that some dark conspir-
acy was on foot, for he limped noise
lessly to the corridor and looked
carefully up and down. There was
no one in sight, and save for strong
odor of turpentine in the air and an
occasional stified cough from the next
ward, there was no evidence of life.
Willie Maddens next motions were
mysterious. He crept over to the pan
try, with its rows of locked cupboard
and refrigerator doors. Some one
came quickly down the hall, and the
boy slipped behind door and stood
quiet, his heart humping in his ears.
The steps passed on and again every
thing was quiet. Willie Madden
emerged from his hiding place, and
STOPPING with difficulty, his splinted
leg out before him, he CROPPED under
the long red table-cover which reached
almost to the floor.
When he Strengthened again he held
in his hand three large, thick slices
of bread plentifully sprinkled with
brown sugar, which he proceeded to
button inside his jacket. Still with the
same caution he went back to the
ward. There was no vacillation in
his movements. An observer, had
there been one, would have seen es-
tablished routine in his actions, for
without a spare gesture he picked
from the nurses table the little wick
er basket which carried empty bottles
to the pharmacy to be refilled, and
carried it to his bed.
His next proceeding was curious.
From under his mattress he produced
an orange, somewhat flattened from
its place of concealment, and ball Of
cord, much knotted and of every
shade and thickness. In a moment
he had fastened the string to the ham
', die of the basket, had dumped in the
sugared bread and the orange, and
was ready for the last act in the
drama.
The night nurse came along the
corridor and stopped at the door.
whats wrong, William? she called
softly.
"Gettin' drink" he answered men
} daciously.
He watched her out of sight, then
slipped to the window and unlocked
the screen. Hist" he called into the
darkness
"Hst!" came sibilantly from be-
low
The basket disappeared over the
, window ledge. 1t swung slowly down
, into the void, it's progress marked by
tha VariouC hunS of tho cord until OF