The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-07-26


said when she had gone, las she
does to her skin, she would let
that nice HARRISON boy alone. She
must have been brutal to him to-
night, for he went to bed at nine
o'clock. At least, I suppose he
went to bed, for he shut himself
in the studio, and when |
knocked he advised me not to
come in"
/ had pleaded my headache as
an excuse for avoiding Aunt Sc
lima all day, and she had not sent
for me. Bella was really quite ex-
traordinary. She was never in
the habit of putting herself out
for any one, and she always de-
clared that the very odor of a
sick-room drove her to Scotch and
soda, But here she was, rubbing
Aunt Selina's back with chloro-
form liniment-and you know
how that smells-getting her up
in a chair, dressed in one of Bella's
wadded silk robes, with pillows
under her feet, and then doing
her hair in elaborate puffs--
raiding her gray switch and
bringing it, coronet-fashion
around the top of her head. She
even put rice powder on Aunt
Selina's nose, and dabbed violet
water behind her ears, and said
she couldn't understand why she
(Aunt Selma had never married,
but, of course, she probably would
some day!
The result was, naturally, that
the old lady wouldn't 4let Bella
out of her sight, except to so to
the kitchen for something to eat
for her. That very day Bella got
the doctor to order ale for Aunt
Selma Ooh, yes; the doctor could
come in; Dial said sit was all a.
coming in, and nothing going
out") and she had three pints OF
Bass, and learned to eat anchovies
and caviare-all in one day.
Bella's conduct to Jim was dis
graceful. She snubbed him, ig-
nored him, jumped on him, and
Jim was growing positively flabby.
He spent most of his time writing
letters to the board of health and
playing solitaire. He was pa
thetic figure.
Well, we went to bed fairly
early. Bella had massaged Aunt
Selma's face and rubbed in cold
cream, Aunt and Dallas had conf
promised on which window should
be open in their bedroom, and the
men had matched to see who
should look at the furnace. I did
not expect to sleep, but the cold
night aid had done its work, and
was asleep almost Immediately.
Some time during the early part
of the night wakened, and, after
turning and twisting uneasily, I
realized that was cold. The
couch in Bella's dressing-room
was comfortable enough, but mar
row and low. l remember dis
tinctly Chat was what was SO
maddening: everybody thought
dreamed it'll remember getting
an eiderdown comfort that was
folded at my feet, and pulling 1t
up around me. In the luxury OF
it's warmth 1 snuggled down and
went to sleep almost instantly. 1t
seemed to me ! had slept for hours,
but it was probably an hour or
less, when something reused me.
The room was perfectly dark, and
there was not a sound save the
faint ticking of the clock, but
was wide awake.
And then came the incident that
in its CHASTITY, horrible absurdity
made the rest of the people shout
with laughter the next day. 1t
was not funny then. For suddenly
the eiderdown comfort began to
slip. I heard no footstep, not the
slightest sound approaching me,
but the comfort moved; from my
chin, inch by inch, it slipped to
my shoulders; awfully, inevitably,
hair-raisingly it moved. / could
feel my blood gather around my
heart, leaving me cold and nerve
less. AS 1t passed my hands ]
gave an involuntary clutch for IL,
to feel It slip away from my fin
gers. Then the full horror of the
situation took hold OF me; as the
comfort slid past my feet sat u