The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-07-13
HlS CHOCOLATE
GIRL.
BY D. cRITTENDoN LYLE
Copyright. lsio by American Press
Association


rying the tray with a pot Of chocolate
and cups and saucers on It. But In
stead Of standing still, as any respect
able figure In picture should do and
as all picture figures did until the in
vention Of the viatiscope, she Is walk
Ing across the floor. There She has
put her tray on a table, turned and
walked deliberately out OF the room.
Am ! in a moving picture show?
am not. l am In bed. strange bed,
strange room-everythlng strange.
There is a picture on the wall, a pic
ture OF man stealing upon deer to
shoot him. III watch to see II the man
moves. No; be doesn't. He continues
70 crouch with his thumb on the ham
mer Of bis gun, his forefnger on the
trigger. The deer is nipping the grass.
Perhaps II be gets the mans wind he'll
toss bis head and be or toward cover
over In that wood. No; the deer still
nibbles, and the man still keeps watch
Ing him. They are making me tired.
wish one or the other would show
signs Of life. or, rather, / wish the
chocolate girl would come back.
Il wonder how | came to be in this
room. believe I'll get up and 60
out and find out about H."
tried to rise, but fell back on my
pillow.
There must be something wrong
about me. II seems that the chimes OF
fifty cathedrals are ringing at once in
my head II one would ring at a time
fancy the sound would be very mu-
steal. l see colors. too, as If the light
were broken by prism.
Here comes the chocolate girl"
She came In softly, advanced to the
bed, looked down at me. placed her
hand on my forehead-oh, how soft
and cool 1t felt!-then walked away.
Now that she is nearer or there's
more light or / can see her better. or
something, presume that she wears
a white dress, white apron with a
bib and straps over her shoulders. Her
cap isn't exactly like the picture after
all. wonder II 1t is really chocolate
In the pitcher. Those things on the
tray are not the little cups and saucers
of the picture at all There are one cup
and saucer. covered dish, plate,
knife and fork
"Co"e here" said TO the chocolate
girl
She turned quickly, as II surprised.
and came to the bed, looking at me crit
ically.
"What wish to know Is whether or
not you are the chocolate GIRL
She put her hand on my forehead
again soothlngly. but made no reply.
tiAgss is@'x zsssraa.a ss-sfs ~-ess - sur-
because II you are the chocolate
gfrl ] want to say to you that have
loved you for years In the picture and
now you have stepped out Of It and
into the flesh shall love you the
same"
The door opened and q man with q
bald head and mutton chop whiskers
came In. The girl turned to meet him,
duA tuH4 NuIftAhG0 ~ INV tvhcas
heard her say, "He is still delirious."
he stayed but a few moments, then
went away.
$50 am delirious. That's all nom
sense. I'm I'll or have been. And this
person whom I at first nnistook for the
girl in the picture is my nurse. I'm
glad / told her what l did before l
realized the conditions. When a man
IS III and IS ministered to by q pretty
woman he's bound to fall in love with
her. ! wonder IL 1t wouldn't be q good
scheme to 90 on making love to her
as the chocolate girl. 1t doesn't scare
her a bit, whereas II | were to give
her the real thing 1t might spoil the
game She's pretty enough to kiss.
DeIirious I might try it on; In my
senses It would be q very different
matter. / shall continue In delirium."
This was the beginning OF my con-
vaieecence. talked to my nurse. call
ing her my chocolate girl, sweetheart,
dear love--everythlng a man might APP
ply TO bis Iadylove. She suspected
nothing, so she gave me free rein. |
could see that this being called endear-
ing names By young man even In
dellrium was pleasant to her.
A couple of weeks passed In this
way, when the doctor called one morn
Ing and, coming up to my bed, felt my
pulse. rammed his thermometer into
nv mouth. took 1t out, looked at It I
and said:
"This is the strangest case | ever
heard Of. This mans pulse and tenn
perature are both normal, and yet you
say he is still delirious."
I burst into laugh.
The doctor looked somewhat sur
prisegi. while the nurse blushed a rosy
red.
Doctor" / said, you're right. I
woke up this morning feeling all right,
recognized that I'm in a hospital and
in all respects except one have come
to my senses
saThat onef" asked the doctor.
us none Of your business. All you
have TO do Is to give me a discharge"
This the doctor did and withdrew.
s'Eow." / said to my nurse, "I'Il tell
you the one respect In which am still
delirious. still love my chocolate
girl"
was the last patient she ever
nursed, at least professionally, though
she has since nursed me as my wife
The doctor often visits US and never
fails 10 guy me on my successful effort