Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-04-13
A QUICK
RECOVERY
BY MARJORIE CLOUGH
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

| duced to poverty.
! | found a position as governess IN
| the family of Mrs Woodward, a
widow with several children. Lucy, d
| girl nearly my age, was the oldest
daughter and. of course, I had moth
Ing to do with her education. Then
there was son. Harry, absent at
tending lectures. He came home dur
! ing vacations, but paid me no atten-
! ton whatever during these visits. He
was interested in young ladies occu-
| pying the social world in which | had
Just made my debut and disappeared.
He used TO talk a great deal about
them, and | thought that had 1T not
been for my misfortune had he met
me in the gay world he would have
! spoken of me In the same way
My duties were TO take care of the
| little children who had only begun 70
learn. l was something, but not much
better than nurse.
Mrs Woodward was taken down
with typhoid fever. The doctor order
ed trained nurse but when she came
the invalid directed that be with her
constantly while the nurse should only
attend her when necessary. This
/ threw upOn me the brunt of the nurs-
ing the trained nurse only carrying
out such work as the doctors assist
ant. And Just when she was most
needed she took herself off TO accept
permanent position.
The night the nurse left the patient
had had a hemorrhage, and the doctor
dreaded her having another. He told
me to keep her in the utmost quiet
for she was in dangerous condition.
! Her life depended on this.
IN the middle Of the night my mis-
tress asked me feebly for some Cruel
/ stepped into the hall and was sur
lrised to find the lights that had been
left burning below were out and all
was in darkness, returned for
matches and went down the staircase
At the bottom a light was flashed in
my face ana mans voice called
gruffiy:
II want the yaluablesw
| was always a timid girl, but In
this case my mistress condition con
! quered fear told the man that
there was IN invalid upstairs and If
she knew he was in the house it would
kill her He evidently did not believe
me. for he spoke very harshly to me,
holding n revolver right in front Of
my face ard ordering me to tell him
where the valuahles were kept
Now. there was not bit Of silver
plate or jewelry in the house that was
not in the sickroom Ny mistress had
always kept them there in health and
insisted on the silver being carried
there every evening after dinner
They were nothing to me beside her
life. l begged the man so hard TO be-
,ieve me, at the same time telling him
that ! would bring him everything Of
value, that he permitted me TO so for
them.
But how was | to excuse myself TO
my mistress for carrying the things
ont? If I told her nothing Of what
had occurred would she not believe
that I was robbing her when she was
too III TO stop me? Her son and
daughter were both in the house, but
to awaken either one of them would
he death to their mother must
think quickly. What put the plan |
adopted into my head I know not. II
! anne like flash.
Going back ;nto my mistress room,
J began to turn the gas up and down,
finally turning it out rs If by mistake.
"Oh dear" I said, "how unluckyl
And I don't know where there are
matches"
While I pretended TO be hunting for
the matches l was gathering some val
liable jewels that I knew were kept
in a drawer Of the bureau. Taking
them and picking up the box in which
! the silver was kept l went downstairs.
! The burglar was waiting for me lie
turned his light on what I brought
! him and remarked that there was a
! good lot Of swag Then ne ordered
me into the kitchen and taking
/ rlotheSlinc haurine aYCinst the wall,
! tied me 60 r heavy table In vain ]
| begged him 10 lot me go to my mis-
treSs ooh nnr' he sa'd you'd call
the police"
Tie Went AWAY. und.T began at once
| trying to free myself. My joints were
| very supple and ! soon slipped my
hands ont of the rope, after whi.h Il
was no great work To- free myself
| Taking ur the ay1cl That Yves on the
/ range, J went back TO my mistress and,
rolighting the gas, gave her what she
would take Of it Then. telling her TO
try 10 get some sleep, I went down
stairs to The telephone and rouoted
the robbery TO the police Fortunately
the burglar had not had time to ret
to place n safety with his swag.
ana 10y communicating quickly with m
the policemen within range he was
captured
The mex morning when ! told Harry
and Lucy what had occurred they were
beside themselves with terror Tin |
reached the end, when Lucy sank down
into chair and Harry well. shall
never forget the look Harry gave me.
Just then there was ring at the tele-
phone, and the police reported That
the robber had been taken with Jewels
and silverware.