Smyrna times., 1912-03-06
AQuiCk Recovery
BY MARJORIE CLOUGH

l had just entered society at the
age of nineteen wen my father died
insolvent and from affiuence we
were reduced to poverty.
| found a position as governess in
the family of a Mrs. Woodward, a
widow with several children. Lucy,
a girl nearly my age, was the old
est daughter, and, of course, had
nothing to do with her education.
Then there was a son, Harry, absent
attending lectures. He came home
during vacations, but paid me no
attention whatever during these
visits. He was interested in young
ladies occupying the social world in
which had just made my debut
and disappeared. He used to talk
great deal about them, and l
thought that if it had not been for
my misfortune had he met me in the
gay world he would have spoken of
me in the the same way.
My duties were to teach the little
children who had only begun to
learn. l was something, but not
much better than a nurse.
Mrs. Woodward was taken down
with typhoid fever. The doctor
ordered a trained nurse, but when
she came the invalid directed that l
be with her constantly while the
nurse should only attend her when
necessary. This threw upon me the
brunt of the nursing, the trained
nurse only carrying out such work
as the Doctors assistant. And
just when she was most needed she
took herself off to accept a perma-
nent 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
mistress asked me feebly for some
Cruel. stepped into the hall anC
was surprised to find the lights thai
had been left burning below were
out and all was in darkness. re
turned for mat .hes and went dowl
the staircase. At the bottom
light was flashed in my face and
mans voice called gruffly:
81 want the valuables!"
was always timid girl, but il
this case my mistress condition
conquered fear. told the man tha
there was an invalid upstairs and i
she knew he was in the house j
would kill her. He evidently di
not believe me for he spoke YER
harshly to ne holding a revolve
right in front of my face and order
ing me to tell him where the val
uables were kept
Now, there was not a bit of sill
yer plate or iewelry in the hous
that was not in the sick room. M
mistress had always kept ther
there in health and insisted on tn
silver being carried there ever
evening after dinner. They wer
nothing to rue beside her life.
begged the man so hard to believ
me, at the same time telling hir
that / would bring him everythin
of value, that he permitted me t
go for them.
But how was / to excuse mysel
to my mistress for carrying tn
things out? If l told her nothing G
what had occurred would she
believe that I was robbing her whe
she was too i'll to stop me? He
son and daughter were both in III
house. but to awaken either one c
them would be death to thei
mother. l must think quickly
What put the plan l adopted int
my head I know not. 1t came lik
a flash.
Going back into my mistress
room, I began to turn the gas U
and down, finally turning it out
by mistake.
"Oh, dear,'' said, chow vi
lucky! And don't know whei
there are Matches
While pretended to be huntin
for matches was gathering son
- valuable jewels that l knew wer
NJ kept in a DRIVER of the burea,
q Taking them and p licking up tt