The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-03-01
MISS MYR1LE'S STORY
BY FLORA DELL.

renee" Miss Myrtle smiled reminis.
Gently. as the girls pleaded for a story.
"Myra. school chum OF mine. wrote
for me to visit her at her hotel home
IN the west. and tired with my social
duties. ! accepted. On the journey
pic,ured her in the ordinary country
town hotel antique accommodations,
fat. bald-headed proprietor. cold baths
from a water pitcher and sundry 9th.
er unpleasant features.
Imagine my amazement on my ar.
rival, after Myras cordial reception,
at being received In an exchange al
most luxurious in appointment. sup.
plemented by the most up-to-date
sleeping apartments. private baths.
push buttons and all modern convent
ences. ! retired early the first night
in order to secure long rest. and be
prepared for the pleasure Of the next
day. | drew long sigh Of comfort
as nestled down between the cool,
clean sheets and prepared for night
Of sound sleep think Lad just lost
consciousness when ] awoke with the
sensation that some one vas In the
room. l WAS not naturally nervous.
but the feeling that nos had ne In
its grip was one OF distinct fear. When
fairly awake | bounded out OF bed.
snapped on the electric light and made
a hurried survey Of the rGom. With
the full return to consciousness | be-
came aware Of soft sound like deep,
regular breathing. a strange, elusive
sound, seeming at one minute behind
me and the next to come from the
center Of the room Completely baf-
fed in my efforts to locate it, ] began
to think was the victim of some prac-
teal Joke, or else suffering from
an unusual attack o. Indigestion De.
Gliding that til, latter was not prob
able ! went back to bed determined
to finish my rest, but even with an
effort to drown the sound by burying
my head in the sheets, | could still
hear the regular movements, some
times low and soft and again seeming
" labored and right over the bed, as
my feverod Imagination clothed It In
various impossible shapes
Il cannot tell how long | lay nerv-
ousy waketul hon | suddenly saw
soft ray of light on the window
frame, and the sweet twitter OF bird
on a tree outside my window ap-
praised me Of the approach OF dawn.
and with other welcome indications OF
approaching morning lost the sound
and my fear OF II and driftcd into q
heavy sleep.
The next day decided to say
nothing about my experience, as 1t
might bring ridicue upon me- and
passed pleasant day with the deci-
sion firmly rooted Of banishlng the
whole affair from my mind ! retired
sitter a Jolly evening. ready to laugh
AT my experience Of the previous
aiph'
/ w neither the SUBJECT refused to be
dismissed and my mind dWelt uu-
consciously upon il in my slumbers,
| do not know. bat about midnight
| found myself once more sitting up
right in the bed elntching the bed
clothing tightly and listening to the
same deep. regular breathing OF the
night before.
Once more | brought the electric
light into play; once more made a
determined detour Of the room. when
suddenly--was il my imagination, or
had the breathing really assumed a
| different tone? 1t seemed to be COM
| Ing in gasps like the last laborcd
breath of llo--it seemed close at my
| back made one leap toward the
door--thc gasping sounded In my ears
| With Il spas mode grip | turned tho
handle and slipncd into the wide hall
Myras room was down the corridor,
and flew toward it, but had gone but
short distance when hand gripped
my shoulder, and fell in an un.
conscious heap-at Myra's feet.
when ! came to was on her bed
and she was bathing my face with a
refreshing lotion | remember muir
muring, What was it?' and then |
sank, partly from exhaustion. partly
from a sweet sense of security, into
a sound sleep. from which did not
awaken until morning"
Miss Myrtle ceased speaking, and
for few moments there was an in.
tense silence. At last the girls asked
In chorus: Aren't you going to tell
us what it was?"
Oh said Miss Myrtle. and little
smile crinkled the corners OF her
mouth, and an amused twinkle shone
in her brown eyes. There was another
short silence, and then she said
Have yon ever heard of water
motor" She laughed softly Il never
had then. brt decided that even II
l had been brought up in a city
there were I few things yet to be
learned"