The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1913-02-06
MISS MYRTLE'S STORY
BY FLORA DELL.


Gently, as the girls pleaded for story
"Myra, a 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 i
pictured her in the ordinary country
fat, bald-headed proprietor, cold baths
from a water pitcher, and sundry 9th
er unpleasant features
Imagine my amazement on my ar.
rival, after Myra's 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 a long rest, and be
prepared for the pleasure of the next
day. / drew long sigh of comfort
as l nestled down between the cool,
clean sheets and prepared for night
of sound sleep. think l had just lost
consciousness when l awoke with the
sensation that some one was in the
room. | was not naturally nervous
but the feeling that now had me In
its grip was one of distinct fear When
fairly awake l bounded out of bed
snapped on the electric light and made
a hurried survey of the room. With
the full return to consciousness | be-
came aware of a 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 of Indigestion. De-
Gliding that the latter was not prob
able, l 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
ly labored and right over the bed, as
my fevered imagination clothed 1t In
various impossible shapes.
Il cannot tell how long l lay nerv-
ously wakeful, when l suddenly saw
a soft ray of light on the window
frame, and the sweet twitter of a bird
on a tree outside my window ap-
praised me of the approach Of dawn,
and with other welcome indications of
morning l lost the sound
and my fear of 1t and drifted into
heavy sleep.
1.-THE next day l decided to say
nothing about my experience, as 1t |
might bring ridicule upon me, and | |
passed a pleasant day with the deci-
sion firmly rooted of banishing the |
whole affair from my mind. l retired |
after jolly evening, ready to laugh
1T my experience of the previous
hight.
Whether the subject refused to be
dismissed and my mind dwelt I'M
upon it in my slumbers,
do not know, but about midnight
found myself once more sitting up
light in the bed clutching the bed
clothing tightly and listening to the
anne deep, regular breathing Of the
light before
Once more l brought the electric
light into play; once more made
detour of the room, when
it my imagination, or
ad the breathing really assumed a
ifferent tone? 1t seemed to be COM
ng in gasps-like the last labored
reath of life-it seemed close at my
ack. | made one leap toward the
oor-the gasping sounded in my ears.
With a spasmodic grip | turned the
andle and slipped into the wide hall.
Iyra's room was down the corridor,
nd flew toward it, but had gone but
short distance when hand gripped
ly shoulder, and l fell in an I'M
onscious heap-at Myras feet.
when l came to l was on her bed
nd she was bathing my face with
efreshing lotion l remember MUIR
turing. What was 1T? and then l
ank. partly from exhaustion, partly
ON a sweet sense of security, into
sound sleep, from which I did not
waken until morning"
Miss Myrtle ceased speaking, and :
IT a few moments there was an in
nse silence. At last the girls asked
chorus: Aren't you going to tell :
, what it was?"
oh said Miss Myrtle, and little .
nile crinkled the corners of her G
outh, and an amused twinkle shone
her brown eyes. There was another y
Iort silence, and then she said:
lave you ever heard Of a water 7
otor?" She laughed softly. Il never q
ID then, but l decided that even If Il
had been brought up in a city
ere were few things yet to be c
armed" v