The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-01-16
MISS MYRTLE'S STORY
BY FLORA DELL.

Yes, l have had one strange expe-
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 I
pictured 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 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. l retired early the first night
in order to secure long rest, and be
prepared for the pleasure of the next
day. / drew a long sigh of comfort
as l nestled down between the cool.
clean sheets and prepared for a night
of sound sleep. l think l had just lost
consciousness when | awoke with the
sensation that some one was In the
room. 1 was not naturally nervous,
but the feeling that now had me In
it's grip was one of distinct fear. When
fairly awake l bounded out Of bed,
snapped on the electric light and made
hurried survey of the room. With
the full return to consciousness l be-
came aware of soft sound like deep,
regular breathing, 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 1t. l began
to think I was the victim of some prac-
tical 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, l 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 It in
various impossible shapes.
Il cannot tell how long I lay nerv-
ously wakeful, when l suddenly saw
soft ray of light on the window
frame, and the sweet twitter of bird
on 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 1t and drifted into
heavy sleep.
THE next day I decided to say
nothing about my experience, as 1t
might bring ridicule upon me. and l
passed pleasant day with the deci-
sion firmly rooted of banishing the
whole affair from my mind. retired
after jolly evening, ready to laugh
at my experience of the previous
night.
Whether the subject refused to be
dismissed and my mind dwelt I'M
consciously upon it in my SAUNDERS,
l do not know. but about midnight
I found myself once more sitting up
right in the bed, clutching the bed
clothing tightly and listening to the
same deep, regular breathing of the
night before.
Once more l brought the electric
light into play; once more made a
determined detour of the room. when
suddenly-was it my Imagination. or
had the breathing really assumed
different tone? 1t seemed to be COM
ing in gasps-like the last labored
breath of life-it seemed close at my
back. l made one leap toward the
door-the gasping sounded in my ears.
With spasmodic grip l turned the
handle and slipped into the wide hall.
Myra's room was down the corridor,
and flew toward it, but had gone but
a short distance when a hand gripped
my shoulder, and l fell in an I'M
conscious heap-at Myra's feet.
When l came to was on her bed
and she was bathing my face with
refreshing lotion. l remember muir
muring, What was ito and then 1
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 wasT'
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 you ever heard of a water
MOTOR" She laughed softly. Il never
had then, but l decided that even If
l had been brought up in a city,
there we're a few things yet to be
learned"
he ~ NnnthftII