The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1913-01-29
MISS MYRTlE'S STORY

MISS MYRTLE'S STORY
" FLORA DILL
"Yss, I have had one strange exps
Sisnoe." Miss Myrtle smiled reminiH
Gently. ~ the girls pleaded for . story.
"Hyra, . school chum Of mine. wrote
for me TO visit her at her hotel home
In the west, and tired with my social
duties. I accepted. On the journey ]
pictured her In the ordinary country
town hotel: antique accommodation
fAt. bald-hsadsd proprietor, cold baths
nom . water pitcher. and sundry 9th
- unpleasant features.
Imagine my amassment on my ~.
rival. altar Hyra's cordial reception.
at being received in an exchange Al
most luxurious In appointment. sup
plsmsntsd By the most up-to.dats
sleeping apartmsnts. private baths.
encss. retired early the flrst night
in order to secure . long rest. and BE-
prepared for the pleasure OF the nsxt
day. drew . long sigh Of comfort
~ nestled down between the cool,
clean sheets and prepared for . night
Of sound sleep. think had Just lost
consciousness whom awoks with the
sensation that some one was In the
room. I was not naturally nervous.
but the feeling that now had me In
it, grip was one Of distinct fear. When
fairly awake I bounded out Of bed.
snapped on the electric light and made
. hurried survey Of the room. With
the full return to consciousness b.
came aware Of . soft sound. Hike dssp.
regular breathing, . strange. elusive
sound. seeming at one minute behind
me and the next to come from the
center Of the room. Completely bat.
fed in my efforts to locate It, I began
to think was the victim of some prao-
teal Joke, or. else suffering from
an unusual attack OF indigestion. De-
Gliding that the latter was not prob
able. went back to bed. determined
to finish my rest; but even with an
effort to drown the sound by buryins
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. ~
my fevered Imagination clothed It In
various impossible shapes.
II cannot tell how long lay nerv.
ously wakeful, when I 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 It and drifted into .
heavy sleep.
The next day decided to say
nothing about my experience, - II
might bring ridicule upon me. and I
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 b.
dismissed and my mind dwelt un-
consciously upon 1t in my slumbers.
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 I brought the electric
light into play; once more made .
determined detour of the room, when
suddenly-was It my Imagination. or
had the breathing really assumed .
different toner It seemed to be COM
Ing in gasps-like the last labored
breath OF life-it seemed close at my
back. made one leap toward the
door-the gasping sounded in my ears.
With spasmodio grip I turned the
handle and slipped into the wide hall.
Myra's room was down the corridor,
and hew toward 1t, but had gone but
short distance when q hand gripped
my shoulder. and I fell in an un-
conscious heap-at Myra's feet.
when l came to was on her bed
and she was bathing my face with .
refreshing lotion. I remember muir.
muring, What was itf' and then I
sank, partly from exhaustion, partly
from sweet sense Of security, into
a sound sleep. from which did not
awaken until morning."
Miss Myrtle ceased speaking. and
a N