The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-17
HE TOOK HIS
MEDICINE
And Didn't SQueal
Either
BY F. A. mitchell


ing before me a very pleasant visit,
but I did not foresee an episode that
was destined to endanger my init
macy with Mark and with other re-
suits of still greater Importance.
The family consisted of Mr.. and Mrs.
Appleton, Miss Clara Digby, Mrs. Ap-
pleton's sister, aged twenty, and their
brother Tom, aged eighteen. Tom, l
was told. was suffering with bilious
attack and was confined to his room.
l found Miss Clara a very delightful
young lady. and during the dinner she
seemed very responsive to an admira-
ton l could not conceal. During the
evening we all played bridge whist,
Mrs. Appleton being my partner. But
this did not prevent an undercurrent OF
mutual interest that was continually
passing between the young lady and
| myself
| Having finished the evening, Mark
| showed me to my room, which was
| one Of four bedrooms on the second
! floor, two on each side OF the hall. l
| noticed that the doors OF my room and
| the one adjoining were side by side.
! It occurred to me that l would not like
/ to try to enter my chamber in the dark.
/ for l would be likely to get into the
/ other room. fell asleep thinking of
Clara Digby and the pleasures in store
for me the next day.
/ was awakened by feeling a spoon
! showed against my mouth. It was
warm and contained q warm liquid.
! Half awake, l opened my lips, and the
contents OF the spoon passed down
into my stomach | recognized 1T as
beef broth When I had swallowed
the first spoonful another was placed
against my lips, and l swallowed that
too. Another was put against my chin,
and that was spilled
There" said a voice which I recog
nized as that OF Clara Digby, you
should have let me light the gas"
BY this time | was awake and knew
that my hostess sister was in my room
giving me a midnight luncheon intend
ed for q sick man. But surprise like
that sprung on a man sound asleep is
not an easy one for him to tackle. My
reasoning powers worked slowly. If
they had not | should probably have
blurted out, what in the world are
you doing here?" or some such ques-
ton.
AS 1t was, it took time for the
possible outcome OF the episode to
work into my brain. Presently l came
to realize that Miss Digby had made
a mistake and that upon recognizing
her position she would be very much
panied. Should l apprise heC Of the
fact that she was in the wrong room OF
wait for her to go out in ignorance OF
the fact?
While l was celebrating she fed me
the remainder of the broth. Then. say
ing that she had forgotten to give me
my medicine, she went to closet. and
l heard her fumbling among some bot
ties. Il hope l won't poison you" sh'
said, but I can't see in the dark. I've
: got It It's the little square bottle
And the next thing l knew she haC
poured a spoonful OF medicine dowl
!, where she had placed the broth. Then
q having put down the spoon, with
@ Good night, hope you'll be better il
; the morning" she went out. shutting
Is the door behind her.
II At first l congratulated myself that
L had not ruff1ed her modesty by betray
/ ing her blunder, but soon came to ru
my silence. The dose she had give
me made me deathly sick. l remem
Il bered her words. Il hope l won't poiso
YOU" and | began to fear she had.
n, managed to get out of bed, lit the ga
n and made a search for the square bot
-l,o
~ medicine. | found two square bottle.
~, one labeled, Dose, one tablespoonful
- every six hours" the other, "Thre
n drops in half a glass Of water
ID Great heavens! | had probably take
drops by the spoonful. There was n
1t time for fooling. [ went into the ha
w and called Justify for Mark. He cam
lie out In his nightshirt and asked Wild
.c what was the matter.
Poisoned" I cried and, going bac
into my room, fell on the bed.
ID | have ever since been proud of m
he gallantry in protecting Miss Digb.
e When Mark came In, asking half
he dozen questions at once, 1 paid no a
Il tention to them, but called on him fC
an emetic.
He ran hurriedly downstairs, avail
es ening the household as he went, an
h In a few minutes returned with som
lt mustard water. l drank it and thre7
es the broth, the medicine and everythin
}, else off my stomach. By this time Mr.
- Appleton and Miss Digby, in wrapper
and curl papers, came into the room I
zee If / had expired or could be save
The moment l got the COMPOUNDED dos
oo off my stomach | felt better and We
~ satisfied that no serious results woul
follow
now fixed my mind on another po
sible curious result and how to ave
1t. / must keep the secret That ws
70 very well to resolve. but doing 1t Wa
It another matter.
so what in thunder" cried Mark, b
is Ivsr-9k 10 nc h3e to-