The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-08-15

Bryant had laughed when she took the
visitor in, and seemed unable TO grasp
the gravity OF the situation. So the
Don't you be scared, Maysie," said
Mrs Bryant. 1T amt no worse'n
| bad cold, and you'll soon be over II.
Don't people ever die OF the mea-
sles?" Maysie asked, her mouth full OF
molasses candy.
"Oh. land. no! The only thing is 10
be careful OF your eyes and not strain
EN-"
That hint was enough for Maysie.
and all the way home she pictured
herself struck stone blind, cropping
about the house, and perhaps later
having a little trained dog TO escort
her about town while she walked by
inches, tapping a stick in front or her,
with a sign. Il am blind" which she
had seen. once. on a beggar in the
city. Perhaps then her mother would
be sorry that she had deliberately ex-
posed her to such a peril. But Maysie
would forgive her sweetly, and say.
Never mind, mother dear. I am hap
ply and contented. and perhaps it was
all for the best" "Maysie!" A
voice startled her from her reverie.
1t was Lucy calling her from across
the street. To Maysie's surprise. Lucy
instead OF keeping at safe distance.
approached boldly.
Have you got 'em YETI" Lucy
asked
"N-no," Maysie had to admit.
Il have" Lucy proclaimed, Jubilant-
ly. My nose is running awful, and L
think I'm begun to blotch on my
cheeks. You look there"
Pooh! Those are only freckles!"
We'll, my head aches, anyway. l@
going to go home and tell mother" y
at Hnn't al we'll n1USaIf - Man
sic admitted now. Il been to see Nam
Bryant, and her room smelt awful"
Did you?" Lucy edged away again
ut takes three days, Mrs. Bryant
says. so probably I'll be down with 'em
on Thursday morning. You see"
well, I'll probably be sick myself
before then" said Lucy.
Il don't care if you are,~ said May
sic. Anyway, yours are just accident.
You didn't catch EN- a7na<1nse like L
did,
Lucy stuck out her tongue. 81 can
ketch 'em without even trying"
please don't breathe on me, Lucy"
said Maysie, stif1Iy.
Don't you breathe yourself, then!"
You're just as bad as | am l thought
you wanted TO catch the measles!"
so | do, but not from you" May
sizes temper was strained to the break
ing point. Lucy, out of very spite.
blew a mighty breath at her, and
walked away.
The next day, though Maysie anx-
iously awaited her first symptoms,
none appeared What at first she hailed
as suspicious eruption proved to be
only tiny pimpe She thought her
eyes ached, but, at breakfast, when
her mother asked her about them,
Maysie found thaS she had forgotten
all about il. Another ordeal was nee
essary, and this time Maysie's mother
sent her 10 house on the edge of the
village where four children were down
with the epidemic. Maysie accepted
the mission stoically now. accustomed
to danger. On the way, however, she
The next day no symptoms on May
sic. Her mother was a bit discour-
aged, her father was inclined to Joke.
There were few more cases, though,
for Maysie TO visit, and her mother
insisted upon her going. Time was
passing, and school would open, i'm o.
week now. So Maysie continued her
pilgrimage. AT several places she en-
countered the doctor, and the first tina
she told him Of her quest he laughed
uproariously. The second time he took
out a small atomizer and sQuirted
something red and sweet into her
throat and up her nostrils. She now
knew all the symptoms and went about
feeling OF her throat to see IL IL were
sore
You amt been over to see Lucy.
yet" said her mother. one day. you
must catch 'em, now you've started.
for won't have more'n time to put up
them crab apples and grapes as it ISL
But here Maysie drew the line. Lucy
was too stuck up Lucy had sent
messages to Maysie by Helen, now re-
covered, inviting her TO call and see
her face, which was beautifully pitted,
but there was evidence of a pride In
her disease that Maysie could not
stomach. II she succeeded In getting
the measles, she wouldn't give Lucy
the satisfaction Of knowing that she
had caught them from her.
Nan Bryant recovered and appeared
on the street. but still Maysie, leading
a charmed life, walked abroad well
and fit. Mingled with her search for
infection Maysie's mother made many
errands. Maysie spent the last precious
days Of vacation in cleaning out the
henhouse, in packing away clothes in
camphor, in collecting seeds from the
garden, and in many other tiresome
and unnecessary things. She almost
longed for school to begin.
Every day her mother inspected her,
taking her to front window to look
at her face. Maysie even got to pre-
tend that her eyes were bad, just to
gloat over her mothers disappointment
when they turned out to be all right
after all. Finally her mother gave 1t
up, and made up her mind that Maysle
was immune.
School had begun, three days ago,
but Maysie, gay and debonair, roamed
the village in search of amusement.
Tho pnidpOnip almost and
nearly every other child was now al
school. Maysie was on her way to
the brick kiln in the grove, her scrap
book full of paper dolls in one hand
and a doughnut in the other, when
she met the doctor.
Hello, Maysie, why aren't you at
school?" he inquired.