The Raymer enterprise., 1917-03-15
CALAMITY"
BY HENRY JAMiSON.

folding linen. She was the head nurse
and Joe was the elevator boy. He
showed her the Kittens injured paw
and she stroked the mewing object
pttylngty. Her brown eyes were very
soft.
! what can we do with her, Joef I'm
sure the superintendent wouldn't allow
o kitten In the ward"
But. nurse, the men would hide IL
when the superintendent comes. See,
the poor little creature is trying 10
play"
So II was that Miss Matteson's
seruples were overcome The broken
paw was handaged and Jim. the man
In the diet kitchen, made Ihe kitten a
bed behind the range. Jim named her
Calamity" and she grew and thriyed-
becoming much too lively. In fact. for
II was necessary 10 keep her out Of
view when the Superintendent or her
assistant appeared IN the corridor.
Calamity at once entered upon Sc
rles Of disasters that proved her
worthy OF her name The first was her
fall into the soup can. Fortunately II
was mol scaldlng hot. The ward had
been served, but the men In the diet
kitchen had no soup that day
Calamity presented such tlattened-
out appearance another time after n
patient accidentally lay on her that
Pat, the giIrbage man, said ON viewing
her; "Hsgorry. lis bicycle poomp she
do be nadin' to fiji her out ag'in.' The
bathroom man failed to see her the
day she took nap in a pile Of soiled
linen and she went down the clothes
chute. The laundryman, however. re-
stored her to her anxious owners. Not
long afterward she fell into the bath
tub, which was half full of water. Arti-
ficla respiration was resorted to be-
fore she was finally resuscitated.
Some Of the windows in the ward
were not provided with screens and
dur very warm spell they were
opened The flies became troublesome
and when Miss Matteson applied for fly.
paper she received instead scathing
reprimand from the superintendent for
allowing the patients 10 open those
windows. Then the youngest inferno
suggested experimenting with rdsin
and castor oil They finally produced
sticky fly.paper that answered every
purpose. AT any rate 1t took two days
to remove all traces Of 1t from Calam
lily after she rolled up In sheet of It,
The man In the drugroom grumbled
over the amount of alcohol required by
the ward at that time. Whether II was
while they were experimenting with
the mucllaginOus decoetiun or while
Calamity was being treated to alcohol
rubs' that Cupid took Il hand Ii is
certain that a love affair had its be-
ginning about that time. Miss Matte
sons brown eyes took on dreamy ex.
preston and the youngest inferno
found ii necessary 10 visit his typhoid
cases many times a.day.
A patient was admitted one day
whose case puzzled all the physicians
He hay In a stup0r with a perfectly
normal temperature. but rapid pulse.
At times he could be aroused 10 an.
swer questions, but ofteuer he remain
ed silent with closed eyes. There was
no trace of any drug about him lie
was alone In private room
Going in the morning of The third
day to take nourishment to him Miss
Matteson discovered him with wide
open eyes aud as she approached the
bed he called out. Good morning.
nurse" Then. noticing Calamity, Why
was following her he asked: is that
your kitteuf VIII you put her here
beside met"
As the nurse turned 10 pick up ca
lamity the man dealt her a blow that
felled her TO the floor. Then springing
from his bed he-snatched up wooden
tray and raised ii over her head.
All that moment Pats Irish terrier,
who followed him about the hospital.
appeared in the corridor and at sight
Of her enemy Calamity ran ctawing
and splitting straight up the madman's
| back. He was clad In single thin
garment and her claws brought the
blood wherever they touched him. He
was so startled that he dropped the
tray.
Just then the youngest inferno ap-
4 peared on one of his numerous visits to
the ward. He oyerpoWered the crazy
patient and, calllng for help. soon had
him firmly tied.
Miss Matteson lay like one dead up
on the floor When the other nurses
arrived the youngest inferno was try.
ing 10 revive her. For week her life
was in danger.
| II was day of rejoicing In the
| ward when she was able TO resume
her duties. The superintendent's heart
had melted sufficiently TO allow the
presence of Calamity In the ward and
the latter greeted Miss Matteson with
a huge red satin sash, which gave her
the appearance of an animated piece
of millinery, this decoration of hers
having been supplied by Jim and Joe.