The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-02-08
"CALAMITY"
BY HENRY JAMESON.

| She was a tiny, bedraggled bundle OK
| fur when Joe brought her to the linen
room where Elizabeth Matteson was
| 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
pityngly. Her brown eyes were very
| soft.
"What can we do with her, Joe? I'm
sure the superintendent wouldn't allow
kitten in the ward"
"But, nurse, the men would hide 1t
when the superintendent comes. See,
the poor little creature is trying TO
play"
So 1t was that Miss Mattesons
scruples were overcome. The broken
paw was bandaged and Jim, the man
in the diet kitchen, made the kitten
bed behind the range. Jim named her
Calamity" and she grew and thrived-
becoming much too lively, in fact, for
it was necessary to keep her out OF
view when the superintendent or her
assistant appeared in the corridor.
Calamity at once entered upon Sc
ries of disasters that proved her
worthy of her name. The first was her
fall into the soup can. Fortunately 1t
was not scalding 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
patient accidentally lay on her that
Pat, the garbage man, said on viewing
her: "Begorry, it's bicycle poomp she
do be nadin' to fill her out ag'in." The
bathroom man failed to see her the
day she took nap in 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-
fetal respiration was resorted to be-
fore she was finally resuscitated.
Some of the windows in the ward
were not provided with screens and
duriry very warm spell they were
opened. The flies became troublesome
and when Miss Matteson applied for fly
paper she received instead a scathing
reprimand from the superintendent for
allowing the patients to open those
windows. Then the youngest inferno
suggested experimenting with rosin
and castor oil. They finally produced
a sticky fly-paper that answered every
purpose. At any rate it took two days
to remove all traces of it from Calam-
ity after she rolled up in a sheet of it.
The man in the drugroom grumbled
over the amount of alcohol required by
the ward at that time. Whether it was
while they were experimenting with
the mucilaginous decoction or while
Calamity was being treated to "alcohol
rubs" that Cupid took a hand. 1t is
certain that love affair had its be-
ginning about that time. Miss Matte
sons brown eyes took on a dreamy eX-
preston and the Youngest inferno
found it necessary to visit his typhoid
cases many times a day.
-
A patient was admitted one day
whose case puzzled all the physicians.
He lay in. stupor with a perfectly
normal temperature, bat a rapid pulse.
At times he could be aroused to an
swer questions, but oftener he remain
ed silent with closed eyes. There was
no trace of any drug about him. He
was alone in a private room.
Going in the morning of the third
day to take nourishment to him Miss
Matteson discovered him with wide
open eyes and as she approached the
bed he called out: Good morning,
nurse" Then, noticing Calamity, who
was following her, he asked: rs that
your kitten? VIII you put her here
beside me?"
AS the nurse turned to pick up Ca
lamity the man dealt her blow that
felled her to the floor. Then springing
from his bed he snatched up wooden
tray and raised it over her head.
AT that moment Pats Irish terrier,
who followed him about the hospital,
in the corridor and at sight
of her enemy Calamity ran clawing
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 APP
peared on one of his numerous visits to
the ward. He overpowered the crazy
patient and calling 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 to revive her. For a week her life |
was in danger.
1t was day of rejoicing In the
ward when she was able to resume
her duties. The superintendent 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.
The home of a rising young physl-