Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1917-04-05
calamity"
BY HENRY JAMlSoN.

| fur when Joe brought her 10 the linen
| room whore Elizabeth Mntteson was
| folding linen She was the head nurse
/ ana Joe was the elevator boy. lie
! showed her the Kittens Injured paw
| and she stroked the meWlng OBJECT
pitylngly Her brown eyes we're very
/ soft
what cnn we do with her, JoeI I'm
sure the superintendent wouldn't allow
/ IL kitten in the ward
"But. nurse, the men would hide II
when the superintendent comes. See
the poor little creature is trying to
play"
So II wns that Miss MatteSon's
| scrtIplas were overcome. The broken
paw was bandaged and JIM the man
in the diet kitchen made tie kitten a
bed behind the range. Jim named her
Calamity and she grew ana thriyed-
becoming much too lively Ia fact, for
II was necessary to keep her out Of
view when tie superintendent or her
assistant appeared in the corridor.
Calamity ut once entered upon Sc
ries of disasters that proved her
worthy Of her name The first was her
fan into the soup can Fortunately II
was not scalding hot The ward had
been served, but the men in the diet
kitchen had no soup that day.
Calamity presented such i tlattened-
out Appearance another time after II
patient accidentally lay on her that
PAT. the garbage man, said on viewing
her "Begorry, it's bicycle poomp she
do be nndIn' TO fill her out ag'm.' The
bathroom man fuiled to see her the
day She took mp 10 pile OF soiled
linen and She went down the clothes
chute. The lnndryman, 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 10 be
fore she wns finally resuscitated
Some OF the windows in she ward
were not provided with screens and
durl very wurm spell they were
opened The flies became troublesome
and when Miss Mutteson applied for fly
paper she received instead scathing
reprImand from the superintendent for
allowing the patients 70 open those
windows Then the youngest inferno
suggested experimenting with rosin
and castor oil. They finally produced
sticky tlypuper that answered every
purpose. Al any rate it took two days
to remove all traces of IL from Calam
ity after she rolled up In II sheet of 1t.
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 mucilaglnous decoction or while
Calamity was being treated to alcohol
ruhS' that Cupid took hand. II rs
certain that n 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 il necessary to visit his typhoid
cases many times day.
A patient was admitted one day
whose case puzzled all the physicians,
He lny In a stupor with perfectly
normal temperature, but rapid pulse.
AT times he could he aroused to an
swer questions, but oftencr he remain
ed silent with closed eyes. There was
no trace of any drug about him He
was alone in private room.
Going in the morning of the third
day to take nourlshmcnt 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 is that
-FOUR kitten? VIII you put her here
beside meT"
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 1t over her head
Al that moment Pats Irish terrier,
who followed him about the hospital.
appeared IN the corridor aud 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. lie
was so startled that hr dropped the
tray.
Just then the youngest inferno ap-
peared on one of his numerous visits 10
the ward. tie oyerpowesed the crazy
patient and, calling Tor help, soon had
him firmly lied.
Miss Mattesou lay like one dead up
on the door. When the other nurses
arrived the youngest inferno was try
Ing TO revive her, For Il week her life
WAS in danger
Il was a day of rejoicing in the
ward when She was able 10 resume
her duties. The superintendent heart
had melted sufficiently to allow the
presence OF Calamity In the ward and
the latter greeted Miss Mutteson 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.