Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 186, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1920 — Two Days at Rest Cure [ARTICLE]

Two Days at Rest Cure

By JOHN FIRST BROOK

1838, by McClur* Newspaper Syndicate.) The season was rather dull at the Rest Cure. The ladles had been wishRig for something to happen out of the ordinary when the advent of a guest who refused to be sociable set them all in a flutter of excitement. “Are we all quite sure that we saw the crutches?” asked Mrs. Dunvegan as she poured tea. “Oh, yes, my dear; I, for one, am quite positive—two crutches with leather tops," proclaimed the widow Pepper, as she fingered the locket that contained the portrait of her dead husband. “What night was it we saw them come?” piped Miss Tinpenny. ‘‘Since my nerves have been so sensitive I can’t remember dates, or handkerchiefs, or anything Important. “It was last Wednesday evening.” declared Mrs.-Looney, a fat woman In a scarlet sweater coat; “being so sensitive to the weather I remember it was raining a perfect downpour. We bad just finished dinner, you all recollect, when they came into the office, the woman stamping and shaking the fain all about, and saying to the clerk as soon as she reached the desk, *You got my letter! I hope you can let me have rooms on the ground floor. I will not stay unless I can be quite away from the other guests. I have reasons for not wishing to be disturbed.’ ” “Yes, yes,” murmured Miss Tinpenny, “It all comes back to me now, dear Mrs. Looney, for you describe things very well. lam quite sure you could write a sonnet. The man with the crutches followed her?” “Such a lot of baggage as they had!” softly murmured Mrs. Fish, a thin woman with straight hair and scant clothing. “Yea,” chimed in Mrs. Tepper, “what a fuss and clatter there was. Boxes and bundles, and two trunks. The poor man with the crutches was bandied about and carried along in the midst . of the confusion. No one tool; a single thought of him, poor fellow. I suppose he was tumbled in with the rest of her baggage, for when she at last banged her door the man with the crutches was gone.” “Poor fellow,” faltered Mrs. Fish; “perhaps he did not pass us, but he may have climbed out of the hall window.” “With crutches?” Interrogated all the ladles at once. “Not possible, my dear,” drawled Mrs. Looney. “Well, none of us really saw him go Into the room,” persisted Mrs. Fish. “No, we did not,” assented Mrs. Dunvegan, “but that he went in we are all quite sure, for We heard his crutches pounding on the floor.” “My impression is that the person Is a medium, and that she smuggled him In while she kept our minds merged in a subconscious mist,” musingly suggested Mrs. Pepper. “Well, who are they? Perhaps the man with the crutches is ill,” further Inquired Mrs. Tyroll. “We looked in the hotel register. Two names were given—Miss Burkholder and below a name so blotted we could not make it out; we thought we recognized an S, and an M.” “No matter.” murmured Mrs. Dunvegan, “the name was purposely disguised. and 1. for one, decidedly object to such deceit going on under our very noses.” “I suppose we might form ourselves into an investigating committee,” said Mrs. Looney, “if it were not so much trouble.” “Now,” said Mrs. Dunvegan, “let us go about the thing in an open, straightforward manner. Let us go right to the point. I will myself interview the proprietor (though Pm afraid he has been bribed). You, Miss Tinpenny. interview one chambermaid. Mqs. Pepper the other one. Mrs. Fish, could you take bold of the bellboy? “And you. Miss Tyroll, would you mind tackling the bathman?” “Don’t ask me.” objected the newcomer. “Remember, I never saw the apparition of the man with the crutches. Anyway, especially at’Vest cures, I believe in letting sleeping dogs lie.” “We must’ dress for dinner,” exclaimed Mrs. Dunvegan, rising. The next afternoon the ladies met as usual at the hour. There could be observed an -undercurrent of suppressed excitement. Mrs. Dunvegan looked nervously about. “Where is Miss Tinpenny? She is the only one absent I do hope her poor nerves have not given way. Did yon find OUT anything definite from the bellboy about the person on the ground floor, Mrs. Fish?” She took a small piece of paper from her reticule as tM timid lady made answer. “I Inquired from Albert by way of an opening If the rooms in the hotel were pretty well filled. *Middlin’,’ answered the bellboy.” Mrs. Fish referred to her paper as she continued; “he —id. ‘Them two rooms on the ground floor bein’ occupied makes more work; she’s'an awful ringpr! Wants things all the time. But the boss says It’s none oil'my business, and if his help tikes to complain of his way of doin’ tilings it can get out One thing I can ttil you. missus: them two downstairs is a rum couple.’ I sat at the table and wrote every word he said as well as I could. I do like to be exact!” “Dear me, dear me, are you sure he

said couple?” gasped Mrs. Pepper At this point the door was flung open and Miss Tinpenny came staggering Into the room, threw herself into the morris chair and began to sob. “It’s dreadful.” gasped Miss Tinpenny. “If I can compose my nerves I will tell you all—l spoke to the chambermaid about —” “The horror of the ground floor,” supplied Mrs. Pepper. “Yes, just it —horror is the word,” continued Miss Tinpenny. “I spoke to Matilda, the chambermaid. I gave her my second best satchel and asked her to tell me all about Miss Burkholder.” “Matilda Cheerfully answered, ‘Oh, she’s all right, but queer. Her rooms are full of beetles and bugs pinned on papers. She is making human nature studies or something. She takes all her meals in her room. The waitress says her trays are something dreadful when they go back to the pantry. We all think that she. feeds that horrid object she keeps shut up in her batk

room.’ ” z "Oh. did she say that?” gasped Mrs. Fish. "Just wait till I tell you all.” wailed Miss Tinpenny. “When Matilda left me I think I fainted, for the "first thing I knew I was stumbling along toward the baths —hot mineral water often revives me. Can you believe me when I tell you that I heard a plaintive, beseeching call of ‘Help, help!’ coming up from Miss Burkholder’s rooms, and then in reply a horrid, snappy voice said, ‘Now’ shut up.’ ” “Oh, Miss Tinpenny," said all the ladles in a breath, “how dreadful"!” “We must decide what to do at once.” announced Mrs. Dunvegan. Then the ladies rose in a body and clattered their cups and saucers on the table, just as Mrs. Dunvegan’s ancestors might have thrown down their swords, then formed into a body and marched along the hall. When they reached Miss Burkhold-, er’s door Mrs. Pepper knocked. There was a great rummaging and shuffling inside, then the door opened and Miss Burkholder looked with astonishment at her visitors through large, heavily framed spectacles. — — Mrs. Pepper bowed. “We have come to call upon you. Miss Burkholder,” she announced. “Oh, dear me. this Is sudden. Pm not prepared for visitors; could you call another time?” “No,” rang out Mrs. Dunvegan’s voice. “We have come today and will not be put off. We want to know what goes on in your back room.” “Well, come in, then, and look to your heart’s content. But.” adder. Miss Burkholder savagely, “I think I told you quite plainly, ladles, that I was busy and did not want to be bothered dressing, talking and fooling my time when I wanted to study. I am sure I cannot offer you chairs. You see everything Is filled with my specimens; I even had to put the beetles on the bed." “Never mind chairs." said Mrs. Looney kindly, evidently relenting, “just let us take a peep Into your back room.” “What shall I do?” groaned the poor lady In evident distress. “Really I would sooner you did not.” • “We demand you to open that prison house,” squealed Miss Tinpenny, almost on the verge of hysterics. “In the name of humanity we demand it.” Mrs. Pepper now went boldly forward and opened the door. On a table by the window, in a gilt cage, sat a parrot in solemn meditatation. For a moment he tolerantly eyed the body of militant females, then called: “Help, I want to go home!” The ladles rushed in a body from Miss Burkholder's domains. As they reached the front hall they nearly knocked over a man with crutches, who had Just come in the front door. The Clerk called from the desk: “Hello, Sandy Malone; you back again? Did you have a successful trip?” Pell mell up the stairs, rushed the excited ladles of the Rest Cure. Mrs. Pepper and Mrs. Dunvegan on ahead. Then came Mrs. Tyroll helping little Mrs. Fish, while in the rear Mrs. Looney struggled to drag the half-fainting form of Miss Tinpenny, and through Miss Burkholder’s open door came the strangely human cry. “Help, help, I want to go home. Now shut up.”