Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the WorldWooldridge, Clifton R. (Clifton Rodman)
History
Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the World
Wooldridge, Clifton R. (Clifton Rodman)
Crime -- Illinois -- Chicago; Police -- Illinois -- Chicago
PALE BLUE COLOR SCHEME OF BERTHA'S WARD.
"If Bertha escapes here it will be the test of vigilance as opposed
to locks and steel bars," is the summing up of the situation by Dr.
Zeller. Bertha is not wholly satisfied where she is. The food is not
all she desires. She refers to her ward and its environment as "the
dump." Yet her particular "dump" is decorated in pale blue--part of
the color scheme of the asylum management,--the color scheme of her
ward being adapted to her particular temperamental degree of insanity.
But while Bertha has been gnawing diamonds from tie pins, one of her
fraternity in ward classification has a record of gnawing the woodwork
from at least a dozen other insane wards in as many institutions for
the insane.
How subtly conscious of her position "Fainting Bertha" may be on
occasion was demonstrated the other day when it was arranged with Dr.
Zeller that she should go with two nurses and the staff member in
Peoria in order that her picture might be taken in a local gallery.
DELIGHTED AT CHANCE OF GOING TO TOWN.
With $9 to her credit in the asylum's system of personal accounts,
Bertha wanted some of this sum for "shopping," but when it was refused
she accepted the situation without particular protest. The idea of
going uptown, five miles from South Bartonville, was delightful. Her
spirits rose high at the idea, and when her nurses had brought her
over to the administration building she dropped into the office chair
occupied by Dr. Zeller, and in mock seriousness turned to the little
group, asking what she could do for them.
On the Pekin and Peoria electric road she was banked in next the
window by her escorts, and was the pink of propriety until Peoria was
reached, save as occasionally she turned backward toward the conductor
and smiled. And invariably the conductor smiled in return!
"Honey" was her designation of Nurse Quick. "I'm a perfect lady,
ain't I, Honey?" she repeated a score of times on the trip. In the
photographer's gallery the snap of the camera shutter brought a start
from the object of the lens, and the first picture in six years, save
as the police authority of the state had insisted that she pose for it.
But after the ordeal at the photographer's Bertha wanted most of all a
"square meal." Miss Quick knew of a restaurant where quiet prevailed
and where there would be little incentive to Bertha to faint, and
there the little party adjourned for the "square meal." Pie--apple or
mince--was the dessert.
TOOK PIE AND CANDY BACK "HOME."
"You won't mind, honey, if I take a pie home, will you?"
Miss Quick didn't mind at all. And not minding the pie, Miss Bertha
promptly buttered four rolls liberally and included in the package
a bunch of celery which had been left over after she had passed it
around insistently, time and again. At the candy counter just outside
the dining room Bertha balked amiably.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account