Measles

Northern Advocate, 8 September 1938, Page 5

Measles

(By Marion Mitchell, Whangarei)

Exams were drawing near and every day the girls in each form at St. Brides were reminded of the fact by their respective teachers. At the time measles were very prevalent outside the school gates, but so far there were no victims within. Lois and Betty, two third form girls, who were eager to discover some way of escaping the dreaded exams, were walking arm in arm around the grounds.

Suddenly, Lois cried: ‘‘Let’s paint faint red spots on our hands and faces when we go to bed tonight, and in the morning, matron will keep us in bed ,as measle victims. Of course we will be better in time for the holidays.”

Betty agreed to the suggestion, and at 8 o’clock, the two girls, paint boxes under their arms, retired to bed.

Next morning, Betty gav,e a little cry and said, “Oh. Lois, I do believe I have measles.”

“So have I,” said Lois, “how awful.”

The two patients were carried to the infirmary where they were to re-

main in isolation for at least a week

Two days had gone. Both girls thought the plan had succeeded wonderfully, when matron arrived with terrible news.

“Fearing that any more be confined to their beds" she said, “it has been decided to close school immediately. The girls will all be sent home, but of coarse you two will remain here for another fortnight, as it would be too risky to allow you to travel before that time, in this horrible weather.”

The girls’ hearts sank. What an awful end to their plan. That night they washed their spots off and decided to tell matron in the morning that they did not really have measles. However, when morning came. both, girls were once more covered in spots, this time not paint spots. They really had measles. —Original.

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