“But you mustn’t kiss Charley,” interposed Dr. Strong. “If you’ve had enough rehearsal, we’ll go and make our call right after luncheon.”
Entering the sick-room, the three visitors stood a little abashed and strange. Their hearty, rough-and-tumble brother looked strangely drawn and brighteyed.
“Hello, kids!” said he, airily. “Make yourselves at home.”
Bettykin was the first to break the ice. “Did it hurt, Charley?” she asked, remembering her own experience with adenoids.
“Nope,” said the convalescent. “Only thing that hurts is being kept in bed when I want to be up and around. What’s new?”
Much was new, there in the room, and the children took it in, wide-eyed. Although it was early May, the windows were screened. All the hangings and curtains had been taken out of the room, which looked bare and bright. On the door of the bathroom was a huge roller-towel of soft, cloth-like paper, perforated in lengths so as to be easily detachable, and below it a scrap-basket, with a sign: “Throw Paper Towels in Here to be Burned after Using.” Between the two windows was a larger sign:—
Keep your Fingers Away from Your Mouth and Nose.
Don’t Handle Utensils Lying About.
Don’t Open an Unscreened Window.
After Touching Anything which may have been Contaminated Wash Your Hands at Once.
Use the Paper Towels; They’re the Only Safe Kind.
One Dollar Reward to Any One Discovering a Fly in the Room.
Wash Your Hands Immediately After Leaving the Room.
Keep Outside the Dead-line.
PENALTIES
For First Violation of Rules—Offender Reads to Patient One Hour. Second Violation—Banishment for Balance of Day.
“The dead-line is that thing, I suppose,” said Junkum, pointing to a tape stretched upon standards around the bed at a distance of a yard.