The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-02-27
THE DOCTORS LOVE.
A LEGEND OF EAST TENNESSEE.

ed from my horse after q long ride
Hungry and tired, soon finished the repast
which had been prepared for some time in
anticipation Of my arrival.
was about acting upon q suggestion Of
some member Of the family, to seek some re.
pose myself as all those who were not watch.
ing the sick child had or were preparing to
visit the lethean palace Of Somnus, when a
note was placed In my hand, containing the
request that should Immediately proceed to
the house Of an acquaintance, some twenty
miles distant from the place where | was ex.
pecting to spend the night, to meet in con
sultation with brother ply stefan, at his own
desire-a request seldom refused by a loyal
disciple Of Esculapius.
The boy who brought the note, not having
found me at home, had performed so long a
journey in quest Of me that he thought it ex.
pedient, IL not absolutely necessary, to re.
main at the hospitabe mansion where he had
succeeded in accomplishing his mission until
he had refreshed himself and horse with food
and rest. As l was thoroughly acquainted
with almost every pathway in the broken re
gion Of country through which the road de-
signed travelling led, offered no objection to
the arrangement made by the messenger, but
Immediately ordering my horse, set out on my
nocturnal journey. ms my friend had urged
the necessity of dispatch. I had not pro.
ceeded more than six Or eight miles when the
crescent moon, whose silver sheen had prom.
Used to afford me pleasant light was OBJ
scured by the thick masses Of dark porten.
tous clouds which a violent South wind drove
rapidly across the cerulean and star.spangled
canopy Of the heavens. Soon the darkness
became so great that it was with difficulty my
horse discerned the narrow pathway which
led through one of the densest woodlands in
East Tennessee. The threatening storm quick
ly burst forth with violence unprecedented
in my recollection. Terrific gusts of wild
winds shrieked, like demons mad, through
the bending, creaking forest, which seemed to
groan with very agony at the loss of her fall
en- sons. Thunderbolts. preceded by loud
crashing reports. unequalled by the simulta
neous discharge Of a thousand wide mouthed
batteries, Illuminated at intervals with tran
silent b'iliancy my pathway, exhibiting here
and there the fallen and uprooted trunk or
the huge limbs wrested by the strong winds
from the giant and moss grown oaks. Then
fell the big drops Of rain faster and yet faster
They fell until the commingled and con.
centrated clouds seemed pouring upon the
earth one mighty and continuous stream of
water, which, filling every gorge of the noun
tains rushed in foaming torrents to Join the
waters of the sluggish Holston. forming i'm
portant tributaries to the memorable freshet
of 49,.
There are some moments in the existence
Of individuals when the soul is occupied bv a
mystic and inexplicable emotion, the wild
throbbings of which produce an Intoxicating
though stoicnl feeling, which enables the
mind, through the avenue of the external
senses, to contemplate without dismay dan
gers more appalling than those which sur
rounded me. Such moment was this The
startled and almost raralyzed soul was filled
with vague, uncertain, yet awful dread
presentment it may have been--though there
was nothing tangible or definite in the sen.
sation, which rendered me Indifferent alike to
falling timber, the swollen and rapid streams
of water my horse so bravely breasted, and
the red winged lightning that shattered the
ancient pine which had defiUd the storms of
an hundred wintersl Suddenly rousing from
the lethargy that was almost insensibly
stealing over me. coward" | shouted, as I
struck the spurs into the TANKS of my noble
steed. Notwithstanding the reckless speed
with which l rode the last five miles, it must
have been midnight when l reached my dest.
nation. Throwing the rein of my bride to
the old ostler who met me at the gate
entered the hall-the lights were not extin
guished. l heard busy footsteps. / paused
to divest myself of my wet overcont, when
the attending physician met me and observ-
ed. at is almoet over" Silently, unqnestion.
ed and nnquestioning, entered through the
doorway my companion opened and approach
ed the couch Of the invalid. who was a stran
ger returning to the place Of her nativity from
a visit to that beautiful land of the sun,
where blooms the orange groves and the
golden and luscious fruits ripen each month
in the year; where the thousand joyous song
sters Of brilliant plumage sweetly MARBLE
each hour Of the day; where, too, a Thousand
bright and perpetual flowers render fragrant
the zephyrs that play in the air. Kind
friends accompanied her on the journey, now
but three days distant to her Northern home,
where expectant hearts hopefully and loving.
ly awaited the gladness of her return, when
she was suddenly stricken with malady. the
fatal termination of which no earthly skill
could avert. Truly had the Doctor said lit
is almost over" The dark winged messen.
ger had indeed preceded me-though, as if
lothe to separate the bright gem from it's beau
tiful easement, he was slowly unloosing the
silver cord of lfe
Never could time efface from the memory
Of the beholder the expression of ineffable
sweetness that dwelt in the beauteous coun-
tenance of the fair young being, whose sands
OF life were waning fast as the pickering light
OF the expiring lamp whose oil is burned out.
The gazing angels might have sinned not if,
forgetting her mortality, they wondered at
the presence of death, while they waited to
conduct the new born spirit to the skies. She
knew not me but as the speechless stranger
from whose drenched garments the drops of
the storm clouds yet dripped. Hopelessly |
gazed at the mysterious power of death which
was inevitably bearing away the bright ideal
Of my young life. dared not ask her, whose
fair hand when warmed by the throhbing
pulse of life had never pressed with the
tender grasp of friend hip or love, for one
fond look The speaking eyes grew bright
as the dazzling splendor of immortality, for
golden momest rendered invisible the gloomy
presence of death. A CLEAN Of heavenly
light played ON the lovely features Of the
dying girl. While the clear silverly tones Of
her musical voice told Of the happy union of
souls in new and immortal life, thnll of
electric joy startled my bleeding heart. My
eager soul listened to the last cadence Of the
sweet voice. "The chain was brokenl' A
sister and a brother wept as only loving
sister and brother weep for the death Of
loved and loving sister. Yea, the tears of