Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-02-20

ankle Of grace and beauty was never
beheld! They were fit mates to tho
twinkling feet! As ! gazed enchanted,
the fair promenader, whose form was
slight, symmetrical, and graceful as
became such lovely feet, turned o COR
ner and vanished!
! am not usually an impulsive man.
My uncle, who was physician, had
told me that impulse and excitability
we're fatal to the success Of o doctor Of
that / ought to cultivate
calmness, imperturability and cool self
possession. (" Gravity and dignity,
slowness of gait aud deliberation Of
opinion, are the highest qualifications
in medical man." he used often to
say.
| therefore, at my present age, eight
and twenty, was quite Galen for grav-
ity and decorum Of visage and manner
But I must confess that on losing sight
of the fair possessor Of the beautiful
feet sprung from my arm chair,
threw my cigar into the CRATE, seized
my hat and stick Ga gold-headed doc
tor-like cane, with my name, j. F. S.
Dodwell, Jr., M. D., in full length
there, n, and rushed into the hall and
made for the street door, resolved that
I would this time follow her to the
worlds end but that 1 discovered who
she was Mrs. Bracegirdle was stand
ing in it, chaffering with q woman for
fruit Of some sort. AS crowded past
her she looked at me with amazement,
and cried out in alarm, E#
Who is hurt? What is it, Doctor !?
Is anybody run over?"
No, I am after my wife !" l an
swered and leaving her mysti6ed, l
pursued at rapid step the course ia
ken by the twinkling golden bronzes.
Upon turning the corner met her full
in the face, returning as if she had ia
ken the wrong street. / was so taken
aback-to use a sea term-that l stood
perfectly still, COMPOUNDED at the rem
countre, and she glided past me with
out even glancing at me, slightly devil
ating to pass by me as she would have
done by barrel that stood in her path.
Her face was concealed by q brown
veil, worn, as the fashion of young
girls is, double over the face, though
for the life of me how they can see
to walk so blindfolded is a mystery -
After she had passed me l recovered
my self-possession which the unprepar ed
for encounter had in a measure depri-
we'd me Of, and turned to follow her,
resolved that l never would lose sight
of her until l knew where she abode,
which ascertaining, l determined to
take steps to become acquainted with
her.
Instead Of continuing along Blocker
street, she crossed it, and seemed to be
looking for number. She slowly read
the signs on the doctors window shut
tiers Off read she could through her thick
harege mask, and, passing on, l saw
her linger an instant to glance at the
name on my blind, and then
trip up the steps and ring the bcll-not
Mrs. Bracegirdle's, but mine!
1 do not know whether surprise or de-
light the most predominated in my emo
tons at this. My boy Tim, red hea-
ded, little mulatto, opened the door,
and was about to say 1 was out, when,
catching glimpse Of me, he said, loud
enough for me to hear,
"He's coming, ma'am! walk in -
The golden CATERS disappeared light
ly in the hall, and I followed with pal
pitating heart.
1t is not often I receive such patients
in my room, and never ladies and the
condition of my apartment with all its
confusion, cigar boxes, old hats, empty
walls, and chaos generally, rushed upon
my thoughts, and I hesitate whether
should go boldly in and take the re-
sponsibility Of ALL or quietly with
draw and keep out Of my visitors way.
But curiosity to know why l was thus
honored overcome this hesitancy, and
I entered the hall. Mrs. Bracegirdle
was just ending peep through the ajar
door into my room at the lady. l saw
her look little rosy as she said in a
sort of apologize way,
II thought you'd gone out, Doctor
There is young lady in your room %
81 saw some one come in, and re-
turned" I said with dignity f; as if it
were nothing to me were the lady old
or young.
Upon entering my Office the visitor
arose, for Tim had invited her to take
chair, and said, in a charmingly-mod-
ulated voice, interrogatively,
" Doctor Dodwell 2"
eyes, Miss. Please keep your seat, !"
l said with my Sunday bow, and my
softest, fee-receiving smile, which, I
believe, is ever my blandest.
l glanced to catch another look at
the Cinderella boots, but I" the mice !"
were now nestled out Of sight; so 1
tried to catch a glimpse Of her face, but
the double veil still concealed it like an
iron mask. 5 4.e
For the benefit of my female readers
1 will describe her dress, promising that
it was the month Of September-near
its close. In height she was about that
of the Venus Of Canova, which is FIVE
feet two inches Beauty's Standard
Her form was slightly but elegantly
moulded, in just and poetical proper
tons with her beautifully less !" stat
ure. Nothing in symmetrical grace
could surpass the beauty of her neck