Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-11-22
THE GAZETTE.
MORNING. NOVEMBER %. 1859.

nra,.d,n. century. "A very skiiml and emf
u.nt onotbe,ary aud surgeon resided III the
outskirts Of NeWbury, as much believed Tor
his social qualities a. he was valued Tor the
knowledge Of his profession Amongst ms
patients and acquaintance was IN elderly
maiden lady Of slender fortune, aud "l u
sour aud avariciuus temper: these quantities
were increased bv a burden thrown upon
her. which, sordid rs was her nature. she
could not avoid An impr"> ldent brother
died nsolvcnt, and beautiful girl OF sixteen,
his only child, Was left entirely To the IN
wilhurrrotecton Of her aunt ll"art-hrokcn
AZ the loss Of her father, liara>Sedh by the per
petIal peevishness Of her aunt. scantily led.
and pourl, clad, the poor Young creature
sank under her change oi circumstances. ami
became seriously ILL., The good surgeon was
called in, and speedily detected that the NAL
ndy was mental.
One day. when alone with her, he SAID:
Il see, my dear, what really ails you; your
aunt's treatment is killing you hy hches-
/ can do nothing for you, unless y'n VIII
accept such home as | can give YOU. III
yuu can overlook the great dispr"P"rtl"n III
aye, think could make it happy home;
you should have every comfort III my power
IL afford you aud al least it will be Il hap
,a.r life than that you lead at present. -
Tn. Young woman gratefully accepted the
offer: they were married aud for tw" years
II, persons could have been apparently better
suited to each other, though the difference
I'm age was more than thirty years
AT that period the surgeon received let
ter from an intimate friend, al eminent
physician in London, requesting rs u iavor
that he would receive As a hoarder Tor u lew
weeks IA young gentleman III whom ne lett
!, particular interest. lie described hun ~
highly talented and informed, who had, hy
great industry and application, attained
considerable emincnce at the bar, but whose
Ieath had sunk under the intense labor he
Ind undergone through the winter; that con-
Sumptlve symptoms had appeared, aud moth
no was likely to save his life but total rest
from business, 4 change 10 good AR. ana
The regular superintendcncc OF skliiul
medical man; and knowing the skill and
Kindness Of his friend the airy situation OF ms
house. and its capahility to accommodate an
inmate he ventured to solicit an Abundance
for his young patient The request was IN
slauty granted, and the invalid took posses
SION Of good apartment over the nSualisitt-
IN. room, and received every attention from
the surgeon and his vile.
To the latter this shortly became rs dan
r-ruus at il was interesting: the Invalid was
attractive in person, and III every way i"rmed
~ win the affections: he found ms young
companion (who by her husbands continual
absence during his professional employment
was constantly alone with hml full oil natur-
al talent, but wholly uniformed: he took
great delight III improving her MIMI.
read and conyersed with her, and eve
~ dav increased their mutual interest IN
each other unhappily the young lawyer had
imbibed many dangerous and Skeptcal opln-
ions-these he impaired to his pupil, and
amongst others, the total unbelief OF a future
state was impressed on her mind by the
strong conviction hc proieSsed to entertain on
the subject.
lie remained through the summer months,
ana having much recovered his health, re-
turned u town to resume his profession,
leaving his unhappy victim prey to me
lauchnly, and unable to attend t. the duties
she had before so chcerfully fulfilled. The
husband was gricved at the change but
wholly unsuspicious of the cause.
A few weeks Of active employment brought
an return Of consumption, and again the
surgeon was applied to, and again received
the DESTROYER of his peace, and bestowed every
attention on IA case which he was soon aware
was hopeless. The unhappy young man
had also IA similar persuasion. and his minu
:ppeared To suffer still more than his frame;
doubts and terror arose, and he continually
held conversations with the wife, III which
he stated these new impressions, and told
her his grea test misery arose from the idea
,hat he had perverted her religious prncl-
plcs. and that he should have IT, answer Tor
ih. destruction of her soul as well as his own.
But lac frequently repeated, IF there be a
future state and final judgment. and If 1t
be possible for departed spirit 10 return t.
earth, YOU shall have some warning when |
am dead, which may decide your opinion
A few weeks Of great bodily and mental
suffering terminated IN his death; his IN,
we.ried nurse received his last breath, aud
with il u renewal Of the solemn pledge he
had before siveu Worn down by grief and
fatigue. she was unable to follow the body II
the grave, but the good and ansuSpcctlnS
husband, willing TO show every regard 10 the
dead. made the whole of his small establisil.
ment attend the funeral.
She was left alone in her agony. During
rhe latter part Of the invalid's life, when ne
was seated in the chair by the reS'de, a cane
was placed across the arm, with which he
used TO summon his watchful friend when
her domestic business took her away tor a
short time At that period bells were not
IN common use; three distinct strokes on the
floor gave the signal of her being wanted IN
the sick room, aud it was promptly obeyed.
A short time had elasped after the funeral
procession had disappeared when she was
reused from her stupor of grief by hearing IN
the room above the three strokes OF the cane
loudly aud deliberately given. She started
up, looked to the apartment, aud on approach,
ing the fireplace saw the cane, which she had
that very day placed in the corner OF the
room leaning against the arm OF the char IN
the nostion it had 80 long occupied IN the
life Of her lover When her husband return,
Cd from the church she was found cold and
insensible, and stretched on the hearth. on
which she had fallen. after her convlct'"
that the pledge had been redeemed, the pro
missed warning given. When she recovered
her senses she requested to be alone with hei
husband, and falling ON her knees. confessed
everything which had passed, aud suppl'ca
ted his forgiveness: it was granted by the
kind hearted old man, and with expressions
ofblame to himself for having ext osed $