St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-03-24

depend upon herself, and in a situation
that would have tried the strongcs
/ tortitudc, sat by the bedside Of hc
mother, who was raving with dc!irum
almost paraly2ed with terror The
! ''D.v cNtuCntiy strangers, unknOWlne
and unknown. There was not a rcla
tive or friend to share her toll, or chcel
or sustain her under it. Our Doctor
however, sanctioned by his profession
became both nurse and comforter, and
by that immutable law which makes
the weak lean upon the strong, he
was, under God, her trust, her strength,
E"r oracle.
Three days-thrcc days Of unspcak-
able anxiety and terror to poor Esther,
followed. Alas the heavy weight
of moments, that seemed hours-ot
hours that seemed days-of days that
seemed years.
We have said that three days of
the bittcrcst anxiety had passed ; the
fourth brought with it better hopes.
The drlirium had abatcd, the fever
was allaycd, and Mrs. ieathcotc lay
a week motionless, but memory and
comprehension had resumed their func-
tiOnS.
But memory and comprehension,
though they served to re-assurc poor
Esthcr'S spirits, by seeming to give
her back the identity Of her living
parent, brought with them but little
sOlacc to the sufferer, for with them
came the remembrance Of those ankle
ties which had been in fact, the occa-
sion of her maladies and our doctor
found, what he more than suspected,
that his own bill was not quite as
" safe as the Bank of England.'
The Doctors other patient lay with
his head half raised from his pillow,
supported by his hand, striving to
catch the first echo Of his footsteps on
the stairs.
Another half hour gone, and not
here yet - said the poor patient, his
gIistenimg eyes fastened on the door
another half hour. Has he forgot
ten me, or has something happened ?"
The clock of ncighboriug church
struck TIE h"ur. one, two, three
and not here yet! liark that is the
street door. No, pshaw ! what "a
t!oI am to expect him thns-and yet
his IS the only kind voice that has
sounded III my ears this twenty years.
Who was ever Kind to me since the
day my mother wept over me, and
kissed me, aui--d.cd ? Who ever
saw anything i'll me since the day that
her love lett me bnt miserable, MI
gainly, miserly clod!" and the old
man wiped from his gIiStrning eyes a
tear. While lie was yet speaking,
our Doctor entered his lonely cham
Der with So light step that the pa
uent was not aware Of his presence.
Well. old friend" said the Doctor,
chccvIy, chow are we to day may,
what is this ?" as the old mans eyes.
suifusod with their unwontcd moisture,
met his own. "Nhat is this !-what
has gone wrong? what has happcncdH
1t was L tear" replied the Old
man, Il tear to the memory Of my
mother. She alone of all the millions
OF beings i'll this wide world, ever
I2Eed me, and a sudden remembrance
( often think of her III the unquiet
nIsht,) brought the tear to Iny eye
\ mothers love Is an untathomabIc
Well replied the Doctor with sigh,
" tut | never knew it,"
Then you have never known the
dearest love ON earth replied the sick
man, liking his eyes cOmmiscratingly
upon him.
The Doctor shook of his sentiment,
and with slight laugh said, Oh,
the dearest, say yOu--ure you sure OF
that y
The patient fixed his eyes search,
ingly upon him. So, then, you are
thinking Of marrying. That will quite
ruin you-quitc spoil you.'
No, no." replied the Doctor, with
another slight laugh, but this time il
was a constrained one. NO, no =
must make my fortune first. l am