The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-12-07
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A LEAF FROM THE DIARY OF 3
u II = PHYSICIAN - y ~
BY NJ. l. wITHERELL.

Many years have rolled away since
1osteod By the bedside of the suffering wo-
man and listened to the story am now
about to relate. but. so wildly are her
words imprinted on my mind that it
seems But an occurrence of yesterday.
Esd In my capacity of physician [ WIS
called upon by one Of the leading men
:. of the town who desired me to visit a
Mrs s. in a distant part of the village.
ssHe said she was very sick, and tho gh
he feared could be of no lasting benefit
10 her, yet 'twould do her good to know
that she was not forgotten. He said he
could not stop TO tell me all then, but
hoped 1 would spare no pains or exer-
tions in her case and he would pay all
charges, adding as he left:
syodsShe is worthy woman, and il is
pity her life is rendered SO miserable by
her husband" :.
80 My curiosity was aroused and started
immediately; and though from what he
said expected poverty, yet was not
wholly prepared for the sight of utter
woe which met my view on entering that
miserable hoyel. The walls w.re bare
and the floor in many places brok n away
"A few articles of furniture of the most
Il.SeI1Dtes KIM EHeTe> NiSlOi6, anu IN one
sicorner of the room on some straw lay The
wreck of a woman once beauuful. 1
knew by hei glossy rave. hair. here and
i. there strsaked with white; by the nobIy
I:moulded head and piercing black eyes.
(which she cast upon me in Il startled
manner as entered, and drew further
into the corner. where she covered her
: face with her hands aud remained mo
tionless. [ went up to her and sppk e:
--.a aDo not be afraid SAID II have
GO ,me to cure you and make you happy"
At the sound OF my voice she raised
her head -
III .tI thought it was my husband" !" she
said. se al a
Lee "But you would not have been sorry
: if it had been he p' said.
-zosShe did dinot answer, but again cover
ing her face with her thin, pale hands,
efshe burst into tears. / saw that her
grief and the utter hopelessness of her
: situation had much to do in bringing her
to the low state IN which she was, thoue h
disease had settled on her frame Grad
.ually she became more calm, and with
difficulty aroused herself to a sitting po-
: 5sition AID looked wildly around,
.yfy'I have come to cure you. Did you
hear what i said to you?"
ayes. yes, heard. Leave me-" she
muttered to herself. But raising hvr
eyes to mine she said: 81. s
% .sfWill you do this, and may once
more breathe the pure, fresh air ?"
,sShe cast her eyes upon her garments,
and while blush suffused her death like
features she exclaimed ~" --+
"We were not always 50 poor. but
Lived in a. neat little cottage which be-
longedi TO my husband, and were content
ed and happy. He was a thriving me-
.fachaHic, and for a few years all went we'll;
but he was often called TO work with men
7 of bad principles, and in process of lime
: he imbibed their principles so far that
the money he earned. ard which had once
made our home so cheerful, was spent at
the gaming table and tavern. This was
7iall THE plotting of poor workmen who
envied him for his superiority, and they
they sWore that they would be revenged
. But the plot. was artfully laid and so
9 skilfully carried out that lie did not sus-
s7pect them, and my words of warming
were as empty as air. About this time
suddenly. died. did not mourn for him
10 udIs,
for should he live to become such misera-
.-yble man as his father, it were better that
he diediin infancy. And when God took
hihr 70 Himself | felt that he alone knew
what was best for his creatures My
husband grew worse and worse his Gus
torpersl left him. and we had nothing but
what 1 earRed By sewing. though some
times I would wash and iron for my
neighbors, for which they paid me all
,fhey could afford. and this scanty allow
Iance supported 4s. though sometimes
scantily enough. sometimes he would
return in the middle of the night with
his connpanioas and desonr the last mouth
full of provisions which had Obtained
for my hard days labor, and this failing
to -satisfy them he would abuse me in the
-aaost shocking manner; and then, telling