The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-06-08
Dr.. Roulding,s Love Story.

By the fire, in his easy chair, sat the doctor;
seated on a low stool at his feet, her cheek
resting on his knee, was Louisa. There had
been a little gentle chiding on the part of the
doctor, apparently, for tear stole from each
blue eye down the young girls rosy cheek
Louisia's cheeks were always rosy, but they as
sumed deeper hue as, glancing slyly at the
doctor, she said:
ever did, but cannot help thinking he did me
great injustice in falsely accusing ME of flirting
with Lionel Renfrew."
''Stop Louisia," interrupted the doctor, edo
not say falsely. l watched the whole affair
that has offended your lover so much, and l do
not think his jealousy is without cause"
Then, changing his voice to one of the deep
est sadness, and laying his hand on the fair
head before him, DIR. Boulding said: "You,
louisa, just now used the phrase, "a little harm
less firtation.' Listen, my child, while l tell
you how a harmless Irritation crushed my hopes
and embittered my life
at must be twenty two years ago, though to
me it seems as yesterday, that l, thin ner-
vous, young medical student, passed my exami-
nation, and obtained my certificate as a surgeon.
Before established myself as practitioner, l
resolved to have a weeks holiday, and there
fore went down to Wellington to visit a cousin
I had residing there. 1t was a lovely country
village, and to me who had been studying hard
for month-scarcely indulging myself in a
walk to sniff the fresh air beyond the boundary
of the city in which lived-presenteda charm
ing picture of rural beauty, and an endless
variety Of rural pleasures.
Il had been all my life so closely tied to
school, to college, tolectme, and to books, that
l felt proud of my sporting skill when, on the
second evening of my visit l returned home
with my cousin, bearing a single partridge
brought down by my gun.
/ eve were walking down shady lane-I
remember, it was called Vineyard Lane
smoothing and admiring the soft plumage of
my bird, when Fred, my cousin, directed my
attention to a small cottage standing on the left
hand side of the lane"
"There, Charles" said he elves Mrs. Col
/ Inns; she is a widow and has two daughters,
1 Mary and Geraldine. If you like. we will call;
they are pretty girls and you will be pleased
with them
"He opened the little gate, and we walked
towards the cottage l thought it the loyeliest
place had ever seen. Roses were everywhere,
| China roses covered the walls, peeped in at the
windows, and coquetted with the chimneys.
| AS we neared the cottage, the door opened,
and Geraldine ran out She was very pretty,
a lively saucy style of beauty that you could
not be offended with, let her use that sharp
tongue of hers with ever such pert satire. But
at the moment when [ first saw Geraldine, she
looked far more dolorous than saucy as run
ming to my cousin, she said, "Oh, Mr.. May
nard, we have had such an accident; Mary was
training the rose tree, when her foot slipped,
and she fell off the ladder. Mamma thinks
she has broken her ancle, for she is in such
dreadful pain"
/ "Then,' said Fred, we have called just
! in time, for my cousin here-Mr. Doulding,
! Miss Geraldine Colns-my cousin, who is q
surgeon, will soon examine the injured mem
/ ber''
| "Thatis fortunate. [ am so glad you called,
said Geraldine, as we followed her into parlor
such tiny parlor, half filled by the sofa
which stood opposite the door (I had cause to
remember the sofa) upon which Mary lay.
The moment saw her felt inclined to quarrel
with Fred-I should have liked to have knocked
him down-for daring to have called her a
"pretty girl" Pretty? she was divine; one of
those marvellous creatures whom to look at is
. to reverence and to love- After the first look
forgot everything around; all | saw was the
glorious face now drawn with pain before me.
believe an old lady in black silk came, and
spoke to me, that placed in my hand her daugh-
ter's injured foot have some indistinct idea
! that | ascertained it to be merely a sprained
ankle; that ordered bandages and fomenta-
tions; upon which the lovely patient professed
/ herself relieved. l also think | made some re-
marks about the weather, and ended by en-
treating Marys acceptance of the partridge
had shot.
"After that, as long as remained in the
country, called regularly every morning at
the cottage to inquire how the ankle was pro
crossing. My morning visits usually lasted
| until dinner time, but | never found courage|to
speak to Mary of the great love growing up.ln
my heart towards her. Instead of making
love, was wondering what she thought of my
long nose and ugly mouth, OF thinking whether
she dsliked the spectacles which was obliged
to wear, and whether she quzzed me after
was gone l was also very uneasy at the pres
ence of a certain Walter Harbury atthe cottage
much more frequent than | thought necessary
and who was far more familiar with my Mary
than exactly pleased me.
"However, the last morning visit made, !
summoned all my courage, and declared my
love for Mary-not to herself but to her mother
''Mrs. Collins was very willing. She could
not have chosen, she said, a more desirable
husband for Mary. She should be thankful
to see the dear child married with such good
prospects. Mary was called. | stammered
out something about the great affection l en-
tertaned for her. She smiled, blushed. and
we were engaged.
[ went up to town and worked like slave
1 started in my profession, and wrote to Mary
every other day accounts of how l was getting
on; She sent me in reply little notes, on rose
tinted paper-the most affectionate and charm
ing imaginable. | took small house and fur
nished it from cellar to garret.
Sometimes gave myself treat and spen
the Sunday with Mary-delicious days! Shal
[ ever forget the exquisite pleasure of sitting
near her, watching the exquisite play of hel
beautiful features, or listening to the lively cha
that fell from her bewithng lips!
eve had been engaged three months, wher
a circumstance occurred which resulted n my
being suddenly subpenaed to attend as wit
ness in case that was to be tried in county
town near to which my Mary lived. 1t wa
II.