Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-01-18

The skeleton at the Banquet.

FRo1f Tbs SoEfTHEHS z1GHTs.
The Skeleton at the Banquet
DR.. Graham sat Ia his Office, his
book closed on his knee, and his eyes
fixed upon the street. There was
nothing of interest to be seen. A
light snow was falling, making the
pavement dreary; but it was Christmas,
and his thoughts had gone back to
! other days, as peoples thoughts viii
90 on anniversary occasions. He was
/ thinking of the young wife he had
/ buried three years and three months
ago; of the great fireplace IN his boy
/ hoods home, and his mothers face lit
up by the glow; of many things past
/ which were pleasant; and rejecting
sadly upon the fact that life grew dull
er. more commonplace, as one grew
/ older. Not that he was an elderly man
he was, in reality, but twenty eight;
! yet, upon that Christmas day. he felt
old, very old; his wife dead, his prac-
tice slender, and his prospects far from
/ promising-eve the slow moving days
4 daily grew heavier, sOberer, more Sc
rious. It was holiday, but he had
not even an invitation for dinner,
where the happiness of friends and
mOmentary sparkle to his own stale
/ spirits. .=I
The doctor was not of a amelanchOly,
j despOndent nature, nor did he rely for
/ his pleasures upon others. He was a
seIf-made man, and self-reliant TO an
unusual degree, as self-made men are
apt to be. His tussle with circum-
i stances had awakened in him a COM
/ bative and resistant energy, which had
served him we'll when means we're
scant and rewards of merit few. But
there is something In the festal char
/ aeter of Christmas which, by Turing
from the shadows of our struggle-llte
I the boy nature of us, makes homeless
+ men feel solitary; and from being for
/ lOrn, the mood soon grows to one of
I painful unrest; all from behOIdlng
/ happiness from which we are shut out.
I On this gray afternoon not the most
+ fascinating. speeulatiOns of De BeIs-
mont and the hospital lectures, not
i the consciousness of the originality
/ and Importance of his own discoveries
4 ia the field Of Sensation and Nerve
Il Force,-had any interest for DIR. era
ham.
/ That he had talent and a good ad-
4 dress; that he studied and experiment.
4 ed many hours every day; that he as
4 thoroughly understood his profession
L as was consistent, with a six years ac-
4 tual experience as an actual practltlOD-
eer: that there was nothing of the
/ duaeE or pretender IN him all this
i did not prevent his rent from being
high, his patients few, and his means
/ limited. With no influential friends
to recommend and introduce him, he
had resolutely rented a room in a gen
teel locality up town, had dressed we'll, !,
and had worn the air OF a man OF
business, ever ready for duty; but sue
+ cess had not yet attended upon his ef-
forts and the future gave no promise
of change. OF this he was thinking,
somewhat bitterly; for what proud soul
is not stung with unmerited neglect z
Then a deep sadness stole over him at
Thoughts Of the loss which had come
upon his early manhoOd,-a loss ike
which there is none other so abiding
in strong, wise hearts. A cloud seem
ed to be sitting down and closing
around him, which, with unusual pas
siYity, he seemed unable or unwilling
to shake off A carriage obstructed
his view, by passing in front of his
window. 1t tstopped; then the foOtman
I descended, opened the carriage door,
and turned to the Office bell. He was
followed by his master, who awaited
the answer to the bell, and was usher
ed into the practitioners presence by
the single waiting of his mod
est establishment. The doctor arose
I to receive his guest, who was a man
still younger than himself, with some
thing of a foreign air, and dressed
with a quiet richness IN keeping with
= -raoEAh uw1 V,osiAi0D
''Dr. Graham p
The doctor bowed assent.
''If you are not otherwise engaged,
, I would like you to go home with me,
to see my sister, who Is not we'll
There is no great haste about the mat
ter, but if you can go now, l shall be
glad to take you with me. twill save
! you a walk through the snow.
He knows, thought the doctor,
that I do not drive a carriage" and
a stranger, of such ability to hire the
most noted practitioners, should call
upon him, was a souTee Ofsunexpress-
ed surprise and suspicion.
''Wh hat do you think is the matter
: with your sister ~ he uncOnoernedly
! asked, taking his Overcoat from the
! wardrobe.
"That is for you to decide. It is a
s case of no ordinary charaeteF-onG
& which viii require study" He led the
way at once to the door, as if unWill.
ing to delay. Notwithstanding he had
at first stated that no haste was -neces
sary. Step in, doctor, and will give
you an inkling of the case during tn,
drive, which will occupy some ffteeI
. or twenty minutes.
In the first place." continued thu
IT stranger, as they rolled away, j will
y introduce myself to you as st. VietO,
: Marchand, at present a resident o
y your city but recently from the islanC
q of Madeira. My house is upon tht
Fifth Avenue, not far from Madison
Square. My household consists Onl,
70 of myself ana sister, with our servants
* / have the means to remunerate yoI
L for any demands we may make upol
!, your time or skill; and j ought to add
a one reason for selecting so young
2, physician is, that / think you will b
,I more able and willing to devote NOR
N time to the case than more famou
,e practitioners. .HoWeger, you are no
8, unknown to me. l have heard yOI
Il wellBno ken ot} and 4 remember that
p. when you were a student in Paris, yOl
were mentioned with honor bythe col
lege, for an able paper. read before tn
open section upon the very subject {,
which / now propose TO direct your at
u tention ,-mental disease, he added
e. after a moments hesitation.
Z" a case of insanity ?" bluntIy asket
the doctor.
- Heaven forbid! And yet mus
-r not oonoaal from Won that i faar 81 - T