The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1868-12-03


You are numbed Warm yourself, and"
"I have no tifne-mast not stay
she answered with sigh, though she
dropped heavily into chair, aud
brushed away the snow drops from her
face with her thin hands
Without waiting for further remon-
STRANGE, I hastened to get some reviving
medicine, of which / saw she stood so
much in need, and, with gentle force,
held it to her lips.
81 cannot-canunt," " she gasped, half
pushing it away.
.You must" / insisted. "Remem-
Der am physician, that this is pre-
scription, that your life may depend up
on it."
aLife! OGod! How long and sad
VIII it give me strength ?'
''That certainly is the object 1 have
iu urging you to take it. What else
/ should it be?'' +,
seGiye it to ne"
"Aud she swallowed it without a
murmur, save one of thankfulness.
| wheeled her chair up nearer to the
FIRE; stirred the Goals to a more brill
liant glow, hoping that the potion
| would quiet her excitement, wake the
chilled blood to warmer, swifter flow,
and that sleep would follow. And, for
moment; | fancied that I was right. -
The little hands dropped nervously in
to her lap; the softly yelled lids droop,
| ed over the deep blue eyes; the head
fell forward upon the breast. But, alas!
it was only momentary delusion. In
another instant she sprang to her feet
again, pressed her hands upon her tenn
Piles, as if to still their throbbings, and
looked wildly around.
| go God!" she exclaimed; 8" here
amid warmth aud comfort, and-and-'
ConYulsiye sobs choked any further
utterance.
"Sit down and tell me the reason OF
your coming here" I almost command,
ed, as 1 placed her in the chair.
"Ah! remember all now. Remem-
ber! Is there no such thing sa forget
fulness? Yes, I remember all. | came
here Toto"
"Be calm. I understand you are in
need. and came for assistance"
81 came," she replied, and looked up
on me with such utter despair, and
spoke so calmly that it made my blood
run cold; 81 came, Doctor, to sell you
my body"
Was I talking to a sane woman or a
maniac? The latter was certainly my
thought, but 1 could detect nothing in
the clear blue eyes of the wanderings of
insanity. "Sell her body" She spoke
of it as an everyday transaction.
"Great heavenv' exclaimed, laying
my fingers upon her pulse with the ex-
pectation of fading it bounding with
race-horse rapidity, but, on the contra
ry, finding it far more calm than. my
own. "Great heaven! You cannot be
in earnest?"
81 am in earnest. God alone knows
how much in earnest. 1t was my last
resort. Will you buy it?"
And she reached out her hands to-
wards me as miser would have done
who heard the dear sound o: jingling
gold. ~
"How can I purchase it? You are
yet alive"
aBut 1 will soon die, and then-then
you can claim it. For the love of heav-
en- give me little just little money"
And the hitherto dry eyes were flooded
with tears.
Why should you wish to sell it p
You cannot but understand that it I is
an unheard- -ofproceeding. Our profes-
sion never purchase bodies chow shud-
dered as | gazed into her face, while l
was forcing myself to calmly utter the
words) before death, no matter what
we may do after"
g know it know it, but I must
have money, and there is no other means
left me to get it. l must have it, now
Instantly"
And she would have arisen again, bat
l resolutely held her down.
"For what purpose do you wish it?"
"To purchase food, fire, medicine"
For yourself?D
"Ah! no. Had that been the case
I never would have come hither. i
would have lain down in the gutter and
died. God knows how willingly. But
tell me" she continued almost fercely,
"will you give me some money? must
have it-must have it."
eff not for yourself. in the name Of
heaven for whom would ycu make such
fearful sacrifce2 Is it for one who
is very near and dear to you ?"
It is-is--my little sister"
The words dropped from her tongue