The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-10-24
Selected story.
WAS IT A JOKE9
A DOCTORS STORY.

der OF the dav. We played them on each oth-
err, on our professors, on outsiders, on the very
animals. Had it been possible, we would nave
played them on ourselves. The jokes OF coi-
iege bows are too well known to bear mucn
repetition. Of course, we put cows ih'o 'no
pr,fessors' bedrooms, and geese lnIo their
chairs. smoked out new stucents; dropped
greasy hats into the Gomez keItie tut new
chums TO discover, to their horror, as the
aool,s reouIar method OF making that bever-
noe rich: and in various ways contrlyed to
,,eake those about US suffer. Life without |
nractieaI Jokes in plenty seemed insufferable, |
and most of US took the propensity into the |
world with us. It went with me and my d. |
ploma to the far western settlement where
began to practice medicine and hear myself
dubbed doctor, and whenever l could crafty
my propensity, no matter at whose expense, |
did so.
I made some enemies, it is true, in this |
way; but 1t was easy enough for the iun-lo
ing Westerners TO forgive. anything when
came under the head OF joke; ana perhaps,
ON the whole, / rather increased than dlmln-
ished my popularity by this course OF conduct.
In return, also was made TO Sulier-Was sent
for on stormy nights to visit purely imaginary
patients; found cords tied across the path
leading to my little surgery when l hurried
homeward after dark and one night discov
cred yoang bear cub between the blankets
OF my cot bed-staad; but give and take was
my motto beerudged no one laugh at my
cost. A hale, rudy young fellow was in
those days, with animal spirits sufficient for
four, sanguine temperament, bealtl unim-
paired by any OF my own drugs, and an appe-
title that put to shame that OF the founding
bear cub whom kept as my chief pet after
his discovery.
[ was more excusable for my tricks than
many young fellows might have been, since
having never suffered pain, either mental or
physical, could not comprehend it.
never telt merrier or more tuIl OF health
and spirits than when having seen Matte
Pearson home from a surprise party, l lett her
with a stolen kiss and marched down the road
homeward, whistling Yankee Doodle.
The moon was full, round and bright as
moon could be; the sky was almost as blue
as it ever is In the day time, and the landscape
was meliowed with indescribable beauty. |
was thinking good deal of Matte Pearson,
the prettest gill OF the place, and building
some castles in the air in regard to my future,
which were never realized tOr Matte mo mat
tier, that was sad story. and l never can be-
lieve the girl had any real harm in her natural
ly though came to thank Heaven that had
never asked her to be my wife-buding cas-
ties, as l said, and whistling all the while,
when suddenly, as if he had risen from the
ground, TALL gaunt youngish man, almost
In rags, stood before me, stopping me with
sort OF imperative wave of his right hand, that
certainly had no courtesy in it.
1 was not coward, but l put my hand
to my pistol belts involuntarly- my
profession in that wild place, weapons
seemed necessities, though [ doubt if they
ever really are to a man who is not agrees
i've or quarrelsome-and stood quite still wait
ing for what might come next.
Nothing, came, however, but a question
shortly and rudely put:
"Wheres Leveridge ?-point me the way,
will YEP" in rough, Irish brogue.
Now we were almost in Leyeridge Its
four streets, and scattered, outlying houses
were lew steps to the right, beginning with
the schoolhouse. Had the man spoken civil
ly, should have told him so but his rude
ness, and the fact that he was a strange, COM
ica-iooking creature, who seemed made to
blunder, put it into my head to exercise nv
wit upon him, and play off one of my stalest
schoo!-boy Jokes.
"Leveridgew cried /; ''why, bless you!-
you've lost yourself Walk about a mile to
the LETT cross the bridge, and go straight on
until you come to it."
"Will it be long?" asked the man.
Two or three hours" l said.
He stopped to hear no other word, out
started away from me, with a sort of cry, and
ran rather than walked away from Leveridge.
Then 1t struck me that perhaps he had some
BILE might come 10 him from my joke The
thought robbed me OF my "fun." | called af-
ter him but he did not hear. l could not
have overtaken hun, and had / done so. he
looked dangerous fellow, who might resent
the explanation. l turned my steps home
ward again, feeling little ashamed of my
self unlocked my door, lit lamp, made up
the fire, and sat down to smoke and think.
l tiled to think only of Matte Pearson, but
the lrfshman's ungainly figure would intrude
itself. The poor fellow was miles away low.
stumbling over the marshy land beyond the
bridge perhaps. There were places there
where one might easily lose his life. If he
lost himself in one OF them, at whose door
would the fault lie?
The question was a narrowing one. | could
not rest. paced my little snuggery up and
down in distress OF mind for which | could
not account, since, after all, the probability
was that had only given rude fellow an
hours walk in the wrong direction. At last
took book and tried TO read. The effort
was at length successful. forgot everything
In the enthralling pages of my favolite au-
thor. The small hours had set in 1t was
two, three, nearly four of the long winter
night, when heavy raps at my door started
me. Such sounds were not unusual, I hur- |
ried to answer them, and found without
mud-bespattered, painting creature, who cried
In sort of wall.
"For Gods sake, is this the docthor's? an
10 he IMP"
1t was the man l had mis-directed. NV
voice almost failed me. l could scarcely force |
the words from my lips; but L said at last:
"fes; am the doctor"
"Pd have been here hours ago." said the |
man. 1T seems as at it was years but div |
II met an the road sent me astray. Me
curses an him fur it. It's me wife that's bad
very bad-perhaps she's dead be this time
VIII ye come or no
'Pll come" said. Where is it2"
Hs named the place.
"Tll get my horse and gg," | said. ut |
will save us time. What ails herp"
He told me. 1t was case in which time |
lost was lie lost My blood curdled in my
VEINS. Did he guess my part in the DELAY?
My own knowledge of it sickened me. l |
could scarcely accomplish my task in the sta |
BILE. My hands trembled and my brain |
whirled SO terribly. At last it was done, aud
beckoned him to seat beside me, and We
whlrled away. He never looked at me. Sit
ting by my side, he muttered fiercely 10 HIM
self, with many terrible oath:
The rascal. The-rascal If she dies.
there's bloody death atore him MY curses
on him My curses on his black heart tor |
MISLEADING mew
could have said "amen."
I'VE drove on at full speed. The moon had |
set. All was dark, save for the stars. In the |
distance he pointed out red glilnmer:
"Its the candle in the windy" he said. 81
set 1t there to light us. wonder what she's |
thought av me these hours, or whether she's
past thinking Curse the rascal! If it's so.
oog,s end will he cone to, at lose my soul
for tip
saw him take a rough horse-pistol from
his breast and look at it ss he spoke I |
thought he cast his eye upon me with tiger |
ish light in it, but l drove on. The hut in |
in the window of which the light burnt. was |
reached at last. l sprang to the ground and |
rushed in. A woman lay upon a dingy pal |
let. Her eyes were closed, her face pailid, |
the hollows in the cheeks purpish, the hair |
dishevelled and falling all about the shout |
ders 1t was face which had so little life in |
1t that hope seemed to forsake me- The man
knelt down by the bedside with wild cry.
Then he turned to me:
SIS she dead ?" he asked.
answered:
"No."
The answer was true then. 1t might not
be SO In moment more. The husband look
ed at me iercely.
"The man that misled me might be be
praying for her life, DOCTOR" he said. Ar he
cares rush for his own, when she dies he
dies, Tor he killed her"
Il will save her, if l can," [ said 'PIay
instead OfcurSpo now GurSn aftoruar1 ;f |