The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-08-05
THE SURGEONS STORY.

/
/, Charles Markham, u young physi-
clan, was sitting alone in the dusky
little room that the sign without disni-
fled with the title of office when these
words fell upon my ears. had just re-
turned fr.m visiting the few patients
could boast of, thoroughly heart sick at
the want of humanity III the world, wet
to the skin, and more than half fro
zen.
never remember worse night in
all respects.
1t was cold as the Arctic, clustering,
and the sieet that ratified against the
windows soon covered them with Il
coat of ice. 1t had stormed heavily all!
day, the stores were closed, and the
side walk venders drived to shelter.
God help any one that is forced to
be abroad to night" had been my
! thought, us l hurried along after finish
ing my professional duties and breasted
my way homeward.
But scarcely had | reached it, chang
ed my saturated garments, coaXed the
sparkling anthracite into Il cheerful
glow, and made myself comfortable,
and begun building castles in Spain OF
the time when should have a lucrative
practice, ride in my carriage, and own
II brown stone front, when the strange
slitt w vi Is itiI upon IJN
ears, causing all my pleasant fancies TO
drift away in an instant.
"Will you buy my body, sir??n
lsprang from my easy chair, drop
ping my well coiored meerschaunl IN
my establishment, and turned to see
who it was, that, like POe's raven, had
uttered these terrible words.
The question was repeated for the
second time, before | had sufficiently
recovered myself to become convinced
that it came from i'll cmenpu bird, but
from IL human >cnlbiance, at least.
Yet the question was SO utterly unusual,
so much ut varience with al prccun-
ceived notions of barter aud sale, that
all l could do was TO push u chair toward
the intruder, and stand in silent Won
dermeut.
In few moments the self command
| had learned during my hospital prac-
tlce, came TO my aid, and ! saw that my
visitor WAS WO!naH,-Or a glri, rather,
for she could not have been more than
nineteen or twenty ut the utmost; aud
that, fit had not been for the extreme
palior OF the face, the pinched up look
about the mouth, and the sad, sunken
eyes, she would have possessed, far
more than is ordinarily the ease the rare
gift of beauty.
The ilIckeiing light of the fire flashed
upon the soft. brown hair, giving it a
more golden glory, and di.solving the
snoWilakes that had lodged there, max
ing them glitter like liquid pearls. This
much, aud that The dress and shawl
were of the cheapest material, and but
poor defense against the howiing storm
and pittiless coid, and the strange re-
quest, darled again with lightning
~ nliitr thr.,,,@-i.
'Dtaw nearer to the fire." said
"Iou are numbed. Warm yourself,
and"
Il have no time aud must not stay
she answered with sigh, though she
dropped heavily into "a cf air, and
brushed away the snow drops from her
face with her thin hands.
Without waiting for further remon-
STRANGE, l fastened to get some reviving
medicine, of which | saw She stood
much in need, and with a gentle force,
held it to her lips.
"You must" insisted. "Remember
that | am a physician, that this is il pre-
scription and that your life may depend
upon it,"
Life! Oh, God! How long and sad!
Will it give me strength?"
That certainly is the object / have
in urging you to take it. What else
should it beo'
"Give it me!'
And she swallowed it without MUIR
mur save one OF thankfulnesS.
wheeled her chair up near the fire,
and stirred the Goals to a more brilliant
glow, hoping that the potion would
quiet her excitement. awake the chilled
blood to II warmer, swittcr glow, and
that sleep would follow.
And for q moment, | fancied | was
right. The little hands dropped nerv-
ously into her lap; softly veiled lids
dropped over the deep blue eyes; the
! head fell forward upon the breast. But,
alas it was mumentary delusion. In
/ anoth, instant she sprang to her feet
again, pressed her hands upon her
temples, AS ifto still their throbbings,
and looked wildly around.
"Oh, God!n she exclaimed, II here
amid warmth and comfort, and
Convulsive sobs choked further utter.
ance.
"Sit down and tell me the reason o
your coming here / almost command
ed, as placed her in the chair.
"Ah, l remember all now. Remem
ber! Is there such a thing as forgetful
ness? Yes, | remember all. l came
here TOTO"
"Be calm, understand you are il
need and came for assistance.h
II came" she replied, and looked OF
me with utter despair, and spoke *
calmly that it made my blood run cold
Il came, doctor, to sell you my body
Was | talking to a woman or
maniac: The latter was certainly m,
thought; but | could detect nothing il
the clear, blue eyes of the wandering
of insanity. "Sell her bodyn' Sh
spoke OF it as an everyday transac
tlOn.
Great heaven." | exclaimed layin:
my fingers upon her pulse with the ex
pectation of finding it bounding will
race horse rapidity; but, on the contra
ry, finding it far more calm than m
own. Great heaven! You cannot b
in earnest: :'
II am in earnest. God alone know
how much in earnest. 1t was my las
Resort. Will you buy it ~
And she reached out her hand towar
me as a miser would have done, VIII
heard the dear sound ofjingling gold.
"How can purchase it when you al
still alive:n ..-
.But will soon be dead, and then
then you can claim it, For the love {
heaven, give me little, just littl
money! And the hitherto dry eye
were flooded with tears.
why do you wish to sell it? Yo