The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-03-18
THE SURGEONS STORY


w III you buy my body, SIR ~
L, Charles Markham, young physl-
clan, was sitting alone IN dusky little
room that the sign without dignifed with
the title of f'ofhce" when these words fell
upon my. ears. I had just returned from
visiting the few patients / could boast OF, !,
thoroughly heart-siek at the want of hu-
manity IN the world, wet TO the skin, and
more than half frozen.
L cannot remember worse night, In all
respects. 1t was cold as the Arctic re.
gions, and the sleet that ratified upon the
windows soon covered them with a coating
of ice. 1t had stormed heavily all the
day, the stores were closed, and the side
walk vendors had gone under shelter.
God help any one that is forced TO be
abroad tonight !" had been my thought as
L hurried along after finishing my profes-
sionaI duties and while breasting my way
homeward.
l had scarcely reached home, changed
my saturated garments, coaxed the spark
ling anthracite into a cheerful glow, and
begun building castles in Spain of the
time when should have lucrative prac-
tice, ride IN carriage, and own a brown
stone front, when the strange and heart
chilling words fell upon my ears, causing
all my pleasant fancies to drift away in an
instant
win you buy nay body, SIR"
l sprang from my easy chair, dropping
my well-colored meerschaum In my aston
ishment, and turned to see who it was
that, ike Poe's raven, had uttered the ter
rible words
"Will.you buy my body, sir ?'
The question was repeated for the sec
ond time before [ had sufficiently recov-
cred myself-before I was convinced that
it was no ill-omened bird, but one of hui
was so utterly unusual, SO much at vari-
anee with all preconceived notions of bar
ter and sale, that all l could do was to
push a chair towards the intruder, and
stand in silent wonderment
In few moments, the self-command [
had learned during hospital practice came
to my aid, and saw that my visitor was
a woman-a girl, rather, for she could not
have been more than nineteen or twenty at
the utmost and if it had not been for the
extreme pallor of the face, the pinched-up
look about the mouth, and the sad, sunk
en- eyes, she would have possessed far more
than ordinary beauty
The Pickering light of the fire flashed
upon the soft brown hair, giving it a gol-
den glory, and dissolving the snow-fakes
that had lodged there, making them gilt
ter like liquid pearls. This much, and
that her dress and shawl were of the
cheapest material, and but poor defence
against the bowling storm and pitiless
cold, and the strange request, darted with
Il ightning rapidity through my brain.
Draw nearer to the fire." | said. '.You
are benumbed- Warm yourself, and"
t have no time-must not stay" she
answered, with sigh, though she dropped
heavily into chair and brushed away the
snow-drops from her face with her thin
hands.
Without waiting for further remon-
STRANGE, I hastened to get some reviving
of which she stood so much IN
need, ard with gentle force held it to her
ips. @sf I
II cannot, cannOt," " she gasped, half
pushing 1t away. -
aYd6 must, I insisted. aRemember I
I'M a physician that this is my presc-ip-
ion-that your life may depend upon H.
s.LifeLs o God : How long and sad
VII it give me strength p