The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-04-08
THURSDAY. APRIL 8, 1869.
The Surgeons Story.

othce, when the words fell upon my
ears. | had just returned from visiting
the few patients I could boast of, thor
oughly heart sick at the want of humani-
ty In the world, wet to the skin, and more
than half frozen.
I don't remember worse night in all
respects. 1t was cold as the Arctic, blus-
tering, and the sleet that ratified against
the windows soon covered them with
coating of ice. 1t had ste1med heavily
all the day, the stores were closed, and
the sidewalk vendors driven to shelter.
God help any one that is forced to be
as hurried along after finishing my pro-
fessional duties and breasted my way
homeward.
But scarcely had [ reached it, changed
my saturated garments coaxed the spark
ling anthracite into cheerful glow made
myself comfortable, and begun building
castles In Spain of the time when /
should have a lucrative practice, ride in
my carriage, and own q brown stone front
when the strange and heart-chilling words
tell upon my ears, causing all my pleasant
tancles to drift away IN an instant.
Will you buy my body sir?
sprang from my easy chair, dropping
my well-colored meerschaum in my aston
lshment, and turned to see who it was
that, like Poe's raven, had uttered the
terrible Words
viii you buy my body, sir?'
The question was repeated for the Sec
ond time before | had sufficiently recov-
cred mysef-before [ was convinced that
it was no ill-omened bird, but one of hui
man semblance at least. Yet the request
was SO utterly unusual so much at vari-
ance with all preconceived notions of bar
ter and sale that all | could do was to
push a chair toward the intruder, and
stand In silent wonderment
In few moments, the selfcommand [
had learned during hospital practice
came to my aid and [ saw that my yis-
tor was woman-girl rather, for she
could not have been more than nineteen
or twenty at the utmost and, that IS if it
had not been for the extreme palor of
the face, and pinched-up look about the
mouth, and the sad sunkeu eyes, she
would have possessed far more than is Or
dinarlly the case, the rare gift of beauty
The Pickering light Ct the fire flashed
upon the soft brown hair giving it more
golden glory, and disso wing the snowhakes
that had lodged there, made them glitter
like liquid pearls. This much, and that
the dress and shawl were of the cheapest
material, and but poor defence against
the bowling storm and pitiless cold, and
the strange request darted again with
lightning rapidity through my brain.
Draw nearer to the fire. [ said. You
are numbed. Warm yourself, and
L have no time-must not stay she
answered, with a sigh, though she drop
ped heavily into a chair and brushed away
the snow drops from her face with her
thin hands
Without waiting for further remons-
trance l fastened to get some reviving
medicine, of which [ saw she stood so
much In need, and with gentle force held
it to her lips.
I cannot, she gasped, half pushing it
away
You must 1 insisted. Remember I
am physieian-that is prescription
that your life may depend upon it.
Life! = God How lone and sad
Will it give me strength?
THAT certainly is the object | have in
urging you to take it! What else should
it be?'
Give it me-
And she swallowed it with a murmur
OF thankfulness.
l wheeled her chair up nearer to the
FIRE; stirred the Goals to more brilliant
glow. hoping that the potion would quiet
her excitement, wake the chilled blood to
warmer and swifter flow, and that sleep
would follow. And fer moment [ fan
cied l was right, The little hands drop
ped nervously into her lap: the soft veil
cd lids dropped over the deep blue eyes;
the head fell forward upon her breast.
But, alas it was only momentary delu-
sion. In another instant she sprang to
her feet again, pressed her hands upon
her temples, as if to still their throbbings
and looked wildly around
% God 7 she exclaimed; I here amid
warmth and comfort, and
Convulsiye sobs choked further utter
ance.
Sit down and tell me the reason of
your coming here, | almost commanded
as [ placed her in the chair.
All! [ remember all now. Remember
Is there no such thing as forgetfulness?
Yes, remember all. | came here to
to.
BE calm | understand that you are in
need and came for assistance.
I came, she replied. and looked upon
me with such utter despair, and spoke so
calmly that it made my blood run cold, L
came here, doctor, to sell you my body.
Was l talking to sane woman or a
maniac? The latter was certainly my
thought, but could detect nothing in the
clear blue eyes of the wanderings Of in
sanity. Sell her bodyl, She spoke Of it
as an everyday transaction.
Great heavensnI exclaimed, laying my
fingers upon her pulse with the expecta-
ton of finding it bounding with rapidity-
but on the contrary finding it far more
calm than my own-'Great Heavens
You cannot be in earnest?'
I am in earnest. God alone knows
how much in earnest. 1t was my last re-
sort. Will you buy it? VIII you give me
some money for it?
And she reached out her hands toward
me as miser would have done who heard
the dear sound of jingling gold.
How can l purchase it? You are yet
alive?'
But will soon die. and then-then
you can claim it. For the love of Heaven
give me lttle-justa little money. Aud
the hitherto dry eyes were flooded with
tears.
Why do you wish to sell it? You can
not but understand that it is an unheard
OF proceeding. Our profession never
purchase bodies how I shuddered as [
gazed into her face, while | was forcing
myself to calmly utter the words)-before
death no matter what we may do after
I know i'll know it, but | must have
money, and there is no other means left
mo to GET must have it now-instant-
lyP
And she would have arizen again, but
resolutely held her down.
For what purpose do youwish it?'
10 purchase food fire, and medicine.