The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-11-11
sis the woman your wifoa" 1 kindly

OeIieVe Tue man heard me but as he
did not answer, concluded not to repeat
the question.
We soon turned into some mean, dark,
narrow streets, where none but the poorer
classes lived. We now walked forward
IN sllence-the man who had hold of my
arm as if he were afraid 1 might other
wise give him the slip, taking long and
rapid strides, and causing me no little ex-
ertion to keep step with him.
At length he turned into dark court,
where | could see nothing bnt few dingy
buildings on either side /; and l thought
II his object was to rob me, l was COM
pletely in his power. At the far end of
the court be stopped, opened a door and
led me up fight of creaking stairs. We
! groped our way forward few feet, and
then he opened the door into the room of
the patient. The apartment was small
and plainly furnished, with lamp stand
! ing on little table not far from the bed
An old woman, who was leaning over
the sufferer, looked quickly and eargerly
around at our entrance, and seeing me, ex>
! claimed:
SIS be doctor?'
''Yes, yes, I've got doctor at last,
God be praised if it ANT too iate," re-
piled the man hurfiedIy, adding. almost
in the ssme breath, "K1ow is she, Mary
| how is she 90
The old woman shook her hoad and
sighed out;
''She's had three on em since you left,
and is in the fourth now, poor dear"
SO, my God y groaned the man, sink
| ing down on the nearest seat. Doctor,
you hear Oh, save her I! save her !''
| hurried 10 the bed, and found the
patient in convulsions. The spasms ceas-
ed almost Immediately; considerable
quantity of vieid matter was elected, and
heavy snoring respiration followed. The
face was flushed, the head hot, and the
pulse rapid. decided that she must be
bled, and lost no time in opening vein.
then sent for ice and applied it in mod
GRAFTON to her head. | Iremained with her
through the night, and left her at daylight
in tranquil state, with directions to be
followed in case Of the return of spasms
The man, who gave his name as Ralph
Wagner, came down to the door with me,
and put a half eagle into my hand.
Chow is she s'' he asked in trembling
voice. ''Is she better 7 Can you save
her 90
''She is better, think, and l hope she
can be saved" replied
''Oh, doctor, you viii come again to-
day 2"
Eyes. this afternoon, toward night,
after shall have got some sleep and vis~
tied some few patients that cannot be
neglected.
''Don't desert US, doctor! for Gods
sake dontl" fairly pleaded the man, with
tears in his eyes.
assured him I would not, gave him
nay address, and bade him send for me at
any time if change for the worse should
take place.
From that time the patient gradually
mended, and in the course Of a week was
out of danger and had her reason. had
seen her every day during this time, and
had become not a little interested in her,
as she was not an ordinary woman Her
age had judged TO be about twenty-five
or twenty-six, and her features, though
marred by suffering, were intellectual and
still beautiful. Her hair was light
brown, soft almost to sickness, and she
had the sweetest blue eyes and prettiest
mouth / ever saw. Her voice, too, had
the rich mellowness which SO captiyates
the ear, and her language denoted educa
tion and her manner refinement.
Great was the contrast between this
pretty, delicate flower and the big, coarse
featured, awkward, uneducated, and, l
must add, totally unpreposses&ing Ralph
Wagner and though l comprehend how
such a man might love her 10 the whole
extent of his rough, course nature, l con-
fess l was at loss TO account for true
reciprocity, if indeed there was any such
thing. That this ardent attachment to
her might excite some curiosity some
emotion akin to pity ard perhaps graft
tude-I thought possible but that there
should exist anything like true mutual
love seemed as contrary to the laws OF
nature as for the doe to love the tiger
And yet how many such incongruities do
we see paired, if not mated-married by
law, if not in spiritl
The day that l made what intended
should be my last visit, found my fair
patient sitting in a chair, crying as if her
heart would break. She was alone.
sThis Is very bad for you to be excl
ting your nervous system in this manner, .
I said, in kindly reproving tone, HAS
anything happened too serious for little
calm philosophy TO master 7"
20 Doctor" she exclaimed, 81 am a
poor. miserable, heart-broken woman,
alone and friendless.''
sob, not quite so bad as that, think"
answered lightly t'where is your hus>
bandit"
This was the first time had ever spo-
ken the word husband to her, and looked
to see if she received it as familiar, un-
questioned fact. She shuddered and COW
cred her face with her hands,
kerN. Al.