The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-06-05
TIE SURGEONS STORY.


eign without dignified with the title of "ofice,
when these words fell upon my ears. had just
returned iroIu visiting the few patients I could
boast Of, thoroughly heart.sick at the want OF
humanity in tho world. wet to The skin, and
more than half frozen.
uover remember worse night in all respects
It was cold as The Arctic clustering, and the
sleet that ratified upon the windows soon covered
them with coat Of ice. 1t had stormed heavily
all day, tho stores were closed, and the sidewalk
vendors driven to shelter.
"God help any one that is forced to be abroad
tonight had been my thought, as I hurried
along after finishing my professional duties, and
breasted my way homeward. 9tw
But scarcely had reached it, changed my sat-
urnted garments, coaxed the sparkling anthracite
into cheerful glow. and made myself comfort
able, and begun building castles in Spain q the
tijno when I should have a lucrative practice,
ride in nay carriage, and own abrown-stone front,
when the strange and heart chilling words fell
upon my ears, causing all my pleasant fancies to
drift away in al instant.
"Will you buy my body, sir ?"
sprang from my easy chair, dropping my
well colored meersohaum in my establishments,
and turned TO s2a What it was, that, like Poes
raven, had uttered those terrible words.
"Will you buy nay body, sir 2"
The question was repeated for the second time,
before had sufficiently recovered myself to be-
come convinced TINT il camo from no ill-omened
bird, but from form Of human selnblance, at
least Yet the question was 80 utterly unusual,
go much 81 variance with all preccnceived notions
Of barter and sale that all could do was to push
chair toward the intruder, and stand in silent
wonderlnent
In few moments the self-command / had
learned during ,ny hospital practice, came to my
aid, anu saw that my visitor was woman,--or
girl, rather, for ahe could not have been more
than nineteen or twenty at the utmost; and that,
II IL lad not been Ter the extreme pallor Of the
faco, the pinched up look about the mouth, and
the aa.1, sunken eyes, she would have possessed,
Tar more than 10 ordinarily the case, the rare
gilt Of beauty.
the soft, brown hair giving it more golden
lodged Msre, making them glitter like liquid
pearla This much, and that the dress and shawl
we're Of the cheapest material, and but a poor
tefsnoe against the bowling storm and pitiless
cola, AID the strange request darted again with
&ghtning rapioity through my brain.
'Drsu nearer 10 the fire." said I. "You are
ournbea. Warm Yourself, and" Ii
Il have no time, and must not stay. she an.
gwered With d sish, thou9h she dropped heavily
into chair and brushed away the sn ow drops
hern her feee with her thin hands.
Without waiting for further remonstrauce,
hnstenea iogat come ravi wing medicine, of which
isaw she ssoos much in need, and with gentle
fcros, held il 70 hcr lips.
Il cannot, cannot, she gasped, half pushing
it away. -E ~
"Tou must" insisted. Remember that am
ephysi,is0, that this is prescription, and that
your LIE rosy depend upon it."
"Iito! On. God How long and sad Will
IL give ne strength p
"Lhas certainly is the object have in urging
YOU - taxa it. What else should it be Z"
"Giye it mo"
Aaa she lowed it without murmur, save
one Of Ehan NESS.
wheeled aeg chair up nearer the hre and
stirred the eoals TO q more brilliant glow, hoping
that the potion would quiet her excitement,
awake the chilled blood to q warmer. swjfter
glow, and that sleep would follow.
And for moment, I fancied that was right.
The Little hands dropped nervousiy into her lap,
tho softly veiled Fac Ircoped over the dscp-blue
eyes; the head :ard upon the breast. Put
aias it was n Iy delusion. In another
instant che spls - .cf feet again, pressed hsr
hands upon he .eoplca, If to still their throb-
bing, and locked wildly around.
ooh, God!' she exclaimed, II here. amid
warmth and comfort, and"
Conyulsive sobs choked any further utter.
atne.
"Sit down aad Tell RE the reason of your com.
ing,' almost commanded, as placed her in
tho chair
"Ah remember ell, now. Remember! Is
there no such thing as forgetfulress ? Yes
remember all, came here to-to-'
"Be calm, understand You are in need, and
came for assistance"
81 came" she replied and looked on me with
pttss. desl.ir and spoke SO calmly that it made
my blood run cold; IL came, doctor, to sell YOU
my body
Was talking 10 u woman or a maniac The
latter was certainly my thought but could de-
tect nothing IN the clear, blue eyes OF the wnndor-
lngs of insanity. "Sell her body" She smoke
oft as on everyday transaction.
"Grest heavon" I exclaimed, having NV
FINGERS upon her pulse with the expectation Of
finding it bou2ding with race-horse rapidity
but, on the contrary, finding it far more calm
thsn my own. "Creat heaven You cannot be
{, IN eernestw
81 an. in earnest. God alone knows how much
Ia earnest. 1t was my last resort. Will you
buyit'",
And $40 reached out her hand toward me as a
misor would done, who hoard the dear sound
OF linglinggod
SLOW ca1 rnrchase II whom vo., ave s.;,,
alyef1
'But will soor. he dead, and tben--then vol,
can clam ii. toI the love q heaven, give me
little, just little money" And the hitherto
dry eyes we're flooded with tears,
'Why do you wish to sellitp You cannot but
understand that it is an unheard of proceeding.
Our profession never purchase bodies Chow I
shuddered az gezed into her face while was
forcing myself to calmly utter the words before
death, no matter what they may do after"
'I know it; but must have money. and there
Ia no other means left to get II. must have Il