The Republican journal., 1870-08-18

their untired industry anu perseverance, the
great work of fitting up the new house was
most satisfactorily inaugurated by dinner
time.
Fred was too busy TO accompany her to
the doctors next morning, and Flossy went
off quite coura geously alone The physician
seemed a little surprised to see her thus. and
thought better of her nerve than he had done
the day before. He thought better of it still
when he saw with what quiet tortitude she
underwent the very painful application which
he presently proceeded to make. The poor
mt]amcd eyelids were turned inside out, and
"painted" with some pungent salve; drops
of some fiery liquid fell like living Goals up
on the sore and quiyering balls; but she
made no SIGN of suffering after the first. long
shudderne sigh She sat quite still, grow
ing white to the lips, and with finger tips
pressed tight together but she neither finch
nor cried out and when il was over, and
she Law back for moment with the poor,
smartino ewes closed, and the tears running
down her pale cheeks, the doctor was iain to
comfort her as he would have done a child.
There, the worst is over now," he said,
gently, ''for the tirs~fis always the worst !;
and you have the consolation of having PROV
ed your heroism at least
THAT isn't the least bit Of consolation.
thank YOU" retortcd Flossy, piquantly, COM
ing out of forced calm, as the pain subsidized
Il little, and drying her tears with drolly
pathetic air. | am not at all ambitious of
being considered heroic OF course, if
must suffer, | want to behave like a woman,
and not like a baby; but had much rather,
If you please, not suffer at ALL"
You don't believe, then. in the strength
cning and purifying power Of pain p said the
doctor
''Im afraid don't. | have no faith in the
'be good and you'll be happy doctrine :;
when Pm happy, Pm always good. SO are
other people, believe, and they can't be
happy while they are suffering. Hence, rs
we used to say at school, if | could Danish
pain from the world, I'd do it, and then we'd
all be happy, and be good
"What would the orthodox people and the
poets say to such hcresy ?" asked the doctor,
amused ut her lippancy.
knowledge by suffering entercth'"
you know, and you surely wouldn't venture
to oppose Longfellow's dictum, impressed
upon you doubtless in your first reader, that
it is Il very particularly sublime thing
TO suffer and be strongr"
"Oh, | know all they say said Fossy,
Struggling her shoulders; ''but it seems to
me if we were spared the suffering, we
wouldn't need the strength. At any rate, I'm
Sybarite enough to wish I could try it.
think they were the wisest OF the old philos-
ophers, after all There is Mrs Browning,
now. who asks in sad amaze if we would
Refuse the Baptism of salt tears
| wonder if she had sore eyes? Doctor,
what have you done, to make me cry so in
ccssantly? You will ruin me in pocket
handkerchiefs. :"
She held up little cambric trtle, COM
plctely saturated with the moisture which
the scalding applications had caused to flow
plentifully from her eyes, and the doctor
gravcly presented his own handkerchief 1t
was large and fine, and cool, and FlOssy
took it simply, and pressed it to her smarting
eyeballs.
II like the smell Of Florida water" she
said, naively; sit is 50 refreshing, while
most perfumes are, on the contrary, opprco
sivc?' And she again applied the fragrant
linen to her eyes.
The doctor flushed with an odd sense of
pleasure, and gave an amused assent--bc-
ginning, meanwhile, to fold up powders.
''1ou ought to feel quite honored,' he said
presently, "at being allowed to share St.
Paurs inllrmity. You know the learned in
those matters have decided diseased eyes to
have been his thorn in the ilesh.'"
81 don't believe it," said Flossy, irrev-
ercntly; sit is only their opinion, and have
Tilted, and that was the reason he remained
q bachelor, and was 50 cross on the subject
of marriager y
Dr. Buchanan laughed outright.
''When have | heard 50 much heterodoxy
i'll one day" he said: "but Of course, no
woman would admit that a man would ever
remain unmarried of his own free choice"
mot such sensible man as st. Paul was,
at any rate" rctorted Flossy: and the doctor
thought, invoiuntarily, Of the tall and hand
some young man who had accompanied his1air
patient on the preceding day, and of the
housekeeperly confab which he partially
overheard.
81 can easily imagine that you would have
no trouble in winning converts to your
opinion" he said courteously, but Flossy
never noticed compliments, and drying her
eyes finally on the doctors handkerchief, re-
turned it to him, and rose to go. As she
took up her bonnet, slight sound behind
her attracted her attention, and turning, she
saw door leading to another apartment
open hesltatlngly. A sweet young face APP
peared Tor Il moment at the opening, and 4
soft voice said apologetically.
II beg pardon for interruptng, but must
Stc you just llOlncnt, Alct, hDoul some
thing important.n
''Immedately,' answered the doctor; and
Flossy, thinking that it was plain, not only
that he was no imitator Of ST. Paul, but that
he had displayed uncommon good taste in
his choice for a wife, took the package Of
medicine which he handed her, and made
her way out through room fast filling with
patients.
Flossy went the next day and the next,
and continued to go each day, at the same
hour, to her new physician; and, strange to
say, in spite of all the inquistorial tortures
he subjected her to-thc scalding, blstering,
cupping, lecching, ana 50 on-her visits to
his office gradually grew TO be the chief
pleasure of her day. knowing that he was
an cold married man. and that his pretty
young wife was always at hand in the next
room, there was no need for her to assume Il
reserve foreign to her frank and genial tenn
per; SO she laughed and chattercd freely
with him. after the manner Of women with
physicians whom they like and trust, and he
found it impossible to resist the charm of her
sunny mood Besides another tic, closer
than that of doctor and patient, had been
discovered between them.
One day when in mutual skirmish of wits,
she had launched u delicate arrow at some
pet foibc Of his, he turned upon her, threat
ening new application OF torture, and shak-
,;,j =,