The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-04-07

| DtinS IDSI from nCT DAY.
| II set the little lady thinking very SC.
riously, and, when She made her next
visit, the doctors manner was not such
as 70 lull her back into unconsciOusness.
The warmth of pleasure in his greeting
was unmistakable, and his words had
meaning in their jest.
q generally like a rainy day." he said
at gives me some relief from the press
of daily work, and even sometimes per-
nits me peep into a book but must
confess that yesterday was unmitigatedly
drcary. missed more than one kind of
sunshine, anu l am afraid l was abomina-
bly, cross to the few patients who braved
the storm. Am very selfish in hoping
that the rain disappointed you too, just a
little bit, on account of your eyes, of
course, you know?"
Now Flossy was very innocent and
| childlike, but there was something in the
doctors look and tone, despite the play
| fulncss of his words, which she felt in
| stinclivcly there should not be, coming
from him to her; which ste knew neither
Fred nor the pretty little lady in the next
room would like. At the same time she
felt, with burning rush of blood to her
| heart that she could like it, far, far too
\
| resolve was taken on the instant She
answered so quickly and naturally that
no one could have guessed what a sudden
siege and repulse had been made within
| the moment in the citadel of her quiet
seeming breast, nor could the doctor i'm
agine that she had suspected danger or
| intended defence.
"Yes," said she, lightly cit was very
\ 70 f,ni
| disappointed and to be cross to your poor
| patients You deserve punishment, and
| shall administer it in the information
that this is my last visit to you Fred
was complmcnting me only last night
| upon my eyes; said the viOets were no
| longer overwcighted with dew, and AL
that sort of thing, you know. And. in
| deed, [ find no longer answer to Jere-
mi.hs wOful description of himself; my
| head is no longer fountain of tears, nor
mine eyes rivers of water; | can actually
| read, write, and work, once more without
weeping as though [ had been unkindly
chidden to my task. For this blessed con-
summation, | shall be eternally your
debtor, doctor; but it leaves me nothing
to do in the present but to bid you adieil,
with the assurances of my most di5tln-
guished consideration"
She spoke eayly, and her lips smiled,
but her hand trembled as she he'd it out,
and her face dropped, like flower on It's
stalk, beneath the searching gaze of the
doctors clear gray eyes. The news had
come upon him like blow, none the less
heavy because for some time expected.
He read now the answering pain she
strove to hide in her faltering tone and
changing hue, and he felt wild longing
to clasp her to his heart, just fer one
moment, and tell her how it hurt him To
let her 90, and compel the sweet avowal
that the parting was as bitter to her But
the mad thought was stiiled as soon as
born; he felt that she had taken the only
wise, the only right course, and he com
PEELED himself to answer her in the same
vein
"Weel, it's an i'll wind that blaws nae
body gudc,' he said, in broad Scotch
dialect, and with a mock rueful counte
nance. 81 shall be left lamentng, but
you will be freed from my cruelties
However, in order that you may not en-
tirely forget me. | shall bestOw upon you
some parting souvenirs Here is medicine
to be taken whenever a chance cold may
bring n return of the inflammation; here
is lotion to be applied occasionally, and
here is-a leech. | will screw him up SO
tightly in this box that you may carry
him in your pocket if you like. Keep him
in a vase of pure water, and put him OF if
at any time you should feel again that
congestion OF the balls. You will give
me thought, perhaps, as you change his
water daily, and shall think of him feed
ing on more blue -veined temples, and
Nonsense" broke in Flossy, putting
back from the doctors hand the vase
which contained several of the blood
thirsty little reptiles; If Ineed any more
such severe remedies, shall come to you
again. But / have no fear that l shall,
thanks to your skill and your great kind
ness and patience"
Her voice was beginning to break again.
and she added hastily:
"And now, doctor-frend-I must
really say good-by." She put out her
hand, and the doctor seized and held it
tight. You will believe" she began,
again steadying her voice, but just then
the same door, whose opening had inter
rupted them once before, opened again,
and the same sweet voice timidly request
ed "just one word with Alec"
The doctor looked impatient.
"Please stay just one moment longer"
he begged, darling out of the room before
she had time to refuse He returned al
most Immediately, and Flossy said, in
reproachlul tone:
al am afraid you have not half listened
| to what your wife had to say, DR. Bu
| chanan. am sorry you hurried SO. [
would much rather have waited till she
| had finished"
The doctor stared at his patient in blank
| amazcment.
"Ky wJc! What do you meana" he
asked.
1t was Flossy's turn now to look sur
prised.
81 mean your wife, of course" she said;
"thc lovely little lady who occupies the
next room, and whom yOu have just left"
| The doctor stood for moment silent
and confounded, then broke into an ire
pressble laugh.
| so you thought l was married, did
your" he said, in exceeding amusement.
al must tell Elsie that"
| "And are you not, thcn?" asked FlOssy,
| in an eager faltering tone. But L saw
you, DR.. Buchanan-I beg your pardon,
but you left the door opcn-I saw you
with your arm about that young lady, and
| her lips raised TO yours"
| With much hesitation and many blush
es, Flossy brought forward this terrible
| charge, but the doctor only met it with
another uncomfortable laugh.
"And if you did" he said, as soon as
he could speak, who has better right =?
Elsie is my only sister, and was married
SIX months ago To my partner, whose
house this is. She's such little goose
as to be still very fond of her big brother,
and every now and then has some won
derful favor To ask of him, the granting
of which she rcpays with kiss. Poor
| little Elsie, how she will laugh when |
tell her that she has been taken for my
wife"
| Flossy laughed too, but it was very
trcmulously, and the crimson flush still
dyed her downcast face, while her heart
beat in great throbs, and her breath came
too brokenly for speech. DIR. Buchanan
| looked at her as she stood blushing and
quivering, searched her dropping face
| with his keen gray eyes, and sudden