Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-07-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
DR.. GOODMAN7S PATIENT.
by LEONA.

| Mr. Alfred Turner the gifted orator and
aspiring lawyer of Wisdomfield. was fortu-
nate man. AT college he carried off the
highest honors, although he was not a hard
! student. Success attended him in his pro-
fession as we'll as in love matters. He had
wooed and won the most charming young lady
in Wisdomfeld, and his only child, a girl of
six, was perfect prodigy
She could speak French and English could
aualyze flowers, bound every State in the
Union and give their Capitals. She knew
| the populations of the great Cities. She was
studying Grammar and History. Such a
wonderful child
There was but one drawback to the fond
parents happiness, and that was, in spite of
all their care and pains, the little girl grew
more delicate each day, and seemed to be
vanishing into shadow !
The gossips of Wisdomfeld said the child
could not live. 'No; she has too much brains
| to live )" aud they shook their heads sorrow
f, fully.
Mr.. Turner determined to consult DIR. Good
man. This eccentric physician could cure
any durable disease indeed, so potent was
the mans influence, that his name seemed to
have power to frighen away disease His
patients declared that they felt better at the
very moment that DR.. Goodman was sent for.
In answer to the fond parents summons,
DR.. Goodman called and found his little
patient Iauguidly reading. He seemed deep-
ly impressed as he took the child's cmaciated
hand into his plump, brown palm. Mrs. Tur.
ner said. with proud emphasis;
doctor, our child is not like other chill
dren" .
"Uumph!' exclaimed the physician.
"She does not play with or care for chill
drar buf lie Of tbi frr bnyon1 Lar veorS -
continued the fond mother.
"IIumph !" calculated DR.. Goodman, as he
brushed away a tear with his coatsleeve
Mrs Turner saw the action, and a wild
terror seized her heart. Was her child dying,
that this strong man wept? The startled
father seized DR.. Goodman's arm, and ex-
claimed wildly:
Tell me, is there no hope for my child 2"
DR.. Goodman wiped his eyes, blew his nose,
and put on his glasses, as he said 1sE sE,E
sIIopo! Yes, if you follow my advice"
ave will do anything" exclaimed both
parents in one breath.
care you sure ofrthat ?" asked the'eccen-
trio physician.
Sure! would we not die for our dear little
Belle ?" 2 sn
DIR Goodman smiled, and seemed lost in
thought, and thus soliliquized:
embryo woman will die Just as my child did
just as thousands of other children die ; or
perhaps she may linger through life helps
less invalid. Will they listen to me? ? / will
make the effort, but may get little thanks for
my palms,
The parents gazed at the physician with as
tonishment Dr. Goodman turned to them,
and said:
"You manifest willingness to be guided
by my advice. 1 know Of no better way of
explaining myself than by telling you true
story of blighted life. This story is so fixed
in my mind that think Of it every hour of
my life. l will sketch it for you in the shape
Of a tabeau.
"The curtain rises and discloses pretty
picture-a young father and mother and
dear little child How happy they are The
father is teaching his wee girl to read. See
how his eyes flash as the infantile lips lisp the
long words Admiring friends exclaim -
"What prodigy p"
1.-The curtain drops. only to rise again, on
another picture. The little girl of four years
is now sixteen. Beautiful, budding, bright
sixteen? No; pale, weary, haggard sixteen
. Her form is slender her eyelids droop. She
is talented. To-day is her graduation day
her examination was faultless; she is crowned
with the laurel wreath Father and mother
are there, proudly looking on. They have been
rewarded for their toll and pains Yet they
gaze auxiously on the form and face of their
daughter and wish that she had somewhat
more body.
1.-THE curtain again falls. and then rises on
the last scene. In luxurious home, where
wealth had contributed every adornment, lay
the corpse Of woman.
Only twenty-three years have passed over
her head, yet the drawn, haggard face had
! grown old with suffering. Death set his seal
on the brow of the laurel>crowned maiden
Good Christians crowded around the bereaved
parents with consoling words. Oh, why was