Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-11-07


He did all that doctor could do for
my aunt, which was little enough. Time
and patience were all the prescriptions
that he gave to her or me but he came
every day, sometimes twice, as he per
ceived that time was growing short,
and patience would soon have its perfect
work.
The old story-old as when Cain went
courting into the land of Mods COM
ing, as my reader can see with half an
eye.
did not fall in love with DR.. Gilmore,
nor he with me, all at once; but there
grew to be an inexpressible comfort in
his rough sincerity, and the warm hand
clasp with which at every visit he met
and stilled my shrinking nerves.
In the first week of our acquaintance, L
confided to him my unwilling listening in
the avenue to the love-quarrel OF strangers.
With his advice and assistance, sent
carefully worded advertisement to the vii
lage paper. To judge by the pile OF an
swers which I received. describing every
kind of ring that ever was worn, one
would think the earth should have been
sown as thick with them as was the field
of Canine after the great slaughter of Car
thaginian knights. But not one of the
sapphires with diamond center.
In these lonely days saw great deal
of my neighbor, Miss Purdy; she was one
of those rare and blessed souls who inter-
pref literally the command to love ones
neighbor as ones self. She and her niece,
Kate Purdy, lived together as | lived with
Aunt Esther, and a sort of fellow feeling,
from our similar conditions, made us won
drous kind from the first.
Kate was sparkling brunette, who
made love to every body: "male or female,
Jew or Gentle, bond or free, it was all one
to her. l am very meek-looking person
myself, ight-haired, blue-eyed, faded out
you almost need dark background to
see me at all.
Kate and 1 looked well together, and
stayed together chiefly for that reason at
first; afterward for a strong and earnest
liking that lasted our lifetime.
I told her all about the ring, and
showed her the answers to my adver-
tisements and when our talk reached
low water on other matters, we always
fell back on speculation about those
two lovers and the sapphire ring. Kate
was disposed to treat it more lightly
than I could find it in my heart to do.
She thought it far too pretty to hide
its light in bureau drawer, and after
time wore it, thinking that in that way
it might be possibly seen and claimed by
its owner.
We had become very intimate in girls
fashion before introduced Kate to my
DOCTOR" as l called him in my heart.
They ''took kindly" to each other, but
she did not at once begin to vile the heart
out of him, as had seen her do with all
other men.
"Why don't you make love to DR.. Gill
more?" asked her at last. "You are
naturally fisher of men, and the prey is
very scarce at Dovecotes."
stFirstly," said Kate, "because you al
ready have him in your own net, and un-
less all signs fail you will soon land him.
Secondly, he is too fearfully old and
grave. l don't mean that he has lived
any greater number of years, but he is
one of those who are born forty years
old, and that would make him at this
present about three score and ten."
My world was well-nigh empty of kith
and kin when Aunt Esther died, but was
not nearly so doleful as ought to have
been. had very little money, but had
youth and hope, and there was-the doc
tor. Kate Purdy had been helping me to
set the house in order after the dreadful
hustle that follows the vanishing of ia
miliar face.
At nightfall she had left me alone fol
an hour or two; it was then, as Kate and
had tacitly supposed, reading it in one
another's eyes, that "my doctor" came to
see me.
"I'm afraid you're going to be very
lonely here" he said, after the first greet
ings were over.
URut T sha1I not ba hara. am ooinr tr
live with the Purdys."
care you quite sure they want you?"
"They say So"
Doubtless they feel in that way now
| but their hearts are warmed by the sigh
| of your affliction. You had far bette
come home to me-"
He held out his arms, with a gesture
| that belied the calmness of his words, bu
| would not see it.
How can be sure that you wan
me ?''
"Do not say it ?''
" Yes, and so do The Purdys. It MAY
be that yoar heart is warmed by my lone
liness."
What is the use of fencing, when
love you and you love me ?"
How do you know that ?"
because you have been so careful no
to show even decent regard for me. 1
you had not loved me, you would hav
| been more cordial
80 wiser than Solomonr' I said: but
saw his arms again put out to me at tha
| moment, and forgot what o'clock it wa
until Kate's opening the hall door mad,
me draw away from "my doctor''
Kate made lively talk for few minutes
but had little response from her audience
My dear turtle-doves, she said at last
laying one hand on mine and lookin
hard at my friend, 81 see how-it is wit
you. You have reached the point wher
two are company and three are
crowd"
mo, we have passed it," said the doc
tor.
'And Esther is going to marry you?"
"You have said it."
"Then I wishyou joy with all my heart
By the way, did you bring the engage
ment ring with you?"
"Of course not"
| "You need not look so irate. Som
men are so certain of their happiness tina
they buy the ring beforehand. VIII
don't you use this one that came to Esthe
out of the gate-post?" said Kate, drawin
from her finger the sapphire ring, whic
! Sic OlbSn WOTC.
e'It would be bad omen," 1 sale
shrinking away from it; land suppos
some one should claim it after all?"
'I did not think of that, but you coul
have another made like it. Nothin
could be prettier for an engagemer
ring
elf DR.. Gilmore likes it, 1 am sure
have no objection I said at last, fo
there was tinge of romance in giving th
ring happy ending after being spurne
by Its first owner.
DR.. Gilmore did like, and put it on m
finger before Kate went off, with som
good advice about not sitting up late
which met the fate of most good advice
1 crept into her bed in the "wee SIN,
hours ayont the twal," and she woke il
stantly.
This is a good example to set befor
young and innocent maiden," she T,
marked.
''Oh, Kate" said in the usual gushin
fashion, 81 am so happy can't believ
it."
ooh well can Nohodv couas 4