The Van Buren press., 1872-08-20
MISCELLANY.
Ny First Patient.

in the Valley of the Conrrlticut. had !,
"A w Caldwell, a nevis tlcdged NJ
D., hung out as cUnsplcuon,ly rs posi-
ble my tin sign. proclaimng to tie in
habitants that any patrona; =. they might
bestow upon me would be. most crate
| fully received.
This was the place Of ms nativity, and
within circuit of a few miles had my
boyhood and youth l,ern passed De.
veloping early a dispt'>. ton for the pro-
! fession of medicine, my education had
been to that effect, ana up to the time OF
the breaking out of ihe'war my lille had
been spent in constant study-variel, of
course, by an occasional Irritation with
some charming dalns,r But the clarion
sound Of war startled me from my letA
argy. and bidding "alieu' to friends.
neghbors and old Esculapus, ! starle |
with one of the first regiments for The
field Of conflict.
But my separation from le last nam
ed gentleman was destined be Of short
continuance, for surgeons were scarce,
and humanity as well rs the desire tor
the knowledge of this experience would
uive me, brckoned me to the post, and
so durlng the whole campsign my time
was passed With the dead. wounded and
diving. At the end of theswar, | return
ed to New York to comphfe my lectures
and receive my diplonie' which being
done, / spent another has resident
physician in one of ourslyat hospitals
and now. with ripe1'.n oirnce aud a
little prestige, | found .nyself tucked
away in this delightful val'g, waiting for
my first patient.
Good morning, sir. This is, sup
pose, Dr.. Caldweli and ], startled from
my revcrie by the low voiee at my elbow.
looked around TO see a lady, not old. not
Young, bu, fine looking, with an elegance
which plainly bespoke her station in So
ciety. S,e had entered the room very
quietly. and now stood gazing into my
face as if cndeavoring to iind there an
index of my professional ability.
Il am that gentleman. madame. W III
YOU be seated y and offered her a chair
and seated myself beside her.
Il have come 10 You for advice, doc
tor said she. ut the same time drawing
Off her delicate gloves, and displaying
hands white and tiny. while on the taper
fingers glis'cnrd diamonds and opals,
rather too much for good taste thought,
but that was no affair Of mine. )" l..
after having. from my general scrutiny,
come to the conclI ion that didn't like
her face or manners, dismissed all
thoughts of them. and attended to busi
ness she had on hand.
~ came to you doctor, because
heard that YOU had considerable city ex-
pericnce, and really cant put any con-
lcnce in these country clowns ! am
boarding at - Hotel about two miles
from here, and
lis it for Yourself, that You are seek
ng advice" | inquired, noticing her
momen,arv hesitation
Not at all. sir, she replied. laugh
ing heartily. DO look like an inva
lid? never WAS i'll a day in my life =
and the fine. well developed figure and
generally healthy appearance gave pretty
good evidence that she was speaking the
truth. 1t is my daughter, sir, or rath
er, my husbands daughter, for am nn
fortunate enough to he n step mother.
She has always been delicate, at least ev.
er since l kiew her. We brought her
here this summer at her particular re-
quest. instead Of Newport or Saratoga ;
but she does not improve-that is to say,
she thinks she doesn't There may he
some nervousness and hysteria mixed mp
with i'll can hardly say; but you will
probably understand the case when you
have seen her.
"Of what does she complain -
nothing in the world hut lassitude
She is always tired, and does not have
the least inclination for the slightest
mental or physical eNertion. "
mo cough? no pulmonary diillcul'
typ inquired.
:" No, not Bit, was the immediate
answer
Has she sufr red severe afiliction, by
death or other causes -
"Loce. YOU probably mean" and my
visitor curlcd her lip u little scornfullc,
and said: mo. ! believe her heart to
he whole and healthy; but heI father is
worried almost into Fspasms about her.
aud promised him to send physician
this very day. SO please come ont rs
early this afternoon as you can make it
convenient
I promi,ed to do so. and my lady de-
parted popdsred somo time over the
character Of my strange visitor but the
more | pondered, the moro convinced !
became that she was a woman entirely
ont Of the common order. She had a
keen black eye. and extraordinary large
perceptive features; bat the mouth, thin.
lipped, with o sinister expression about
the corners. suggested the idea Of cruel