The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-23

face, "Doctor, doctor ~ she said, excitedly,
"can you help me? ? Can you give me any
thing to strengthen me? l must get upl
l can not lie here; have business that
must be attended to, and they will not let
me go. Can you give me bark, wine, opium,
brandy--any thing, any thing to give me
strength? must get up; must go to the
Exhibition. / must--I will y tm
" Hush, Bertha darling" said the mother,
soothingly; "you shall go as soon as you
are able to- ..r ." st,.. ,t uai
The sick woman snatched herself away
from her mothers hands with the quick ir-
ritation and fictitious strength of fever.
"You have been telling me that for
week and more" she said, bitterly, "and
you will not let me go. Oh doctor, doctor"
and she caught the Doctors hands in
both her own--"you look good and kind
and sensible; will you help me? Oh if
you knew how much depends upon it, you
would help me if you could-I am sure you
would"
81 think can help You decidedly" said
the doctor, cheerily. "But always ex-
pect my patients to do as Isay. If you
want me to cure you up quick, you must
lie down and take composing draught
that / shall give You, and try to sleep; that's
the only way to do, and then you can 60
out just when you want to-"
A look of gratitude and hope passed over
the beautiful features of the invalid. 81
will do just what you tell me to," she said,
as she lay YEARLY back upon her pillows.
"There, mother See, the doctor says /
may go out"
In a few moments the composing draught
was mixed and given, cooling wash to
bathe the flushed cheeks and beating tenn
pies was prepared and the medicine for the
night, and careful directions to the nurse
had been given.
81 shall look in upon you again in the
morning." said the doctor, encouragingly;
"and if you only mind my directions, am
sure to find you better" And the patient
smiled drowsily as she held out her hand
to him.
"What do you think Of her, doctor?''
asked the mother, eagerly, when they had
returned to the sitting-room. "Is She
very ill?"
"No, think not" said the doctor, re.
flectively. "She is stranger to me, you
know, and of course can not form cor
rect judgment of the case as If knew my
patient better. She is, as you say, evident.
ly laboring under strong mental excitement
l should judge that her powers of mind
and body had both been overstained to q
great degree. If can reduce this excite
ment, do not apprehend much from the
feverishness. think that is probably the
result, not the cause Of the excitement; but
can form a better opinion in the morn
ing. Keep her very quiet. Do not let hei
talk if you can help 1t; but above all things
do not rouse her by opposition. I hay,
given her a strong opiate, and if she sleeps
as think she will, trust TO find her mucl
better in the morning." and shaking hand
with the relieved MOTHER DR.. Grafton bow
ed himself away.
Night had gathered in with storm anC
darkness when the doctor emerged into til,
street again, and, tired and cold and hun
cry, he decided not to return to his office
but to go directly to his home, which was
a well-managed, comfortable bachelor es
tablishment. 1t was dark and intensel,
cold; the wind was bowling furiously-
fierce northeast wintry wind, that seeme'
TO chill the very marrow to his bones; an,
he was half blinded by the sharp, cutting
sleet, and sitting snow that drifted into hi
face and eyes, and almost choked his YER
breath, as, stumbling, plunging, founder
ing on, he made his slow, uncertain wa
through the streets.
"Thank Heaven y he said, as he reaches
his own home, and painting and breathless
mounted the steps and pulled open wit
strong hands the outer vestibule door, al
ready obstrpcted by the fast gathering bun
den of drifted snow heaped against IL. I"
don't think could have walked half
mile farther without losing by BREATH
AS, latch key in hand, he rapidly noun,
ed the inner steps, thankful for even tn
shelter thus afforded him from the grii
night and lashing wind, he saw by the din
Pickering light OF the wind-shaken stree
lamp behind him dark, shapeless bun,ll
lying upon one OF tho outer steps, and ha
unconsciously, In his haste 10 enter, Oh
doctor gave the bundle slight push out {