The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-12-11

'stomach'so strongly, Doctor Ellis!'
she inquired in anxious tones. Mrs
S'ephens was forgetting herself
and this the Doctor hailed as an
excellent omen.
"Only that | might make you
understand that a mans digestion
could be most unexceptionable,
and yet he be far from sound in
other directions"
Then you mean TO tell me that
my husband is slck2'
II do."
Perhaps You will 90 sill fur
thcr, aud cay danger,usly!"
lfyou desire it,"
"Oh, Doctor Ellis, how cold
aud uniecling you arc! l should
think you ought to know by TINS
time" ,"-and just here Mrs. Ste
phens broke down entirely, and
.obbed as if her heart would
break.
Ought to know what, Mrs.
Stephen,9' inquired the doctor,
with uncalled.tor deliberation.
"You ought to know-to know
that my-my husbands health
and life are Of a good deal more
const qucnce to me than my own"
"Ah, indeed" Interrupted the
physician, with an elevation Of his
busy eyebrows, immensely sug-
gestive OF a contrary opinion, as
well as several excellent reasons
for said opinion.
"Dotor Ellis, will you be kind
enough TO tell me what's the mat +.
ter with my husbandl'
Mrs. Stephens was now on her
feet tears all wiped away, eyes
flashing with resenlfnl spirit, and
only little quiver of the lip, to
show how deep "a wound the kind
heart in her bosom had sustained.
There she stood, reproachful, def
ant, determined, womanly. The
Doctor was delighted, and such
an honest face it was, that he car.
lied round with him from door to
door, from sunrisc to sunset, every
day in the year, that it was n
mighty hard matter to keep it
from an Immediate betrayal OF
the whole purpose.
Mrs. Stephens" said lie, "you
have no cause to be alarmed.
II can only get yourco operation
in this business, | feel certain that
| shall be able to make a well
man of your husband in a few
months, at the longesi;but,as true as
| sit here before you, | cannot do
this alone"
"Why have l not been inform
ed of this beforel" broke in Mrs.
Stephens, inperiously.
"Who was there to inform you,
madaml Your husband does not
know his condition, and I should
really like to be told when You
have been sufficiently calm to
hear all that it was necessary for
you TO knowi"
"Bnt Doctor Ellis, | should
think you ought to have under
stood that my own health and
comfort are nothing, compared
with my husbands " Mrs. Ste.
phens was weeping again. "There
is no sacrifice would not make
for him."
"Curious crcatures!" muttered
the Doctor; "del!ghtful bundles
of contradictions! How tho mis-
chief should know, Mrs. Ste
phcns, how much you care for
your husbandl 1 am sure yor have
spent the last half hour complain
ing abou. him. Is that the way
women generally testify their re-
gard for their husbandsl"
"Oh, don't, Doctor Ellis, please
DON'T" pleaded the terrified wo-
man. II will never complain
again-never-if you will only
let me know what can do for
him. d, you know, Doctor, /
had begun to think lately that
something mus, be amiss with him
he was growing so irritable.
Poor dearl how wicked aud
tbous shtless / have been"
"This, then is tho trouble. |
shall take il for granted, madam,
that you know something about
j, ,.hvsinlnnv and can Eullnu mn