Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-30
THE DOCTORS OFFICE.BOY.
N KATE W. HAMILTON.

TH4 short winter afternoon was draw
ing to close, and the light, making its
way through the dusty Office windows,
began to grow dim. The doctor pushed
back HE great book before him on the
tal13pI6Hd looked over it at the opeu crate
beyond, where the fire had died down to
mass Of dull red Goals, and an unsightly
quantity of ashes was distributed over the
hearth. The office chairs, except the two
or three In constant use, were undeniably
dusty, and the carpet, despite the awk-
ward but vigorous efforts at sweeping
that had Been expended upon it, was
neither bright nor tidy. The doctors
thoughtful eyes scarcely took in these de-
tails; hi1lneditations were Of something
else; but f occurred to him, vaguely that
the place wore a dreary, unhomelke air
: He was thinking of a pair Of brown eyes
and 3 grave, sweet face. Such vision
might have made the old room seem
bright, hut that the eyes had oflate grown
so shy 0f meeting his, and the face so
calm and cold when it CHANGED to en-
scounSe3 him. He did not wonder at it
particulaIly. Thirty five years old, and
grown dull and Flooding from life of
draw her to you, Maxwell Casey?" he
fitting over his lips for an instant and
losing itself under the heavy mustache
Suddenly rapid, noisy step sounded
upon the stairs, the door was pushed
open and closed with slam, and fresh,
young voice calle,t out breezily: Hello,
Uncle Maxi
.sWell, joe" responded the doctor
quieuySlnmoved by the invasion.
J0e cn(atained no doubt of his vel
come. 10 tossed his cap, and few
books bound together with strap, upon
the table, drew chair to the hearth, and
elevated pair Of small feet upon the
fender.
Amt they muddy, though? Got 'em
that way runnin' cross the street to get
last tag from Tom Snyder. Did it, too!
He couldn't get any from memo, sir!
Say, Uncle Max, this is not much of tirer'
My Office boy don't half attend to it, "
said the doctor raising his eyebrows.
"Ho" laughed Joe. Il think you
ought to have boy to look after things
while you're stuGyin' up on old bones and
all that. I'll come myself one of these
days. Wish ] could do it now; 'twould
be lots more fun than school is" he adj
ded wistfully.
The doctor surveyed him from the toes
of his muddy shoes to the top of his curly
head-no great dstance-and laughed
softly IS he saw the air of conscious
ability e All any office, with which he
drew himself up and thrust his hands
into his pockets
sWhats come of my jacket-buttonss
asked jos, fancying that he read that
question N the glance bent upon him.
why b0ue of 'em tore off, that's all
What does 90 with 'em, Uncle Max?
Cause mas always askin' me and
don't know. B'leve they Just tear them
selves on every time I'm havin' fun and
antNN4&A1. Oh! look herei We're
goins &k1e splendid time some of
these nlghts, ! tell your exclaimed Joe,
forgetting HIS perplexities in sudden
blissful romembrance There's lot of
US fellers-Wo're a band-and Tom Sny-
der's got kettle drum, and Bits got "a
a-ohl trumpet, that's what it is; and
one u the boys says he can get his
fathers old base-viol. We've got a flag.
and some of the fellers has torches-real
lamps on poles, you know-and some of
EMIL haze hghted sticks. We've had it
round IN b1ckyards ever SO long. and
now were 9oin' to march some night and
have pefeession, only we haven't any
name Tor yet Tom wants it 'Snyder's
CaVairY9 G4use he's captain, and he
alWays01D everything named for him.
But I'd Ike some.hing about the torches
In it-Li&ht Bearers or 'Torchers' or
Something
I0rtures' would be a very appropri-
ateaanQX commented the doctor, awak-
enln9 419AAHhis reverie in time to hear the
last sentence or two, and recolecting the
din that hid reached his ears on various
evenings Of rehearsal
Would it?' questioned Joe, delighted
W 41tsUncle Max relapsed into silence
ana away to the window.
4og was settling down upon the
to.nsa ing ii dark early, and already
ngnt 800 Beginning to shine out from
tne snoIndows, here and there along
.ne 49, Passers-by fastened their
s.ers. anxious to escape from the
misty. Fessing atmosphere to the
We malms Brightness of home, the doc
yer Ianc1e4 A thought of those waiting
the room f. which he stood. Familiar it
Mas surely; it ought to be homelike since
$3.50 the home he had His place of
u1sl~ ring the day; the lounge in the
SINS. room served as bed at night,
ana mx meals there was the restaurant
near What more could busy bach
elor physician ask He went up to Broth
er doNg9s occasionally, He was clad to