South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-09-12
John stephensons' Pericardium.
ELEANOR KIRK.

tor, word for word and the invalid, Mrs.
Stephens, lay back again on the sofa pillows,
the very picture of misery. The family
physicisn, who was called on an average TO
the Stephens mansion three hundred and
sixty times year, drew a chair close 10 the
couch, and waited quietly for his patient 60
open her book Of complaints
LAST night, you sec, Doctor, had an III
turn, and he wanted to come fcr you; but
when got so that he dared to leave me. he
concluded then we'd better let YOU sleen'
Much obliged 10 HIM said the Doctor
with little sarcastic emphasis on the per-
aonal pronoGu. Inst night was the first
undisturbod nights rest have enjoyed for
! week
Mrs. Stephens continued: sThis spell
was the same as l had the last time you
were sent for, Doctor
~ slight nervous attack broke in the
physician, nothing more
well, il don'i make any difference what
you call II, il was nighty hard to bear; but
lot me tell you what my husband said first
Doctor, before we 20 into symptoms. When
he was going down TO breakfast, he snvsLo
me, Kate, what SHALL send you up ?
Says l, Il don't want anything in the
world but good, strong cup of tea Tell
Bridget ~ send II up in the little tea pot >
| saw, Doctor, that be didu't move after
said this, SO turned and looked up at him.
and such picture Of rage and disgust |
never saw in my life. Finally. says he,
Tea . tea tea It's nothing but tea from
morning till night. Kate says be, 'you
are The color Of a chiuaman now. Why
don't you orier good piece of beef,teak.
and slice of brown bread, and cup of
chocolate that would be sensible break.
fast =
Bat John, says I, you forget that
am sick and have no appetite l was all
ready to cry, but | was determined that he
shou!dn't have the satisfaction of seeing the
tears fall.
Forse',' says he; forget l wish to
Heaven | coHid forget! It's nothing but
srunt and groan from one years end to the
other have lost all patience with YOU
says be. when we lived in part of a
house, and you did your own housework
you were MS well and es happy as anybody,
and no man ever had pleasauter little
home ihan John Stephens but what have
| DOW TO leave, or come back to p and this,
DJctor, is what be ended up wiih,-
Kate says be, you arc nothing more
nor less than drunkard and in the sight
OF Cod, more culpablo than most of the men
who s;agger through the streets because
Tue maj lri'y of those poor devils have some
SORT Of an excuse fox their conduct and you
haven't the slightest You have luxuri-
Gus home, husband doiog his level best to
make you happy-everything under the
10 70 ~
VII persist in swlIing tea Yes, Doctor,
sT"l"y was the word he used-bo hoo
hoo Oh dear me to think | should ever
nave lived to have heard such dreadful Lam
suage out Of my husbands mouth; aud
then says he-'and making me "a misera-
bic wretch as talks the Garth
Petty plain talk interrupted the Doc
tor, with shrug of his broad shoulders.
On yes sohbed the victim, aud so aw-
fully course s unkjn1. III had had spell,
and died there before bis very face, don't
believe he would have cared snap Of bis
Angor. | tell you, Doctor Ellis, there is
such thing as n mans getting hardcued'
'Egjdanily,' replied tho physician, with
l'c'nicitm absolutely painful.
But my husband has nothing in the
world to trouble him but just my poor
health; and am sure / can't hslr that
Iuis remark was moro in answerto her com.
p'nl2n'5 tone and m1noer, than the one
single word that had accidentally escaped
his lips, and this the Doctor felt
Anybody would think, by the way he
C9ea on continued tho irate woman, chat
cul'yed myself with spasms, and cramps,
and limiting f's. Anybody would think il
II IH n o. ~