The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-15
MRS. STEPHENS. PERICARDIUM
The Cure of More Patients than One.

"Now am going to tell you just VIVA
my husband said to Inc this morning, Doc
tor, word for word,' and the invalid, Mrs
Stephens, lay back on the sofa pillow, thu
very picture of misery. The family ply 81
Stephens mansion three hundred and sixty
times year, drew chair close to the
couch and waited quietly for his patient tc
open her book of complaints.
''Last night, you see, Doctor, had an
i'll turn, ard he wanted to come for you
but when got so he dared leave me, he
concluded then we'd better let you sleep.
"Much obliged to him." said the Doctor
with sarcastic emphasis on the pronoun.
Last night was the first undisturbed nights
rest | enjoyed for week."
Mrs. Stephens continued
"This spell is the same as had the last
time you were sent for, Doctor"
ga slight nervous attack" broke IN the
physician "nothng more"
"Well, it don't make any difference what
you call it, it was mighty bard to bear; but
let me tell you what my husband said, first,
Doctor, before we go into symptoms.
When he was going down to breakfast. he
says to me, "Kate, what shall l send up ?"
Says l, don't want anything in the
| world but good strong cup of tea. Tell
Bridget to send it up in a little teapot. l
saw, Doctor, that he didn't move after l
said this, SO turned and looked up at him,
and such picture of rage and disgust l
never saw in my life. Finally, says he,
you are the color OF CLlnaInun now.
Why don't you order a good piece of beef.
steak and slice of brown bread and cup
OF chocolate? That would be a sensible
breakfast"
But, john says l, you forget that l
am sick and have no appetite l was all
ready to cry, but | was determined that he
shouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing the
tears fall
"' Forget said he, "forget? wish to
heaven | could forget. It's nothing but
grunt and groan from one years end to the
other. | have lost all patience with YOU"
says he. ''When we lived in a part of a
house, and you did your own homework,
you were as well and happy as anybody,
and no man ever had a pleasanter little
home than John Stephens; but what have
now to leave or come back to ?" and this,
doctor, is what he ended up with:
Kate, says he, you are nothing more
nor less than drunkard, and in the sight
of God more culpable than most of the
men who stagger through the streets, be-
cause the majority of these poor devils
have some sort of an excuse for their con-
duct, and you haven't the slightest. You
have luxurious home, husband doing
his level best to make you happy-every-
thing under the light of the sun 10 please
you, and yet you will persist in swilling
tea Yes, doctor, 'swilling' was the word
he used-boo hoo hoo o dear me to
think should everh have lived to have heard
such dreadful language out of my hus-
bands mouth and then he says, 'and
making me as miserable wretch as walks |
the earth.
"Pretty plain talk, interrupted the doc |
tor, with a shrug of his broad shoulders.
80, yes" sobbed the victim "and so aw- |
fully course and unkind. If had had a |
spell and died there before his very face, | |
don't believe he would have cared snap
of his finger. l tell you, DR.. Ellis, there
is such thing as a mans getting hard
ended
"Evidently," replied the physician, with
a laconicism absolutely painful.
''But my husband has nothing in the
world to trouble him but lust my poor
health; and am sure | cant help that"
This remark was more in answer to her
tone and manner, than the one
single word that had accidentally escaped
lis lips, and this the doctor felt.
Anybody would think by the way he
,oes on, continued the irate woman, THAT
enjoyed myself with spasms and cramps,
md fainting fits. Anybody would think it
vas pleasure to me to feel, every time
&c funeral procession, as if the hearse
vas going to stop at our door next. o,
es such life is very enjoyable, very,
indeed"
DR.. Ellis took no notice of these last
lords the mans eyes grew luminous, and
is whole face declared that he considered
imself master of the situation and if Mrs
tephens had not been SO entirely taken up
nth her own ailments, mental and physi-
al, that honest countenance would have |
etrayed him.
fou say, he began, settling himself a
| the large easy chair, and assuming a
strictly professional air, "that your
usband has nothing to trouble him but v
our health how do you know that, Mrs.
tephens ?" 9
"How !? Why, how do l know anything? '
y the evidence of my senses. Don't l
now that John Stephens has a splendid Il
lsiness that looks after itself, magnifi-
mt income, and money enough to live on n
re interest, as well as a family need to o
We, ii he never entered his Office again o
lille he has breath p a
"But money isn't everything, Mrs. Ste p
lens, proceeded the physician, with a o
'lmness almost mephistophellan. "How
,out health, madam ?"
Health p repeated the lady with a al
nile she intended to be sarcastic to the a.
st degree "Health DR.. Ellis Why y
ere is not a healthier or sounder man m
an my husband in the United States p
g eats more in one meal than do in three ~ y,
onths." d,
"There is nothing the matter with your Ia
islands stomach, Mrs. Stephens" DR..
lis shaded his face with his hand, and
lifted further developments. Mrs. Ste