Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-03-07
THE STORY OF A KISS.


"You wish to see me, Doctor p
II did, Miss Dallas, and upon
very serious matter. Pardon me if
appear to be meddling with your Sc.
crets I do it only to save fellow.
creatures life"
The young woman's face flushed
during these remarks, but paled when
he spoke so gravely. He continued:
Three weeks ago / was called to
the bedside of Harry Gilman, and
found him prostrated with a brain fe-
yer. | saw at the outset that the case
was a desperate one, but hoped that
care and skill might bring him through.
From that day until this l have been
almost constant in my yattendance upon
him; have battled with the disease
inch by inch, and striven with what
skill I had at command to save him.
EARLY in my attendance saw there
was some dreadful disappointment be-
meath his malady, if not the cause of
his prostration. In the hours that his
mind wandered, your name was con-
stantly on his tongue. His sister told
me, in answer to my questions, that
Harry was deeply and truly in love
with you, but that an estrangement
has come between you lately; and |
think this blow has been the one that
brought him under my care. Tonight
the crisis in this disease will be reach
ed. and tonight will answer our ques-
tions as to whether he will live or die.
Without any help but such as / can
render him he may be saved; but
mans life is too great a jewel to trife
with, and we feel if you would but
help us we could surely save him.
Will you consent to assist us ?"
"What could do?"
1.-The plan | have marked out in my
mind is simply this, he said. About
midnight he will arouse from his present
stupor, and in the next ten minutes
his fate will be decided. The main
point will be to have him make an eff
fort for his own life. Should he try to
live his chances will be among the
best; should he make no such effort,
we might with stimulants carry him
beyond danger; but if at that moment
he recalls the past, and despondently
sinks under it, no power under heaven
but you can save him"
And what would you have me do p
Just this, Miss Dallas if, when he
awakens, he is hopeful and remembers
nothing of his disappointment, we will
not need you at all. But should he
begin to sink, the sight of you would
save him."
But how?"
"We could pretend you had recalled
your decision of few weeks age"
"Oh, that would be horriblel l
could never do that"
Not to save a mans life?" he asked,
solemnly.
"He would not thank me for saving
his life by such mockery," she said.
why. l might have to say that l
love him, might not?"
not? ?"
"Oh, I could not do it?"
"Yes."
"Not even to save his life?"
You said that before" she said,
"but not even for that could l do
this thing. Harry and l have ever
been dear friends. | never fancied
that he could love me until he sur
prised me by his avowal, and then |
told him it could not be. How could
| stand at his bedside now and say
that l loved himI No, no, it cannot
be. Think of some other plaD."
Il have thought of all ways, Miss
Dallas. | may not have to ask you to
do this thing that you dislike so much,
unless in the contingency | spoke of.
I will not say to you what you ought
to do, my dear young lady, but prom
ise you, if | am compelled to ask your
assistance, that l will explain the
whole matter to Harry, just as it is,
and give him correct report and un-
derstanding of your part in it. D"
But how could l ever meet him
again ?"
1t will be no harder then than it is
now. And | have no doubt Harry
will leave the place if he recovers."
would be glad to help you, Doc
tor, but this would seem like profanity
to me"
1T is to save fellow creatures
life, and be all the blame on me-"
Il wish could do it, but what an
awful thing it is for girl TO do?'
81 can appreciate your hesitation,
and yet, if you were my daughter |
would say it was your duty to do it"
Thank you for saying that, Doctor;
it decides me. | will do what you
ask"
Thanks; l will call for you this
evening, and explain your part to you.
Later in the night there gathered
around the bed of the sick man his
mother and sisters, the doctor and
Kate Dallas. The doctor had explain
ed to the others the part he had per-
suaded Kate to act, if it should be
necessary, and they had thanked her
over and over for consenting. They
sat near each other; the mothers and
sisters wondering in their own hearts
that any girl could know their Harry
and not love him, but yet, they are
women enough to know that love can
not be forced or reasoned.
How is he now, Doctor?' the
mother whispered, and his reply,
There is no change" They await
the slow turning of another hour, and
then the sleeper makes some move
ments with his lips, and the doctor,
bending over, catches the word,
Kate, but he does not tell it to the
others. By and by there is another
movement, and the doctor beckons
them out of the room.
I" In quarter of an hour more he
will awaken" he says. You, Mrs.
Gilman and Ruth will stand near me
be ready to catch the first question he
asks and answer it. Miss Dallas, you
will stand at the door and come if |
speak to you, and act as / have told
you before. If we are prompt and
careful, and God wills it, we will save
his life.
The mother and sisters step softly
back to the bedside, and the doctor,
reading the tremor in Kate's eyes,
waits to speak with her.
You will not have to say a word,
Miss Dallas. / will play the tyranni-
cal doctor to perfection and save you,
as we'll as quiet any apprehension that
comes to his mind. God bless you u
Itwas no common case with Doctor
Brown, this attendance on Harry Gill
man. When he came to Melville, a
poor, unknown graduate, seeking to es-
tablish himself and earn his daily
I.oaI IL mar Harry Gilmnn'S fathar