The Cecil Whig., 1874-05-23
smile she intended to be sarcastic to the

.
months
"There is nothing the matter with you
/ husbands stomach, Mrs. Stephens" Doc
tor Ellis shaded his face with his hand
and waited further developments. Mrs
Stephens mistook this attempt at forced
concealment for emotion, and immediatel,
assuming a sitting posture, brushed he
| eyes, and looked piercingly into her com
/ panion's face.
"Why do you accent the word stomach,
so strongly, Doctor Ellis - she inquired il
anxious tones. Mrs. Stephens was forget
, ting herself, and this the Doctor hailed a:
an excellent omen.
"Only that l might make you under
stand that mans digestion could be mos
unexceptionable, and yet, he be far from
sound in other directions
"Then you mean to tell me that my hus
baud is SICK
al do
Perhaps you will 60 still further and
say dangerously ~
So If you desire it,
"Ob, Doctor Ellis, how cold and unfeel
| ing you are l should think you ought to
know by this time and just here Mrs.
Stephens broke down entirely, and sobbed
as if her heart would break.
"Ought to know what, Mrs. Stephens -
inquired the Doctor, with uncalled fol
deliberation.
lou ought to know-to know-that
my-my husbands health and life are of a
good deal more consequence to me than my
own
"Ah indeed interrupted the physician,
with an elevation of the bushy eyebrows,
immensely suggestive Of contrary opin-
ion, as well as several very excellent rea-
sons for said opinion.
doctor Ellis, will you be kind enough
to tell me what's the matter with my hus-
band ~
Mrs. Stephens was now on her feet
tears all wiped away, eyes flashing with
resentful spirit, and only the little quiver
of her lip, to show how deep wound the
kind heart in her bosom had sustained.
There she stood, reproachful, defiant, de-
termined, womanly. The Doctor was de-
lighted, and such an honest face it was,
that he carried around with him from door
to door, from sunrise to sunset, every day
in the year, that it was mighty hard mat
ter to keep 1t from an immediate betrayal
of the whole purpose.
"Mrs. Stephens" said he, "you have no
cause to be alarmed. If can only get
your cooperation in this, | feel certain l
shall be able to make well man of your
husband in few months, at the longest;
but, as true as I sit here before you, can
not do this alone"
"Why have l not been informed of this
before?" broke in Mrs. Stephens imperi-
ously.
"Who was there to inform you, madam
Your husband does not know his condition,
and l should really like to be told when
you have been sufficiently calm to hear all
that was necessary for you to know
"But, Doctor Ellis, should think you
ought to have understood that my own
health and comfort are nothing, compared
to my husbands" Mrs. Stephens was
weeping again. "There is no sacrifice
that would not make for him."
"Curious creatures - muttered the doc
tor; "delightful bundles Of contradictions !.
How the mischief should l know, Mrs
Stephens, how much you care for your
husband? / am sure you have spent the
last hour complaining about him. Is that
the way women generally testify their
regard for their husbands ?'
go don't, Doctor Ellis, please don't.
will never complain again-never-if you
will only let me know what can do for
him. Do you know, Doctor, l had begun
to think lately that something must be
amiss with him, he was growing so irrta-
Bile. Poor dear how wicked and thought
less | have treated him."
"This, then, is the trouble. | shall take
it for granted, madam, that you know
something about physiology, and can fol-
low me without difficultys'
"O-yes, for mercy's sake, go on"
every we'll; find that the pericar-
dium-"
"The pericardium 9' repeated Mrs.
Stephens.
"You know what that is, I suppose?"
Evidently Mrs. Stephens anatomical
l,,n,rlaJra lip,itoI Sba Sbnoly bar
head in despair. Something about the
heart is it not ?'' she asked at last.
"Yes, the pericardum is the membra-
neous sac that holds the heart. Well,
sometimes this sac-it is no matter about
particulars, Mrs. Stephens" and DR.. Ellis
suddenly came to a standstill.
at is enough, though. for me to say that
we are both passably anxious that his heart
should remain where it belongs. Mr..
Stephens must be amused. He wants the
opera, the lecture, the social circle, enter
tanning books-a happy home-music.-
You play and sing, do you not, Mrs. Steph-
ems ?''
"Oh yes-I used to-" and Mrs. Steph-
ems tones were so pitiful now that big DR..
Ellis really and truly was obliged to wipe
both his eyes and his nose. Before he was
aware, the lacrymal duct had gotten the
upper hand. Well, try it again; get a
teacher, and go to practising"
'But how am | going to manage my
spasms?" sobbed the lady.
"Well, perhaps between us both-you
using your will power, and thinking of
your husband, going out with him, and
taking care of him-and l doing my best
in my wayne may be able to subdue
them; but you must remember this, mad
am-do not let Mr.. Stephens have the
faintest suspicion that you think anything
is the matter with him; and above all, do
not treat him like an invalid. Just amuse
him, and all that, you know, just as you
used to when you were first married.
Another series of sobs from Mrs. Steph-
ems.
The Doctor arose to go. His patient
had entirely forgotten that he had left no
prescription.
60 A. bnnt tea Doctor ~ she asked as he