The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-02-11

Doctor was delighted, and such an
honest face it was that he carried
round with him from door to door,
from sunrise to sunset, every day in
the year, that it was a mighty hard
matter to keep it from betrayal of
the whole purpose.
Mrs. Stephens" said he, you
have no cause to be alarmed. If [
can only get your cooperation in
the business, I feel certain that I
shall be able to make a we'll man OF
your husband in q few months, al
the longest; but as true as I sit
here before you, I cannot do this
alone"
'Why have I not been informed
of this before ?" broke in Mrs. Ste
phens, imperiously.
"Who was there to info1a you,
madam Your husband does not
know his condition, and I 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, I should
think you ought to have under
stood that my own health and COM
fort are nothing, compared to my
husbands" Mrs. Stephens was
weeping again. ':There is no sac
rifce I would not make for him."
"Cu.ious creatures" muttered
the Doctor "delightful bundles of
contradictions! How the mischief
was I to know, Mrs. Stephens, how
much you care for your husband?
I am sure you spent the last half
hour complaining about him. Is
that the way women generally testi.
! fy their regard for their husbands"
"Oh, don't, Doctor Ellis, please
don't, pleaded the terrified woman.
Il will never complain again-nev-
er-if you will only let me know
what I can do for him. Do you
know, Doctor, I had begun to think
lately that something must be amiss
with him, he was growing SO irrita
bic. Poor dear! how wicked and
thoughtless I have been"
''This, then, is the trouble. I
shall take it for granted, Madam,
that you know something about
physiology, and can follow ME vita
out difficulty"
''Oh, yes-yes, for mercys sake,
go on"
every we'll, I find that the peri
cardium-"
"The pelicardium ?" repeated
Mrs. Stephens.
"You know what that is"
Evidently Mrs. Stephens anatom-
ical knowledge was limited. She
shook her head in despair. "Some-
thing about the heart, isn't it?" she
asked at last.
"Yes, the pericardium is the
membranous sac that holds the
he.rt. Well, sometimes this sac
it is no matter about particulars,
Mrs. Stephens" and Doctor Ellis
suddenly came to a stand still.
"It is enough, though, for me to
say that we are both passably anx-
ious that this heart should remain
where it belongs. Mr.. Stephens
must be amused. He wants the op-
era, the lecture, the social circle, en-
tertaining books-a happy home
music. You play and sing, do you
not, Mrs. Stephens?"
"Oh yes-I used to-" and Mrs.
Stephens tones were so pitiful now,
that big Doctor Ellis really was
obliged, to wipe both his eyes and
his nose. Before he was aware, the
lachrymal duct had got the upper
hand. well, try it again; get q
teacher, and go to practicing."
':But how am I 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 I doing my best in my
way, we may be able to subdue
them but you must remember
this, madam-do not let Mr.. Ste
phens have the faintest suspicion
that you think ANYTHING is the mat
ter with him; and above all, do not
treat him like an invalid. Just
amuse him, and all that, just as you
used to when you were first mar
ried.
Another series of sobs from Mrs.
Stephens.
The Doctor arose to go. His pa
tient had entirely forgotten that be
had left no prescription.
"About tea, Doctor?'' she asked,
as he prepared to lesve. DO you
think livery hurtful?"
'.As an occasional tonic, I have no
objections to tea: but as a daily bev-
erage, madam, it is an invention of
tho devil Good 1,oon.n;,nor" -"