Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-12-05
A. WASHINGTON TERRITORY SATURDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 1884,
A STRANGE STORY.

The Graphic of Oct. 9Th contains the
following singular story, which is
vouched for as authentic: 4t n ruait
q A very strange story was told to me
the other day. In town not far from
London there lived young lady who
was handsome, tolerably wealthy, and
more than usually we'll educated Her
father was an invalid; her mother was
IN insipid, cold and heartless woman.
Two years ago q physician of London
was called to attend the father; in this
way the lady saw him. He paid no at
tention to her--his mind was engrossed
by his professional duties. A few weeks
ago this doctor, after paying visit to
his patient, was surprised by being
asked by the young lady to give her
private interview. She took him into
tho drawing room and led him to the
further end of the apartment. Doc
tor" said she, 50 suppose that gentle
men of your profession are accustomed
to receive strange condolences. l have
confession to make to you" He sup
posed that the impending confession
had something to do with her own health
or with that of her father, and begged
her to. proceed. "You will, however,
be scarcely prepared for what l am
about to say" she continued, but I
wish you to hear it, it is just now two
years since first saw you. / am not
mistaken in believing that you are un-
married ?" . y
"No," said he, g. am not married"
"And your affections are not en-
gagged ?" o., l'.- .
You scarcely have right to ask
that" .a. 50. .r .t
"Well, then, / will not ask it, but /
must make to you my confession. Ilove
you with all my heart. l wish you to
marry me. said to myself, 1 will
wait for two years-if he then speaks to
me l will know what to say. You have
not spoken; and now I speak. I say
I love you with all my heart; you are
necessary for me; will you marry mo ?"
The doctor, who, although not very
old man, was twice the age of the young
lady, recovering little from his sur
prise, tried to turn the matter off as a
joke; but the young lady was very seri-
Gus. -..at 81 u.t - .flpr,i
g No, said she, /" I am in sober ear
nest. / know all you may say or think
as to tho indelicaoy OF my proposal, but
I cannot help it, ask you once more
can you love me, and will you marry
me?" .ul .,' 'l'- :.
In sober earnest then," he replied,
/" can not marry YOU
J" Then I shall die," said she very
calmly, and she left the room.
The doctor had heard people say be-
fore this they should die, aud he left
the house without attaching much I'M
portance to tho prophecy, although
wondering much at the other part of
the interview. .'''
A few days after this the young lady
was found dead in her bead. Two let
ters laid upon her dressing table. One
was addressed to her family solicitor.
1t recalled to his mind a promis Sc he had
made her. She had gone to see him,
and had asked him to make out for her
a paper transferring the whole of her
property to person whose name she
would not then give him, He was to
prepare the necessary paper and send it
to her to fill up the blanks and sign.
She had done this. and she now inclosed
the paper fled and signed. Every pen
ny OF her property was given to the
doctor, and the solicitor was instructed
to make the transfer to him, to ask no
questions, and to take no receipt. The
other letter was to the doctor. % told
you I should die" she said, and when
you receive this / shall be dead. For
ten days I have taken no food or drink,
but that does not kill me, and now
have taken poison. have no reproach
to make to you, but I could not live
without your love. When I am dead
look at my heart. You will see your
name there. have two requests to
make of you. Go to my solicitor, and
take what he has for you, and then 90
off for few months. The other re-
quest is that you never ask where am
buried, and never come to my grave"
There was q post-mortem exaimina-
ton made of the. young lady's body,
On her breast, over her heart, deeply
imprinted in the flesh, were the initials
of the doctors name. The characters
seemed to have been made there two or
three years before. They were probably
imprinted by her own hands on the day
she first saw him. ..r
t. --------> - - - -
Avery practical sermonizer made
these remarks on the soul-saving ques-
ton: "My brethren. man connot
afford to lose his soul. He's got but
one, and he can't get another. If q
man loses his horse, he can get another;
if a man loses his wife, he can get an
other; if man loses his child he can
get another. But If he loses his soul
goodbye, John!' I-l.o e''r u
"Sir" said an astonished landlady
to traveller who had sent his cup for