Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-25

take it doctor is doctor, and it doesn't
matter what the sex is, If the work is
done properly. Does itp At which re-
mark Mrs. Campbell gazed at her SON,
speechless; for she had never heard SO
radical sentiment from his lips during
the whole forty years of his existence
Thus it came about that little Pen
called daily to see her patient-called,
too, long after there was real need, be-
cause he would not give up the pleasure
of seeing her CHEEKY face and feeling
her slim fingers on his arm. Besides he
liked to talk with her. She was SO differ
emit from the fine ladies he was accus-
toned to meet. To him there was q
stronger tonic in her speech than in her
medicine. Her brain was SO clear
and clever. her thought SO quick
and penetrating. He never tried to
adapt mis- conversation to her-thera
was no need. Where he led she could
follow; sometimes close upon his
thought; sometimes protesting igno-
rance of the subject, yet always intelli-
gently. Now and again, too, she led
him in mental paths he had never before
trodden; showed him fresh intellectual
results she had wrought out for herself
in the midst of her over-busy life. Thus
PENS professional visits gradually re-
solved themselves into friendly chats, in
which the mother often took part, and at
last SO far yielded to the strong magnet
ism of the small doctors presence that
she welcomed her with cordially that
would have surprised herself had she
thought about it.
And by reason of these talks John
Campbell came to see and understand
phase of life from which his circum-
stances had shut him away. He learned
also PENS own story, not through any
voluntary confession, but by chance
droppings that gave him key to the
whole. He discovered in plying amaze
ment how, just as she was entering on
womanhood, her father had died, a1dle
next to nothing for her mother, an inva-
lid brother and herself to live upon
how she saw she must take the mans
place in the family and be its head and
support; how she had tried to sew, to
teach, to sell goods over a counter, and
could in neither way earn enough to sus-
tain herself, much less those dependent
on her; how she finally determined to
study medicine, and had gone without
food to buy books, had gone nearly in
rags to pay for her tuition; how when
her examination had passed she began to
practice and at last won for those she
loved and cared for comfortable home
and the means to keepit so.
And hearing all this, and rejecting
upon it, John Campbell developed into a
nobler and better man. His ideas
changed, his theories broadened, his ex-
back over his forty luxurious years. and
~ fhsyn accommodated n
sacrifice rendered, not struggle made
which was comparable in any degree
with what this little woman, with her
fine presence and exquisite manners, had,
all unaided, accomplished, sacrificed,
struggled for Then he grew very hum
BILE. In the fullness of his heart he said /:
my friend, believe in my whole life
have never done anything for any human
being. have lived among my books,
and with few friends no wiser than
as to what life really is. If you would
only help me / should like to do some
good in the future" And then and there
they made solemn compact to help one
another to help their fellows.
They kept the compact. PENS wise
little head planned new ways to aid the
poor and sick and unfortunate, for whom
she always had kind of feeling of kin
ship, and Johns wealth and abundant
leisure were willing tributaries to her
projects. But of all the people they as
sisted none received more genuine help
than they from one another. She led
him to knowledge OF human suffering,
to higher belief in human worth. He
gave her a whole side of existence which
she had never before come near, though
her soul longed passionately for it: the
world of art and culture he opened to
her he fed her intellect with the food it
had ever hungered for.
If they had been younger they would
have seen sentimental danger in all this
near companionship. AS 1t was it would
be lard to tell which of them was the
more astonished when one day, after
they had been discussing some fresh
scheme of benevolence, John Campbell
suddenly laid his hand on the small doc
tors shoulder and said, quickly: "Little
Pen, will you be my wlfef"
This was the one precipitate thing he
had ever done. Ten minutes previous
nothing had been further from his mind
than asking anybody to be his wife, least
of all this energetic little creature, who
trotted about in all weathers, always
CHEEKY and hopeful, trying to make peo-
pie better than she had found them.
But the words uttered, there came into
his consciousness such wealth of love
for her, such a desire to take her out
and away from the hard path she was
treading SO bravely, that he waited
breathlessly for her words. They came
slowly. He could feel her trembling
under his hand Her smooth cheeks
flushed family.
"Your wife, Mr.. Csmpbell?" she said,
softly, as if she could not realize the inn
port Of his speech.
"Yes, my wife, Pen, he repeated, eager
ly, covering both her hands, which sought
to hide her eyes, with one of his. "Why
should you not be my wife, my darlings
You have been my friend, my com.
panion, my helpmate. All that have
ever done that was worth doing has been
at your instigation and with your aid
1t only remains that you should be my
wife. Tell me, dear, that you will not
fail me now when most need you
But am SO old, john" happily un-
conscious of the confession made in the
use of his name. 81 am past thirty, you
know" coloring reddest red; and I'm
not nrpttv and I don't know auvthinU