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


had increased, till the third John could
not have told within small fortune the
extent of his patrimony. Conse-
ouently. to work from necessity
and for money was q condition as foreign
to his consciousness as the life of q
slave. He had certain notion of men, fol-
lowing profession or engaging in bust
ness; but that woman should ever labor
for pay was an anomaly he found diff
cult to reconcile with his belief in an
overriding Providence. The Campbell
women had never worked. They had
been swathed in richest vestments, had
lain on rose petals from their birth, and
when they had married-as Mr.. Camp
bell believed it every woman's duty 10
do-they mad gone rarely lowered to
their husbands homes. Therefore, while
he admitted that the lower classes of
women might be forced to labor for their
own support, yet that woman in his
own rank should be compelled to be her
own bread-winner he could scarcely COM
prehend. TWAS bad enough that women
should be washerwomen, seamstresses,
teachers, these caliings might be tolerated,
since they belonged to the legitimate
sphere of the sex. But from woman
who should so far forget herself as to
study profession-a mans profession
John CampbelPs soul recoiled in holy
horror. That is to say, he recoiled from
the idea OF it, for, to his knowledge, he
had never come in contact with SO cpl
Gene q creature.
Thus it was quite natural that he
should shrink from the possibility that
that low-voiced, brownhaired little lady,
who had impressed him more in half an
hour than all the women he had known,
could be aught SO unfeminine as ply.
stefan.
He could not help thinking about her,
despite his strongest effort; and his aris-
tocratic mother, who presided over his
table aud in his drawing-room, observed
that he was singularly silent at dinner
that day.
A fortnight later Mr.. Campbell had
nearly forgotten his feminine puzzle, as
he took his afternoon stroll through the
avenue. The day was clear, sharp and
wintry, growing colder hourly, and glaz-
ing the walks with thin, treacherous
covering where the water had stood in
the morning. Pedestrianism was rapidly
getting dangerous, and pedestrians were
as rapidly disappearing from the street.
Absorbed in his own thoughts, the much
sought bachelor failed to notice the slip
periness of the pavements until, just as
he came to a crossing, his daintily- booted
feet described large segment of cir
Gle, and, to his immense establishment, he
found himself seated in the gutter, with
pain in his wrist severe enough to draw
an exclamation from his lips. Picking
himself up, he looked about for car
riage. No vehicle of any sort being with
in hailing distance, however, he was
obliged, perforce, to get himself home as
best he could. When he was once more
by his own fireside his wrist hurt him
intensely, and he dispatched servant
for the nearest physician. The man
dashed unsuccessfully through two or
three blocks, and at last modest sign,
p. BROWN, M. D.,
stared straight into his face from the bal
cony Of plain little house in side street.
Ringing the bell furiously, he inquired,
Is DR.. Brown at homer"
SAT home, but engaged. Will be at
liberty in few minutes"
Tell DR.. Brown to call at No. 90
street Immediately, to dress sprain."
Then the man rushed back to his mas
ter to inform him that DIR. Brown, Of
street, would attend him at once. On the
heels of this statement came tap at the
door and the servant announced: "The
doctor, sir!' with so questioning an en-
phasis that Mr.. Campbell turned hastily
toward the entrance and beheld--a
woman! Not only woman, but the
woman who had been battling his pene-
tration for the past weeks. He was be-
wildered. Roguishness twinkled in the
brown eyes, belying the sober mouth, as
she said, with semi business air: "Pen-
elope Brown, M. D., at your service,
sir!'
ct had no idea DR.. Brown was 49,"
stammered the patient, more thoroughly
i'll at ease than he could remember ever
being.
"A woman, you were going to say,
sir. presume not. Nor should have
ventured to come here had not your
messenger departed from my house be-
fore he could be informed of the fact.
will 60 away now, unless you are suffer.
ing SO much that you desire to have me
look at the injury" with just sugges-
tion of sarcasm in the tones.
"By--by no means" interposed Mr..
Campbell, hastily. II should be obliged
to you If you would examine it at once.
1t has already swelled good deal and is
very painful;" and he turned back his
sleeve, barring the puffy, discOlored
wrist.
1t must be admitted that while those
slender, delicate hands were softly feel
ing the hurt, soothing the pain with their
cool, swift touch, Mr.. Campbell's preju-
dices against women who unsex them
selves by following profession were
rapidly evaporating. BY the time the
sprain was carefully dressed and the un-
lucky arm resting on low cushion he
was almost taking credit for having
called this deft-fngered woman-so prone
is human nature to feiicitate itself on
happy accidents-in place of some IRON
handed man, who would have done his
work with half the delicscy and not q
whit better.
~ think" said DIR. Brown, rising and
putting her shawl about her shoulders,
proudly determined he should have her
no more unless he chose to. "that your
servant, who has watched me closely,
can dress the sprain properly hereafter,
and that 1t will be unnecessary for me to
come again. You think YOU can, do you
not?" turning toward the valet, who,
transfxed with horror at the whole pro-
ceeding, had never lifted his ewes from