Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-02-05
5fiscellamu.
A Strange Fascination.

there lived a young lady, handsome,
wealthy and more than usually well ed
ucated. Her father was an invalid, her
mother was cold and heartless.
Two years ago a physician was called
to attend her father; in this way the
young lady saw him. The doctor paid
no attention to her-his mind was en-
crossed with professional duties. A few
weeks ago this doctor was somewhat sur
prised by being asked by the young lady
to give her the favor of private inter
view. She took him into drawing
room.
Doctor" said she, Il suppose that
gentlemen of your profession are accus-
toned to receive strange condolences. |
have confession to make to you"
He supposed that the impending con-
fession had something to do with the
state of her own health or with that of
her father and he begged her to proceed.
"You will, however, be scarcely pre-
pared for what am about to say" she
continued; "but wish you to hear it.
1t is now just two years since | first saw
you. You have scarcely ever exchanged
word with me, but | have learned
much about you. | am not mistaken in
believing that you are unmarried 2"
"No," said he, " am not married"
"And your affections are not en-
gaged2"
f" You scarcely have the right to ask
that" said he.
"Well, then," she replied, "I will
not ask it; but | will make you my con-
fession. | love you with all my heart. /
wish you to marry me. | have loved
you from the first moment saw you. ]
said to myself, l will wait for two years;
if then he speaks to me / will know
what to say You have not spoken, and
now | speak. | say love you with all
my heart; you are necessary for me
will you marry me?"
The doctor, who although not a very
old man, was twice the age of the young
lady, recovering little from his surprise,
tried to turn the matter off as Joke
but the young lady was very serious.
NO." said she, "I am in very sober
earnest. 1 know all that you may say
or think as to the indelicacy of my pro-
posal, but l cannot help it. ask you
once more, can you love me, and will
you marry me ?"
" In sober earnest, then," he replied,
Il cannot marry you"
"Then l shall die," she said, very
calmly, and left the room.
The doctor had heard people say be-
fore that they should die, and he left the
house without attaching very much i'm
portance to the prophecy.
A few days after this the young lady
was found dead in her bed. Two letters
laid upon her dressing table. One was
addressed to her family solicitor.
Every penny of her property was Civ
en- to the doctor, and the solicitor was
instructed to make the transfer to him.
to ask no questions and take no receipt.
The other letter was to the doctor. 81
told you l should die, and when you re-
ceive this / shall be dead For ten days
| 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 could not live without your
love. When / 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 go off on holiday to
Italy for few months. The other re-
quest is that you never ask where | am
buried, and never come to my grave"
There was post-mortem examination
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 be-
fore. They were probably imprinted by
her own hand on the day when she first
saw him.