The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-02-25


has Welsh blood in his veins; the Welsl
always she everything"
The boy returned, saying, "the doctor
wasn't at home, sir, but left your name
on the slate"
In the course of the afternoon, as / lay
upon the sofa, with my hand pressed upor
my heart, to still its irregular pulsations
there was soft tap at my door, "Comt
I'M" called out and to my surprise il
came the neatest, brightest, most Cheerful
looking little woman it had ever been my
lot to meet.
"You sent for me, / believe, sir ?" sht
said in brisk, pleasant way.
SIR No, madam, you are laboring under
a mistake" replied.
"Ah! l beg pardon" said the little wo
man, II found on my slate the name of Mr.
Hubs, No. IA, Mrs. Grey's boarding house
with q request that would I call and see
him."
"Your slate madam ~ exclaimed, my
establishment increasing every moment
you surely are not a."
physician Eyes, sir" she interrupted
quickly "I'm physician-Dr. Todd"
"Ex- ira ordinary 7" was all could say, for
though had heard of them before, this
was my first introduction to female prac.
titioner of the Esculapian art 1t was
rather awkward, but since she had come,
| determined to make the best of it, and
acquaint the lady doctor with my case.
She felt my pulse, asked numerous ques-
tions as to my symptoms, and then in her
| quick, bright way, exclaimed, "Nervous
nervous that's all, depend upon it. Ex-
cuse me, sir, but by the air of your room,
| suppose you are much given to smoking?"
To this pleaded guilty. Sand how many
cigars do you usually smoke in a day ?"
was her next inquiry.
l could not answer this question but
I informed my lady phy sician that as soon
as l had smoked one cigar l usually took
another.
"Humph !" said she, with toss of her
little head, ga cigar in your mouth nearly
the whole of the day And | presume"
She added, "you sit up late; smoking all
the time 2"
Eyes, ma'am, smoking and reading" l
replied.
"That's it," said the physician mo
disease of the heart at all, sir !; nothing but
tobacco. It will make you fancy any
thing it will drive you crazy, if you don't
take care. Now, will you promise to fol-
low my advice closely If not, will take
my leave immediately" promised, sub
missivc as a lamb. "In the first place,
then" said she, "throw away all your
cigars, and promise to buy no more"
With sigh given to my sole consola-
ton, said l would do as she directed.
Many more directions she gave me as to
diet, exercise, early hours, etc. Perhaps
she saw, too, that cheerful companionship
was something needed, so she remained
awhile, talking with great glee and spirit
about matters and things in general and
promising to call and see me the next
morning, she lett had not felt so well
for some time; indeed, l had not given
my heart thought since the little woman
entered the room.
The next morning found myself watch
ing impatiently for the arrival of my little
doctor. She came, bright and cheerful as
the day before. What perfect little sun
beam sire was l could not help growing
better under her care and the influence of
her cheering presence, and yet managed
to contrive some ache or pain every day,
as an excuse for the continuance of her
visits.
At length found that my heart, which
had long been quiet and apparently free
from disease, began to tlutter and palpi-
tate again. but | observed it was only
when heard the little woman's tap at my
door, or felt her soft fingers on my wrist
In short, as she had driven the disease out
of my heart, that little woman herself had
walked into it. | could no longer blind
myself to the fact; and when she one day
told me that | was now off the sick list,
and out of her hands, / determined that
she should not so easily get out of mine
So told her that as she had now given
ease to my heart in one respect, she must
not leave till she had done so in another,
or should he worse off than was before.
The little woman looked perplexed.
Then stated my case, and explained
my symptoms second time, showing her
the distressed state of my heart, and told
her that she alone could cure it. The for
mer disease she had removed by an occa-
sional visit the latter could only be cur
ed by her promising to take up her abode
with me as a resident physician. She un.
derstood me now, and by the way she
pressed her hand on her own little flutter-
ing heart, one would have thought the
dlseasc was contiguous; ana L verify tnlnk
it was. So now we are determined to cure
each other, and next we are both to apply
to Il clergyman who is to form between us
a life partnership as a lawyer and physi-
clan.
But one thing troubles me, of which
had not thought till now-that it isneces
sary to have our cards engraved. Married
people are usually "Mr and Mrs. So-and-
So" or "Mr. Such one and lady," but
will any one tell me how l and my little
wife are to be designated Will it be
"Mr. and DR.. Hubbs," or "Mr. and Mrs.
Hubbs, M. ID. ?" or shall l sink into still
lesser insignificance, and shall we be Or.
Todd and gentleman" or shall drop the
name of Hubbs altogether and become a
Todd, too Will anybody be kind enough
to tell me how to have our cards engraved ?