The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-09-29
Selref Storp.
THE STORY OF A PHI L
SICIAN'S WIFE.

SICIAN'S WIFE.
Il have heard # Ie7sons whose hair
was white ned through excessive fear,
bu; ~ never saw myself any ole so
affected | am disposed TO be credulous
on the subject"
The above remark sas made TO DIR.
Maynard rs we sat on the piazza of bis
pretty villa discussing the different
effects of terror on dissimilar tempera-
rents Without replying to ne, the
doctor turned to his wife and said
Helen, will you please relate to my
old friend the incident within your
own experience. 1t is the most con-
vincing argument | can advance"
looked at Mrs Maynard in surprise.
| had observed that her hair, which
was luxuriant and dressed very becom-
ingly, was purely colorless, but as she
was young woman, and also a very
pr.tty one, surnised that II was pow
dered to heighten the briIliancy of her
fine dark eyes.
The doctor and had been friends
and fellow students, but after leaving
college we had drifted apart, | 20 CON-
inence practice in an Eastern city, lie
TO pursue his profession in a growing
town in the West. l was now On a
visit 70 him for first time since his
marriage.
Mrs. Maynard, 20 doubt, reading
my supposition by my look of in
credulity, smiled as she shook down
her snowy tresses over her shoulders,
and seating herself by her husbands
side, related the following episode:
1T is now nearly two years ago.
since my husband was called on, one
evening, to visit patient several miles
away. Our domestics had all gone to
wake in tie vicinity, the dead man
being n relative of one of our serving
women. Thus | was left alone. But
felt no fear, for We never had heard |
Of burglars or any sort of desperadoes
in our quiet village, then consisting OF
few scattering houses. The windows
leading out On the piazza were open
as now, but l secured the bl nds be-
fore my husbands departure, and
locked the outside doors, all except
,,t,,.l, I l.Ft T. 1oo
tor to lock after going cut, So that if l
should fall asleep before lis return he
could enter without arousirs me. !
heard the doctors rapid footstep On
the gravel, quickened by the urgent
tones of the messenger, who awaited
him, and after the sharp rattle of car
riage wheels had become but an echo,
l seated myself by the parlor astral
and soon became absorbed in the book
| had been reading before being dis
turbed by the summons. But after "a
time ny interest succombed to drows
iness, and thought OF retiring, when
{ le clock in the doctors study adjoin- I
ing the parlor struck twelve; so | der
10 wait few moments more,
feeling that lie would be home now (
very sooh. | closed my book, donned
a robe de chambre, let down my hair,
AID then returned TO my seat to pa
tiently wait ard listen. Not the faint
est sound disturbed the stiffness Of the
night. Not breath of air stirred the
leaf. The silence was so profound
that it became oppressive. loDged &
for the sharp click Of the gait ZACH and
the well-known step on the gravel
walk. | did not dare 20 break the G
hush myself by moving or singing, |
vas so oppressed by the deep stiffness.
The human mind is strange torturer I
Of itself. began to conjure up vivid |
fancies about ghostly visitants, in the
mi.ist of which occurred to me the c
stories i had heard from superstiTiOus
people about the troubled spirits of
hose who had died suddenly, like "
nan whom my servants had gone to
wake, who had been killed by an ac- ii
.ident at the saw mill In the midst II
If these terrifying reflections | was IL
tartled by stealthy football on the
piazza. ! listened between fear and W
nope 1t might be the doctor. But IL
10, he would not tread like that; the o
tep was too soft and cautious for any g
hing less willy than cat As listen ft
ID again my eyes were fixed on the
window blind. | saw the Stats move r,
lowly aud softly, and then the rays of II
he moon disclosed Il thin, cadaverous 8,
ace and bright, glittering eyes peering W
t me. Oh, horror. who was it? ra
Tbat was irl felt the cold prespira b;
ion start at every pore. | seemed to &C
e frozen in my chuir. | could not
Iove, could not cry out; my tongue -,
aemed glued to the roof of my mouth, W
7hile the deathly white face pressed ct
loser, and the great sunken eyes wan oi
cred in their gaze about the room. oe
n lew moments the blind closed as 70
AZ it had been opened, and pr
lie cautious footstep came toward the ID
oor. 'Merciful heaven' cried, in a -
orror stricken whisper as | heard the do
ey turn in the lock, the doctor, in III
is haste, nInst have forgotten to with ha
raw the key =.
''God forgive me!" circulated DIR. 81
Iayrard, interrup:ing his wife, and vi
'okiBg far more excited than Size. 81 pu
IN never forgiv- myself for such a
loughtless act Please proceed, my a.
ear" an
Il heard the front door open. the tn
ep in the hall, and helpless as statue
still sat riveted to my chair. The
lrlor door WAS open, and in Il stood II.
tall, thin man, whom | bad never all
held before, He was dressed in A
ng, loose robe, a sort OF gaberdina. 81,
I'd a black velvet skull cap partially
,ncealed a broad forehead, under pii
~ til which cleaned black eyes, bright an ..
living Goals, and placed 20 near TO rel
.ther that their gaze was p-rternat bo
ral in its directness; heavy griZzled
,elids hung over them like the tangled ~
are of lion; the nose was sharp n =,
Id prominent, and the chin was over liza
OWE with white hair, which hung til
,wn in locks weird as the ancient III nv
arinar's H.. nnIifeIy doffei his can :,