The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-12-15
A BLIGHT IN SUMMER.

was not the regular doctor, for til
practice at Burnley belonged to Free
Garnet, an old hospital friend of min
who had taken to a simple country prat
| tice, while had been roaming about tn
world as a surgeon in immigrant ship
and during the Franco-German wal
| We had met after seven years, when
wanted months quiet in the country
| and he had asked me to attend to hi
practice, while he came up to town [
pass degree, for he was hard studying
ambitious fellow.
A man at the door desired me to com
over and see his master, who was dyin
of gout. This was the announcement b,
the servant. Saving that l had beel
consulted about terrible wherritin
pain" in the back of an old 1ady o
seventy-fve, this was my first call.
"There's Miss Kate a-watching fo
u.s."
could see the hutter of white dres
by the gate as we drove on, but my at
tention was too much taken up by the
prettiness of the place, and l was gaping
idly about, thinking nothing of " Mis-
Kate" and her cares, when the gig stop
ped, and jumped down.
Here he is, uncle DEAR" she cried.
Time he was here" exclaimed some
one, with a savage roar.
After giving various little orders
placed the tender leg in an easy posi-
ton, the patient breaking out into flu
rious exclamations the while. Then, by
means of some hoops from a small wooden
tub, l made small gypsy tent over the
limb SO that the coverings did not touch
the exquisitely tender skin, and at the
end of half an hour had the pleasure OF
hearing a sigh of satisfaction, of seeing a
smile steal over the face, which was now
smooth and bedewed with gentle per-
spiration, and directly after, in a drowsy
voice, my patient said:
kitty, my darling, he's a trump
Take him into the next room and apollo
gize to him, and tell him Pm not always
such beast"
He was half asleep already, while /
even in that short hour-I had fallen in
to dream, a dream of love | who haC
never loved before, nor thought of it
but as sickly boy and girl stuff, unworthy
of busy men.
| can not tell you how that day passed
OhlI NdlC AuGGCl hsaO bAOAOO hAS
not to leave her uncle yet and [? was
her slave, and would have done her bid
ding even to the death.
He was soon better, but my visits to
the farm were more frequent than ever
/ went one day as usual, but instead Of
Kate being at the window and running
out to meet me, the old gentleman stood
at the door, looking very angry, and he
at once caught hold of my coat and drag
ged me into the kitchen.
. Is anything wrong?" l said, trem'
bling.
= Yes, lots,' said the old man. "What
do you come here for ?"
For mercy's sake, don't keep it
back !" / said, for the room seemed to
swim round me. els Kate ill?"
% Yes-I think she is" he said, gruf-
fly. "But, look here, young man, what
does this mean?"
Mean /" | said. "Oh, Mr.. Brand,
if she is i'll let me see her at once !"
She don't look very bad," he said,
peering through the crack of the door
into the parlOr, where L could see her
white dress; "but / say, young man,
you'd better not come any more. She's
growing dull, and l can't have my dar-
ling made fool o"
'FMade fool of ~ stammered.
Yes" he said, gruffiy; what do
you come here for ?"
/ was silent for a minute, with won
drous feeling stealing over me as at last
my lips said-I did not prompt them
because l love her with all my heart"
"And you have told her so 3'
"Not a word" said, slowly. My
1and was being crushed as in a wise the
next minute.
"Tm not a gentleman, doctor, but l
NOW one when meet one. There, you
nav 90 and talk to her, if it's as you
ay; for if it's true you wouldn't make
Ter unhappy; but, my lad, the man W ho
rified with that girls heart would be
he greatest scoundrel that ever stepped
N Gods earth"
The whole of this part of my life is so
lreamy that it is all like some golden
yisien. But 1 was at her chair, l know
hat glorious evening l was content to
watch the soft dreamy face beside me as
he sat there with hands folded in her
ap, watching the sunset.
At last we rose and walked together
through the wood to stop at last beneath
N overshadowing tree. and there in low,
,roken words l told her loved her, and
n her sweet girIish simplicity she laid
Ter hands upon my shoulders, looked up
n my face, and promised to be my little
wife.
went home that night riding in a
wonderful triumphal chariot instead of
gig, and, to my great surprise, on
eaching the house there was Fred.
Iarnet.
" Back already" l stammered.
Already? Why, the months up"
Ie said, laughingly. i" You must have
iad good sport with your fishing, master
lax"
1t came upon me like thunder, this
eturn, and 1 lay that night awake
lappy, but miserable, for this meant the |
nd of my visit, and what was to come
n the future / had not thought of
hat.
put it off for the time, and having |
btained willing permission from Gar
let. | went his rounds the next morn
no. and of course found my way to the |
arm.
/ fancy the servant looked at me in |
ather a peculiar, constrained way as she |
aid her master had gone to the Off
and farm.
/" And Miss Kate ?" l said.
She's down in the wood, eli" said |
be girl.
I waited to hear no more, but ran
long the garden, leaped the gate, and !
rossing two fields, went through the
and over the stile into the
rood.
"My darling l kept repeating, as
urried on, expecting to meet her at
very turn, and then stopped short,
rith horrible Pang seeming TO catch |
ny heart. / was dizzy, faint, raging
With anger, and mad in turn; but that |
II passed off to leave a bitter, crushing |
ense of misery, as J. held on by young