Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-10-26

through 6lio WnlGo, tuo Ouly palI FlslUle,
death stared. The doctor hastily seized
thin little hand and felt for the pulse.
He felt in vain. Bending over the poor
sunken face, he listened at her parted
lips for tidings of life in her breathing.
He listened in vail.
"Lucy, my GIRL" said the DOCTOR,
chow are youf
There was no response beyond quiv-
ering of the eyelids go faint that it was
almost imperceptible. This was the
last signal thrown out by the little soul,
then more than half way over the cold
river.
"The powders" continued the moth
er, unaware of the change going on in
one dearer than life to her, "didn't
seem to act like the others, and Lucy
said they tasted differently"
"Have you any left e. asked the doc
tor, hastily.
eyes, one; here it is" and she hand
ed the medicine to the physician. he
looked and then touched the white sub
stance to the tip of his tongue. In an
instant his face became as ghastly as
that of the dead child before him. His
hand shook so violently that he spilled
the powder upon the floor. Throwing
out his arms as one browning, he seized
the father frantically and cried, in
hoarse voice:
"Tom Hooper, take me out of this,
and as he went the agonized parent
heard him mutter: "Poison; my God,
poison 7"
The word poison Was enough to ex-
cite the valley to a frenzy. A coroner's
inquest was demanded, and physicians
summoned from q distance to make
posl-naortens examination. Enough was
found by these learned men in the veins
of the deformed girl to insure death,
sooner or later, without the help Of any
poison administered by drunken doc
tor. He was summoned to appear and
offer any explanation he might see fit to
make. The coroner found him in his
Office. He was for once sober, and more
wretched in appearance than when In
toxicated.
"Have you come to arrest met" he
asked.
"No, doctor," replied the officer;
"you're wanted as witness"
GAS o Witness" he repeated, looking
at the coroner in a vac mt, absentsort of
way. eyes, yes; I see. Well, III be
q witness; I'll show 'em. Wait min
ute." Saying this he took from jar
white substance that he proceeded to
measure off into small powders. He
made six of these as well as his hands,
that shook as if palsied, would permit
him, and throwing the several potions
together he did up the dose i'll bit OF
paper lich he placed in his vestpocket.
Then h. accompanied the coroner to the
house of the dead girl, where the jury
sat in that solemn deliberation of stu
pidity so common to coroner's inquests.
After teing duly sworn, he. was asked to
tell ali he knew concerning the sickness,
treatment, and death of Lucy Hooper.
Gentlemen" he said, in response,
"this inquest originates in belief that
there las been malpractice IL this case,
and that the patient died from the ef-
fects of poison administered by me,
md not from the commissions to which
she was subject. In this last illness l
prescribed for her but once. From the
time she took the medicine sent her
she grew rapidly worse until she died.
To prove to you that my intent was hon
est, and to show you how harmless was
the remedy, now proceed to swallow
ten times as much as prescribed for
my patient"
Before any move of remonstrance or
prevention he had swallowed the drug.
The deadly character of the powder was
shown in hi death, that followed twelve
hours after.
"It's all right, gentlemen" he said,
between paro1ysms of pain, "it's all
right; if you want further testimony,
meet me at the bar of God."
The doctors memory is cherished ID
the valley, where it is generally believed
he did not commit suicide, but had a
mistaken confidence in his own reme-
dies, and they always wind up with !:
"What doctor he would have been
had he kept sober"