The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-02-25
M isc ELAN 9 O u 8.
Miss Todd, NJ. d., OF a Disease of
the Heart.

The days of my clerkship were ended ;
my examination was over, and was adj
mitted. l designated myself nehemiah
Hubbs, attorney" took house in my ma
tive village, and began my professional ca
reer. No, l did not. / am mistaken. l
intended to pursue the honorable profess
sion to which had dedicated my talents
and learning, in the place of my birth, but
never was trucr word penned than the
time-honored provcrb-"A prophet has no
honor in his own country" believe if
had remained in the village of Green Briar
till my head was white, they would have
thought of me as nothing but boy, and
would have feared to trust me. Even after
my plate was on the door, nobody called me
Mr.. Hubs. 1t was still nehemiah" with
old and young, and nehemiah" should
have been called to this day, had remain
ed in Green Briar
Only one case claimed my attention du-
ring the three months of my patient con-
tinuance in Green Briar, after being adj
mitted to the bar, and that was the case of
an unjustly impoundcd pig, "leloniously
distracted, your honor, from the small but
secure spot in which my client had trust
=
en- to the public enclosure called pound,
for the vile purpose, doubtless, of compel
ing my client in his poverty and desttu-
ton, to pay the enormous fec that has been
demanded of him, in order to cXtricate
the animal from his unpleasant position,
and restore him to the bosom of his family"
BY this meant the clients family, the
pig having none Of his own; it was fig
ure of speech, undoubtedly, but still it
rounded off the period, and sounded well
to me, as / repeated over and over again
my maiden speech, pacing up and down
the floor of my little office. In this, my
first case, | was successful so far us to res
cue the impounded animal, and save my
client from the payment of an unjust de-
mand but it brought no silver TO my
pocket; neither, to my surprise, did it
bring honor to my name. The eloquence
Of my speech did not form the theme, as |
fondly hoped it would, of paragraphs in
the newspapers, or of discussion at the
corners of the street; neither did it bring
to my Office the rush of Giants for which
daily | vainly made ready. 1t was plain
that | should never rise to distinction in
Green Briar, and so | came to the sudden
determination to remove from that pleas
ant spot, and settle in some city where
nobody knew or had heard of me and
where, above all, there was not II soul to
call me Nehemiah"
| There / was more successful, and soon
had the opportunity Of forming very adj
vantageous partnership; business increas-
ed money began to come in, slow at first
but after time more plentitully, and all
things seemed prosperous in my outward
circumstances. But alas as we are so OF.
ten told POLITICALLY, "there is no sweet
without its bitter, no rose without its
thorn" so trouble came to me in the shape
of disease-insidious and slow in its APP.
proaches at first, long feared and suspect.
ed; but at length it betrayed itself SC
plainly that could blind myself no Longer
to the truth.
Yes was without doubt victim tc
disease Of the heart not metaphoricaly
dear reader, for never had the organ beat
with quicker pulsation at the approach
of mortal woman. So far as the gentle sex
was concerned was perfect stole; bu
that there was organic disease about my
heart could not doubt, and if ever thu
symptoms disclosed themselves unmistaka
bly,, they did so in my case. There was
fluttering palpitation, irregular action, ant
at length pain. could not work life hat
lost its zest the fear of sudden death wa
ever with me; l could enjoy nothing. l
| had had anything to leave, or anybody t,
leave it to, l should have made my will
for | was quite sure now that 1 shoulC
drop some day lifeless in the street, or tina
the morning would soon come when fin
power to rise from my bed would leav
me.
l remained in my boarding house, an
found no comfort in anything but IN
cigar, and my dread disease grew wors
and worse. AS yet | had consulted II
physician, partly, think, from the apprt
hension of having my fears confirmed; bu
as sat by my window one day, smokin
as vigorously as ever, gazing abstractedl
across the street, my attention was arreste
Ivy modest little sign upon an opposii
blind-"C. L. Todd, NJ. d." While think
ing whether or not it would not be best t
make trial of physicians skill, sue
den twinge and fluttcr decided me; yes
would send for DR.. Todd, and know til
worst at oncel
Summoning the only male servant b.
longing to the establishment, l told hi
to step over and ask DR.. Todd to come an
see me rs soon as possible.
"What are you laughing at 2" aske
of the boy, who stood grinning at me, &"
not DR.. Todd a good physician p
sob, yes, sir" he replied, ~ believe 81
is u very good physician, but she hahn
never tended nobody here"