Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-09-29
The SURGEONS STORY.
..M.n Won hnv nm bodY. sirY''

that the sign without dignified by the It'll
| of ''Office," when thIs3 words fell upOl
my ears. had Just returned from visiting
the few patients l could boast of, thorough
| " heart-sick at the want of humanity in tn
world, wet to the skin, and more than hal
| frozen.
1 never remember a worse night in all re
| spects.
II was cold as the Arctic, clustering, anC
the sleet that ratified upon the window
soon covered them with coat of ice. i
had stormed heavily all day, the storC!
were closed, and the sidewalk venders driv
en- to shelter.
God help any one that is forced to b.
abroad tonight" had been my thought, a:
hurried along after finishing my prOfeS
Sional duties, and breasted my way home
ward.
But scarcely had l reached it, changed
my saturated garments, cOaxed the spark
ling anthracite into cheerful glow and
made myself comfortable, and began build
ing castles in Spain of the time when
should have lucrative practice, ride in my
carriage. and have q brown stone front,
when the strange and heart-thrilling words
fell upon my ears, causing all my pleasant
fancies to drift away in an instant.
'Will you buy my body, sir?
| sprang from my easy chair, dropping
nv well cOlored merschaum in my aston
ishment. and turned to see who it was that,
like Poe's raven, uttered those terrible
words.
"Will you buy my body, Sir?'-
The question was repeated for the second
time, before l had sufficiently recovered
myself to be convinced that it came from
no ill-Omened bird, but from form of hui
man semblance, at least. Yet the question
was soutterly unusual, so much at variance
with all preconceiYed notions of barter and
sale, that all / could do was TO push chair
toward the intruder, and stand in silent
wonderment.
In few moments the self command
had learned during my hospital practice,
came to my aid, and saw that my visitor
was woman-or a girl, rather, for she
could not have been more than nineteen or
twenty at the utmost; and that, if 1t had
not been for the extreme pal0r of the face,
the pinehed up look about the mouth, and
the sad, sunken eyes, she would have pos
sessed, far more than is ordinarily the case,
the gift of beauty.
The fiickering light of the fire flashed
upon the soft, brown hair, giving it a more
golden glory, and dissolving the snowfakes
that had lodged there, making them glitter
like liquid pearls. This much, and that
the dress and shawl were made Of the cheap
est material, and but a poor defense against
the bowling storm and pitileSS cold, and
the strange request darted again with light
ming rapidity through my brain.
DRAW near to the fire, said |, ''you are
numbed. War; yourself, and"
81 have no time and must not stay" she
answered with sigh, though. she dropped
heavily into char, and brushed away the
snow-drops from her face with her thin
hands.
Without waiting FOR further remon-
STRANGE, hastened to get some reviving
medicine, of which l saw she stood much in
need, and with a gentle force held it to her
lips.
Il cannot, cannot" she gasped, half
pushing it away.
"Yo9 must, insisted. Remember
am a physician, that this is a prescription,
and that your life may depend upon it i"
"LifeE Oh, GodE How long and sadi
VIII it give me strength p - - -..-.s
"That. certainly, is the object 7 have in
urging you to take it. What else should it
beY' -lG-4 L Hl -.-
''Give it to me- q 20 1'-si pc Ct;
And she swallowed itsdown without
murmur, save one Of thankfulneSS.-
l wheeled her chair up near the fire, and
stirred the Goals to more brilliant glow,
hoping, that the potion would quiet her ex-
citement, awake the chilled blood to-a
warmer, swifter glow, and that sleep would
follow. s-ll5l 5-=---- 90 -- .-.--- ----E Es--
And for a moment I was right. The lit
tie hand dropped nervelessly into her lap;
the softly yelled lids dropped over the deep
blue eyes; the head fell forward upon the
breast. But alas, it was a momentary de-
lusion In another instant she sprang to
her feet again, pressed her hands upon her
temples, as if to still their throbbings, and
wildly looked around.
''Oh, Godp' she exclaimed, 81 here,
amid warmth and comfort, and" s
Convulsive sobs choked further utter
ance.
''Sit down and tell me the reason of your
coming here" l almost demanded as
placed her in chair.
: ''Ah! I remember all now. Remember! (!
Is there no such thing as forgstfulness?
Yes, remember all. l came here to"
'Be calm. understand you are in need,
and came for assistance"
81 came" she replied, and looked at me
with utter despair, and spoke so calmly
that it made my blood run cold: 81 came
here, doctor, to sell you my body"
Was talking to woman or maniac?
The latter was certainly my thought, but l
could detect nothing in the clear blue eyes
of the wanderings of insanity. Sell her
body She spoke ofit as an every day trans
action. d afE-
''Great heavens!' exclaimed, laying my
fingers upon her pulse with the expectation
Of finding 1t bounding with raee-horse ra-
pidity; but on the contrary finding 1t far
more calm than my own. ''Great heavens!
you cannot be in earnestl -
81 am in earnest. God alone knows how
much in earnest. 1t is my last resort. Will
you buy it?"
And she reached out her hand toward
me, as miser would have done, who heard
the dear sound Of jingling gold.
''How can purchase it when you are
still alivef's % ~ eASA 90 ~
''But will soon be dead, and then
then YOU can claim it. For the love Of
heaven, give me little-iust l'ttle mon
cyl" And the hitherto dry eyes were food
ed with tears ......-- '--,-.- ..-.
'Why do you wish to sell? You cannot
bnt understand that il is an unheard of
proceeding. Our profession never purchase
bndies-how I shuddered as I gazed into
her face while was forcing myself to calm
" utter the words-before death, no mat
ter what they do after. --
81 know It, but / must have money, and
there is no other means left me to get it. I
must have it tnow-instantly
And she would have risen again, but I
resolutely held her down.
'For what purpose do you want it?
t'To purchase food, fire and medicine. !"
t'For yourselfT
"Ah no; had that been the case never
would have come hither. I would have laid
down in the gutter and died-God knows
how willingly" fs.FlE}
'But tell me-" she continued, almost
fercely, twill you give me some money? l
must have it-must have it."
IF not for yourself, in the name of heav-
en- for whom do you make such fearful
sacrifice? Is it for one who is very near and
dear to you?" ,....
'It isis my little sister"
The words dropped from her tongue as
they might have from those of an angel,
and her face wore as holy light as if she
had already been star-crowned.
'Then she is sick?"
''She is dying! dying! and am sitting
idly herep "~,|
"'Why did you not tell me this before"
because had begged so long in vain. l
had no money to pay the doctor, and who
would go forth on such night as this with
out it?" .-I 'Ia.-- ..... ..,
My blood boiled so that could not an