The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-01-04
Story Of a Physician s Wife.

"f have heard Of persons whose
hair was whitened through excessive
eear, bat ms never saw myself any
one so affected, am disposed to be
sdulous on tho subject
The above remark was made to DR..
nynard as We sat on the piazza OF
4, pretty villa discussing the differ.
sut effects of terror on dissimilar
1omperaments. without replying to
Ne, tho doctor turned to his wife and
id: Helen, will yon please rolnte
my old friend the incident within
ur own experience 7 IL is the
It convincing argument / can ad
ce.'
looked at Mrs Maynard in sur
o. had observed that her hair
ch was luxuriant aud dressed
y becomiugly, was purely color.
!, but as she was a young woman,
1 also very pretty one, l sur
mIsed that it was powdered to high
ten the briliiancy Of her fine dark
eyes.
Tho doctor and had been friends
mud fellow students, but after leaving
college we had drifted apart, l to
commence practice in an eastern city,
he to pursue his profession in q
growing town in tho West. | was
now on visit to him for tho irs.
time since his marriage.
Mrs. Maynard, no doubt reading
my supposition by my look of incre
dulity, smiled as sbo shook down hel
snowy tresses over her shoulders
and seating herself By hsr husband''
eide related the following episode
1T is hearty two years ago since
my husband wascalle1 on Que even
jng, to q visit patient several miles
away. Our domestics had all gone
70 wake in the vicinity. tue deac
an being q relative of ono OF oui
wing women. Thus l was lefI
ne. Bat felt no fear. for W,
or had heard Of burglars or an,
Of dcsperadoes in our qnict vii
then consisting of few scat
houses. Tho windows lead
ton the piazza were open a
at secured the blinds beior,
lands departure, and. locke,
20 doors, oil except th
yiich left for the doato
AZ asie5jpg ont, 50 that If
iiid enter without e his rstarl
ard the doctor rapid footstep
the gravel, qaickened by the W
tones OF tne messenger, win
tied him, aud after the sharp rat
OF carriage wheels hal becom
but an echo seated myself by tll
parlor astral aud soon beclme al,
so.bed in tha boo., hal been read
Jag before boiny discarded by th
sumnons Bat after time my in
tereet succunbed to dro Hsinoss, an
7 thonght OF retiring, when the cloc
.a the doctors study adjoioins th
ptr.or struck twelve; so Ideternin
cd 20 wait few moments more, feel
Jag that he would be home now yer
soon closed my book, donned
robe de chambre, let down my h.,i,
and then returned to my seat to pa
tiently wait and listen. Not th
fiintest sound disturbed the stillue
OF the night. Not u breath Of nj
stirred the leaf. The silence WAS g.
profound that it became oppressive
longed for tho sharp click of tn
gate latch and the well known stel
on the gravel walk. ! did not dar
to break the hush myself by movin,
or singing. | was so oppressed b.
tho deep stiffness. The human min
is strange torturer of itself. l be
gan to conjure mp vivid fancies abou
ghostly visitants, in the midst O
which occurred to me the stories
had heard from superstitious peopl
about the troubled spirits of thos
who had died suddenly, like NAL
whom my servants had gone t.
wake, who had been killed by o.
accident at the saw mill. Iu tn
uadst Of these terrifying reflection
! was startled by stealthy foot -fal
on the piazza. I listened betwee
fear and hope. 1t might be the doc
tor. But no. he would not tread lik
that the step was too soft aud eau
tious for anything leA willy than
cat. As listened again my Se
were fixed on the window blind.
saw the slats move slowly aud softl,
aud then tho rays of the moon dis
closed o thin, cadsyerous face, sn'
bright, glitterins eyes, peering a
me. Oh horror who was it 7? wha
was it l felt the cold perspiratiol
start at every pore. I seemed to b.
frozen in my chair. I could no
move, ! could not cry out m
tongue seemed glued to the roof O
my mouth, while the deathly whit
face pressed closer, aud the grsa
sunken eyes wandered in their gaz
about the room. In a few moment
the blind closed noiselessly as it ha
been opened, aud the cautious foot
steps came toward the door "Mercifr
heavenr cried, in horror strick
on whisper, as heard the key turl
in the lock the dobtor, in his hast
o.,ust have forgotten to withdraw th
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