River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-09-12
A pOCTOR,s STORY.

/
way of necessary introduction to m
story. must say few words of tina
time.
When NJ. d. was tackled to my name
bowed at two shrines, my profession an'
my Angelina Her name was not An
gelina, but my wife being modest it'll
| lady, desires she shall not be dragged be
fore an inquisitive public. Let, then, tn
abstract. Angelina, represent the rea
woman. ] conceal my own name 70
| similar reasons.
| OF course had a rival. Name, Rich
ard Somers, age, twenty-six; general APP
I,earance, striking and handsome eharac
| ter. very bad.
Neither my ELECTION for this gentle
man nor his election for me would hav,
started confiagration on any river o.
which ! know. We 6isliked each othel
heartily from the first. Being much
handsomer man than myself he might
have been a dangerous rival. However
he saved me all trouble. He committed
forgery which was discovered sooner
than ne expected. He was arrested for
the offence, tried and convicted | was
one of the principal witnesses against
him. When the sentence was passed up
on him he requested moments CONVEX
sation with me. shall never forget the
look of hatred on his Fact as ne Kissed
out:
"You have ruined my love and nv
life. Remember that, and fear me
| am not timid man, and attached
but little importance to his implied
threat. ] thought it simply the buster
OF self defeated and disgraccd rival.
Shortly after, Angelina and / were
married, and, as the story book says,
''lived happy ever afterward.
So much by way of Introduction, now
to my story;
We had been married little over two
years. During that time heard moth
ing of Somers. His sentence had been
a comparatively light one--a year and
six months. After his discharge from
prison, neither saw nor heard OF him.
For so yodng man had been very
successful as a physician. Perhaps my
success was principally due TO my strict
10 practice. No matter how
late, or dark and stormy might be the
night, promptly attended to all sum-
mons to the bedside OF suffering
One night, little while before the
hoar of retiring, the door bell rang, and
shortly after man entered the room
where we were sitting. He was not pre-
His hair was short and thick
and the general cast OF bis features viii
famous.
He evidentlo belonged to that variety
of fowl known as the jail-bird. Never
theless, without hesitation, put on my
coat and hat and prepared 10 go with
him.
"a gentleman. he said, has broken
his leg"
l thought it pity that, ii he were any
thing like his niessenger,'he hadn't broken
bis neck | did not tell my wife where
was gong, for it was distant part of
the town and in anything but a respect
able neighborhood. | did not wish to
make the little woman nervous.
On our way my friend, the jail-bird,
was verv uncommunicative. He answered
my inquiries about the injured man in
,urly monosvllables. He was apparently
in no haste, FIR he walked very slowly
more slowly, thought, than was consis,
ent with the welfare of my patient.
At last we arrived at our destination
It was a very dark-looking house, in a
very dark little street.
My guide led me up twof1ights of stairs,
that creaked objections to our weight
lpon them In the third story. we stopped
before door, which, TO my surprise, my
opened with key which he
.ook from his pocket. Was he afraid that
man with broken leg would escape2
was still more surprised when, on enter
ng the room, found it empty. He
notioned ne 10 chair, and, remarking
&c w-uid soon return. left the room.
For the first time was somewhat
nervous and suspicious The empty room,
he last acton OF my guide, his careless
less on our way as To the health of the
injured man, the lonely house |
md neighborhood, all combined TO make |
ne suspect foul play.
/ stepped to the door, only to find it
ocked from the outside--to The window |
,nly to find escape impossible there. Il
vas many feet from the ground
My suspicious were nov certainties. | |
vas trapped. None of nay friends, not |
ven my wife knew where | was. !
night be murdered in this den, and ny |
leath remain a mystery.
| suppose waited about an hour be-
ore heard the KEY turn IN the door. /!
Then, to my dismay, half a dozen men
inferred
When nature made the jail-bird who |
lad led me into this trap, she did not |
A. ,,4n,,ll Thaaa 0rpp am
we're of the same pattern. Ali wore the |
anne hang. dog, murderous look. One !
# them raised the light in the room, /
which had been burning low. With |
hardly glance at me, they took seats |
lpon the floor and began to play cards. |
Soon the door again opened, and an
,ther man entered, hardly had a hope |
IS looked st him, for saw the exhnlt.
az face my enemy Dick Somersl
At glance he saw | recognized him. |
With a malicious leer he stepped forward,
md quoting his own words of tive yesrs
before, he said:
"You have ruined my love and my life. |
Remember that, and fear mel"
"Somers," | said for my life couldn't |
lave called him Mr.. somers-"l know |
hat you have trapped me here for the
our pose Of revenging yourself upon me
nut remember, sir, that l have frienesl
Remember law and justlcer'
II tear nothing" he answered 'Re-
Tenge on you is dearer to me than life. |
md though for me the bottomiess pit |
we're yawning, would have it"
| saw it was useless to appeal to this
nan, and | sullenly waited for what
seemed fate
At his conn and the ruffians searched
ne. One of them, who appeared TO be a
kind of treasurer for the gang, secured
nv watch aud pocket book. Then they
led me with stout ropes TO chair.
Somers did not address me again, but
sat upon the floor and gambling with the
rest.
Presently he lose, ana saying he
would return 0Y day break, left the room.
He evidently felt was in bis power, and
seemed in no hurry to complete his re-
When he had gone, the card playing
was kept up for couple of hours. Then
they all stretched themselves upon the
floor and slept. The door opened inward,
and across it was the burly form of the
treasurer. In spite Of the apparent hope
lessness of trial, set about devising
some plan of escape.
The first thing was to free myself. |
had large wrists and small hands. In
tying me they had not taken this into
Without much difflulty