The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
A DISEASE OF THE HEART.

The days OF nv clerkship were ended:
nv examination was over; ! was ad-
mitted wrote myself Nehemiah Huhbs,
attorney" put up my new. bright little
sign, and in my native village began nv
professional career. No, / did not,
either. / am mistaken. | intended 10
pursue the honorable profession 70 which
I had dedicated my talents and learning
in the place Of my birth; bnt never was q
truer word penned than the time-honored
proverb, "A prophet has no honor IN
his own country" / believe II l had
remained in the village of Green Briar
till NV head was white, they would have
thought Of ME as nothing but boy, and
would have feared to trust me. Even
after nv sign wasaput up nobody called
me Mr.. Hnbbs; 1t was stll Ne, with
old and young, and - Ne would have
remained 10 this day had remained in
Green Briar.
Only one case claimed my attention
during the three months OF nv patient
continuance in Green Briar, after being
admitted to the bar. and that was the
case of an uniustly impounded pig,
'.felmeously extracted, your honor, from
the small but secure spot in which nv
client had trustingly deposited him; and
maliciously driven 70 public enclosure
called a pound, for the vile purpose,
doubtless, Of compelling nv client, in
his poverty and destitution, TO pay he
enormous fee that has been demanded of
him, in order 10 extricate tie animal
from his unpleasant position and restore
him to the bosom of his familyl"
By this / meant the clients family,
the pig having none of its own. II was
figure OF speech undoubtedly, the family
not inhabiting an Irish cabin, but still
II rounded off the period and sounded
well TO me as l repeated over and over
again my maiden speech, pacing up and
down the floor of my little office. In
this nv first ease, | was successful so far
as to rescue the impounded animal and
save my client from the payment of an
unjust demand; but it brought no silver
to nv pocket, neither, to my surprise,
did it bring honor to my name. The
eloquence of nv speech did not form
the theme, as / fondly hoped il would,
OF paragraphs in the village papers. or
OF discussion at the corner of the streets;
neither did it bring to my of1ce the rush
of clients for which daily vainly made
ready. II was plain that l should never
rise 10 distinction in Green Briar, and
so / came 10 the sudden determination
10 remove from that pleasant spot and
settle in some city where nobody knew
or heard of me; and where, above all,
there was not soul to call me "Ne."
There was more successful, and soon
had the opportunity of forming very
advantageous partnership. Business
increased; money began to come in, slow
at first. but after time more plentifully,
and all things seemed prosperous IN my
outward circumstances. But, alas as
we are often told POLITICALLY, there is no
sweet without its bitter, no rose without
its thorn; and trouble came to me in the
shape of disease. insidious and slow in
its approaches at first, long feared and
suspected, but at length betrayed itself
so plainly that sI could blind myself no
longer to the truth.
Yes / was, without doubt, victim
to disease Of the heart not metaphoric-
ally, dear reader, for never had the or
gan beat with quicker pulsation at the
approach Of mortal woman. So far as
the gentle sex was concerned was
perfect stole; but that there was organic
disease about my heart l could not
doubt, and if ever the symptoms dis
closed themselves unmistakably they did
so in my case. There was a huttering,
palpitating, irregular action, and at
length, pain. I could not work. Life
had lost its zest. The fear of sudden
death was ever with me | could enjoy
nothing. If I had anything to leave, or
anybody to leave it to, / should have
made my will, for was quite sure now
that I should drop some day lifeless in
the street, or that the morning would
soon come when the power to rise from
my bed would have left me.
I remained in my boarding house and
found no comfort In anything but my
cigar, and my dread disease grew worse
and worse. As yet / had consulted no
physician, partly, think, from the ap-
prehension Of having my fears con-
firmed but as sat by my window one
day, smoking as vigorously as ever,
gazing abstractedly across the street,
nv attention was arrested by modest
little sign upon an opposite blind
L. Todd, NJ. D." While thinking
whether or not il would be best to make
a trial of the physicians skill, sudden
twinge and hutter decided me yes,
would send for DR.. Todd and know the
worst at once!
Snmmoning the only male servant
belonging to the establishment, / told
him to step over and ask DR.. Todd to
come and see me as soon as possible.
The boy grinned.
"What are you laughing at p | asked.
'Is not DR.. Todd good physician ?"
"Uh, yes, sir" lie answered. I be-
lieve she is a very good physician, but
she hain't never tended nobody here"
. "She I" said I 70 myself "the boy,
surely. has Welsh blood In his veins /;
aiey always she everything"
The boy returned saying: "The
doctor wasn't home. sir, but Ileft your
name on the slate.
In the course of the afternoon; as
lay upon the sofa, with my hand pressed
upon nv heart, to still its irregular pull
satioRs, there was soft tap at my door.
:. Come in, called out, and, to my sur