The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-05-01
THE DOoToR'S, DAUGHTER.

"Dear, dear, how it rains! SAID det
ty Wallis,
She had opened the door the least
little bit in the, world, to see if there
was any prospect of its clearing up
but tho rush of wind and rain that
swept in at the creviceeompelled hel
to close it again almost 'instantane
ously.
1t was a little brown house, on the
edge of the lonely Western forests
brown house, with sloping caves and
a bay,window, and a dooryard full o.
roses whose crimson clustersgleamed
family in the late autumn twilight
Doctor Wallis lived here-Doctol
Wallis, who had come West with his
two daughters, scarcely six months
ago, and who was the only physician
in a radius of thirty good mile;
around.
Hetty stood by the FIRE, one foot
on the fender, her dark, dreamy, eyes
fixed on the red glow of the burning
logs. sibyl, the other sister, lay
luxuriously back in a cushioned
easy-chair, waiting for the lamps to
be lighted before she went on with
the bit of Berlin woodwork in her
lap.
sibyl Wallis was rose-cheeked,
scarlet-lipped bcauty-one of those
fair human flowers which, like the
lilies of Solomon,,are destined nei.
ther to toll nor to spin.
Doctor Wallis was a poor man,
and kept no servants; but no one
ever expected sibyl to do any of the
rough and disagreeable Offices consc.
quent upon housekeeping.
Sibyl busted the parlors, kept the
vases full of flowers, washed the tea,
china, and did up" her own pretty
laces and pocket-handkerchiefs; and
Hetty, the second daughter-a brown
little elf, with jetty hair growing
low on her forehead, and a colorless
olive skin-cheerfully undertook the
prosaic part of life as if it were her
natural inheritance,
"To think of poor papa ont in all
this tempestl' said Hetty, mourn
fully,
"Gentlemen don't mind such
things" said sibyl, sercnely. "And
of course, it's just what a doctor must
expect"
"Hushl' said Hetty, suddenly
turning her head in a quick, bird
like fashion. "Some one Is knock
ing at the back door,"
perhaps you'd better go and see
who it is" remarked sibyl, serenely
1t was a man all wrapped up ir
oil-skin, until nothing more thar
the tin of very red nose was visi
BILE.
ooh, I say, Miss" said the drip
ping visitant, "where's the doctor9'
Gle isn't in," said Hetty.
"Where's Doctor Wallis?" reitorat
ed the man.
Giles outI" answered Hetty, speak
ing loud and distinctly, under thu
impression that the inquirer wa'
deaf.
"It's Dakin's boy" said the man
"he's chokin' to DEATH"
"Ohl" said Hetty, "Croup, 1 sup
pose2"
Don't know what it is" said thu
messenger. "Ain't no doctor myself
All | know is that must bring bach
Doctor Wallis" with q nod at hi
lumber wagon at the gate.
"But you can't, if he is out" sale
lIetty.
The man stood a moment, shifting
from one foot to the other, evidently
in a quandary.
"pm blamed If know what to do,
said he. "Well, I'll tcll.ee what
NIissl' You just send the doctor on I,
Dakin's just as quick as he Gomez
back. If Dakin's boy chokes II
death, it amt no fault of minel"
And away rumbled the wagon in
TO the mist and twilight.
II had hardly disappeared, whe,
q little lad arrived with n note 70
Hotty
ats from papa" said Hetty, hur
riedly opening II, and reading alout