Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-04-17
The Ladies' Doctor.

a large, elegantly furnished bedroom,
that was the very ideal of luxurious
comfort and convenience.
IL was a picture of artistic beauty
and tasteful wealth, and the sweet,
lovely face, lying on the lace-edged
pillows was itself & picture, with its
pure, ivory complexion, dark, wistful
eyes, heavy brows and lashes, and the
luxuriant golden hair, that trailed al
most to the floor, as the invalid swept
it wearily aside.
She had been lying there such long
Wearisome time, and she didn't get any
better-rather, she grew weaker and
more nervous with every passing day.
although her sweetness of temper did
not desert her, nor her patient endur-
ance.
Every day for months DIR. Grassmere
would drive up in his carriage and
make bis professional visit. and leave
the orders for the day, and then drop in
Mr.. Nugent's study, below, and report.
And vet Mrs. Nugent did not get
well, and there came to be a look of fear
and pain in her husbands face, and one
of puzzled dismay on DIR. Grassmere's
countenance.
Il am entirely at a loss 20 account
for your wife's persistence in remaining
i'll, Harry. I've given her enough ton
ic TO enable her to shoulder L cathedral,
and yet there she lies as you see her
patient. resigned, obedient, but-no
better. | can't see that there is any
organic trouble anywhere. Beyond a
generally debility and depression of
spirits, nothing ails her."
Harry Nugent looked anxiously in
the gOod-natured face Of this trusty,
sensible old doctor, who had been the
family physician of the Nugents ever
since the time he had ushered young
Harry into the world, twenty-five
wears ago, who had known him well as
baby. boy, and man, and who was
friend and adviser.
"But she suffers. doctor; she GER
tainly suffers. There are times when
she is very faint, and says she feels so
deathly; and her poor heart will pant
as if it would leap from side 10 side
Ny darling little Nellie. Oh. DR..
Grassmere, you know l woCld give
half my fortune to see her well and
about again, light-hearted and sunny
-F,f1al Il, - rnnnrhs
before baby came and died"
DIR. Grassmere was corrugating his
big, bald forehead into a perfect nest of
deep, puzzled wrinkles.
BLESS her sweet face, | believe I'd
give all of mine if could get her out
again. Honestly, Harry, my skill is
exhausted. don't know what else to
do. There's no use pouring any more
medicine down her. | will confess, my
boy, I'm discouraged"
Harry's handsome face blanched-
Good heavens, doctor. is she so bad
a. that? Will she die: She's not dy-
ing, is she?"
He sprang TO his feet a. lac spoke,
agitated and heartsick.
"Not positively dying, Harry, but |
tell you she can't live very long in this
passive condition in which she rests.
month in and month out. To save my
soul. couldn't persuade her to be
helped up in the easy chair for awhile
this morning. never was so tempted
in nv life as was to pick her up bodily
and carry her into the next ROOM"
Harry gave a little cry of dismay.
"Oh, doctor, how could you dream of
such a thing, Why, 1t would have
killed her. She's so weak she tainted
yesterday, when told her there were
= couple of lady friends in the drawing
room, who wanted to see herr
DIR. Grassmere gave an extra polish
TO his speckless, gold-rimmed glasses
That's it, precisely! She won't see
anybody, and thus get change oil
being cheered up a little. She's just
living there, letting her life oozc away,
while her nurse croaks TO her, ano
reads pages on pages of the ''Glories OF
Heavenly Rest" and Comforts to Dy-
ing Souls''-two admirable books,
grant. but hardly the sort of reading
suitable TO any one for whose life we
are fighting"
Harry's face was grave and thought
full.
"Do you really think had better
dismiss Mrs. Carter and get younger
and more cheerful nurse?"
"Emphatically, 1 am prolonging my