Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-12-19
ESTABLISHED IN ls43.
VOL. 36. NO. Al.
THE CRACKED TUMBlER,
From Temple Bar.
CHAPTER 4

The Doctor was John Fielding. OF
the Parish cf Dighton, 10 the County
of Worcester. The Squire was Mr..
Lockwood of Dighton Honor, (the
great house of the locality and the
then with which the latter, go far in
consequently, commences the CONVEX
sation, referred TO declaration of
the former that upon his word of
honor, he cid not know what was
the matter with her, meaning Miss
Stella Lockwood, aged seventeen,
the SOURCES eldest child by a dead
wife.
The second Mrs. lockwood was
pres Mt at this consultation and took
. leadiSg part in it; answered all the
Doctors questions. and anxiously
entered into every detail of the sick
girI's case, in the hope that she
might help him discover its cause
and prescribe for it's cure.
1t was avery peculiar case. Six
months ago Stella Lockwood was
the picture of physical health, and to
all appearances as happy girl Is
could be found ID the shires All Of
sudden, she los her strength, her
good looks, her & ,od temper; became
pale, nervous and gloomy, and yet
no recognizable disease showed it,
self She ate we'll and slept well;
there was nothing the matter with
her digestive organs, or lungs or her
brain. Her heart was in perfect or
der as blood pump and untouched
by malady with which sweet sew
enteen is sometimes afflicted. There
was no consumption or decline in
her family. Her father had not
spent five pounds on doctors or
druggists since he left college. Her
mother was strong and hearty
woman until crippled by an accident
which will hereafter be recorded.
There we're no sins of the third or
fourth generation that any one knew
of likely to be visited upon the child
rem of this; for the child in question
sprapg from long lived, prudent and
temperate stock on both sides. When
therefore, her father (who at first,
man like, made light of his daugh.
ter's ailment and pooh-poohed his
wife's fears) was at last lrIven to
realize that there must be something
tho matter, and was honestly in
formed by his friend, the Doctor,
that upon his word ard honor he
did not know what on earth it was,
y x he broke out with that
then we have heard and the desired
second opinion was procured.
The cond opinion came from q
famous practitioner (from London)
whose speciality was nerves, partic-
ularly female nerves, and who was by
no MEANS iha sort of man tn say up-
on his word ana n3nor be did not
know what on earth anything
was. Another speciality was his
smil, 1t was rcproachful, saying,
'Oh, why did you not send for me
sooner2 u was assuring,
saying. Lay aside all your fears,
now that | am here $ it
was complimentary, saying, Yes,
you suffer exactly what person in
your rank of life ought to suffer un-
der the circumstances He smiling
ly added new fashioned prepara-
ticn of iron to DR.. Fielding's treat
ment, smiling prescribed change of
air and scene, and smiiingly took
his fifty guineas and his leave.
The new,fashioned preparation of
iron did not do Stella any good and
the change of scene did her actual
harm. Nothing pleased her, nothing
interested her, She was led through
France, Switzerland, Italy like a
girl 10 a trance. She pined and fret
ted for home, and home they had to
bring her x acting under a
third opinion < . after an alb.
sence of six months, and not one
whit improved by her travelling,
paler and more nervous and gloomy
than ever. About this time also,
began a change in her demeanor to-
ward her step mother which greatly
distressed that lady, and a habit OF
seeking the society of her step. grand
father which astonished the whole
household.
To explain this we must go back
to the days of the first Mrs. Lock.
| wood.
St. John Lockwood, of Dighton
Honor was left lord of himself at an
early age, and found his heritage
anything but one of woe. Before he
left Oxford, it had been arranged by
every one but himself that he should
marry his old playm and neigh
Dor, Mabel Ravesy, and even in bis
own mind this had been as much ar
ranged as anything else that entered
that rather overcrowded and disor'
derby domain. The lady had bel
own consent and more. She loved
him deeply, tenderly and truly and
was in every way worthy of 6
steadier aud better man. Til,
was why the young Squire's guard
ian favored an early marriage.
Mabel was good, clever girl
and would manage him, they
thought. Besides, what mercy i
would be for her, poor child t.
have c home of her own. From thii
it may be inferred that her surround
ings were not irreproachable. Many
q girl of her age, however, enviec
the maiden mistress Of Claiborr
Court. Colonel Ravesy was a wild
over of standing, Justice of The
Peace, a Deputy Lieutenant, stew
ard of county races, a patron o
county balls, power in the Vehmit
court, which made and enforced the
social laws at Salincham
the county town, famous for it:
hunting, its scandal and its waters.
The county shook its head and sigh
ed over the Colonels doings out O.
the county. The great worlds week
| Is newspapers frequently contained
spicy little paragraphs concerning
him. Still be held his own. 1t is sc
difficult TO cashier leader, once you
have put him in command and the
lawn tennis, the archery, the balls
the theatricals, the cellar and tbs
cuisine of Claiborne Court were 50
good. and the proprieties were 81