Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-11-23
A Doctors Story.


II il not so far back but that can re.
member very we'll how and when com.
menced the practice Of medicine. BY
way Of necessary introduction to my
story, / must say few words Of thai
time:
when N. d. Was tackled to my name
/ bowed at two shrines, my profession
and-my Angelina. Her name Was moi
Angelina, but my wife being q modest
little lady, desires she shall not be
dragged before an inquisitive public
Let, then, the abstract. Angelina, rep
resent the real woman. / conceal my
own name for similar reasons.
OF course had o rival. Name, Rich
ard Somers; age, twenty six; general
appearance, striking and handsome
character, very bad.
Neither my affection for this gentle
man nor his affection for me would have
started . confagration on any river Of
which know. We disliked each other
heartily from the first. Being q much
handsomer man than myself, he might
have been q dangerous rival. How.
ever, he saved me I'LL trouble. He com.
mitted forgery which was discovered
sooner than he expected. He was ar.
rested for the offence, tried and covict.
ed. I was one of the principal wit
nesses against him. When the sentence
was passed upon linn he requested q
moments conversation with me. ]
shall never forget the look of hatred on
his face as he Missed out:
"You have ruined my love and my
life. Remember that, and fear me-"
lam not q timid man, and attached
but little importance to his implied
threat. I thought it simply the bluster
of q self defeated and disgraced rival.
Shortly after, Angelina and I 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 q little over
two years. During that time I heard
nothing of Somers. His sentence had
been comparatively light one-a year
and six months. After his discharge
from prison, I neither saw nor heard of
him.
For so young man I had been very
successful as physician. Perhaps my
success was principally due to my strict
attention to 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
hour of retiring, the door-ben rang,
and shortly after man entered the
room where we were sitting. He was
not prepossessing. His hair was short
and thick and the general cast of his
features villianous.
He evidently belonged to that variety
of fowl known as the Jail. bird. Never:
theless, without hesitation, I put on
my coat and hat and prepared to go
with him.
"A gentleman" he said, ''has broken
his leg"
Thought it a pity that, if he were
anything like his messenger, he hadn't
broken his neck. I did not tell my
wife where I was going, for it was q
distant part of the town, and in any
thing but q respectable neighborhood.
did not wish to make the little woman
nervous.
On our way my friend, the jail-bird.
was very uncommunicative. He an
swered my inquiries about the injured
man in surly monosyllables. He was
apparently in no haste, for he walked
very slowly-more slowly, I thought,
than was consistent with the welfare OF
my patient.
e At last we arrived at our destination.
1t was Q very dark-looking house, ina
very dark little street.
Ny guide led me up two fights of
stairs, that creaked objections to our
weight upon them. In the third story,
We stopped before door, which to my
surprise, my companion opened with .
key, which he took from his pocket.
Was he afraid that Q man with broken
leg would escape? Twas still more sur
prised when, on entering the room. I
found il empty! He motioned me to q
chair. and, Remaining he would soon
return, left the room.
For the first time was somewhat
nervous and suspicious. The empty
room. the last action Of my guide, his
carelsasness on our way a. 70 the health
of IL sappoeed injured man, the Lone
u ho9ss and neighboFhood, al com
Gned 10 make me suspect foul play.
I stepped TO the door. only 10 and Il
locked fr0m The outside-to the window
oily 10 And escape impossible there. II
- many let from the ground.
0y snlp6cions we're nov certaipties.
I v1s trapped. None Of my friends.
nj sven my wife knew where xas. /
nighs b. 9ardsesd in this den, and
ny dsath ssoain . mystery.
IGuppose vuited about IN hour be- |
lore / hard the key turn in the door. |
Thsn. 10 my dismay, half . dozen men
ntered.
when nature made the jsilbiri Who