The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-04-18
HIS STRANGE INFATUATION.

ND SI1ANdE 1NfAIUA11UNs
Far back, in the days when good-na-
tured Queen Anne lolled comfortably on
her throne, and generation of wits and
geniuses strutted about under huge peri
wigs-adornments nightly out Of place
with the wisdom they muffied-a GER
tain doctor of antique mold was living
in London, and waiting philosophically
for the fame and reputation which had
looked at him through futures vista
fifty years ago. Now, in truth, Doctor
Bone, as he was called, was no quack !;
but his nature refused to conform itself
to the dictates of fashion and patronage,
and consequently the general public had
end of life's telescope, whereby his per-
son and skill had appeared of Indifferent
make.
Thus for 80 years or more he had
trudged his weary journey, proving
himself of infinite value to the needy,
and acknowledging uncomplainingly
the propriety of his fate, but with .
pride that showed his indifference to
fashionable appreciation. He met dis
dain with contempt; and, although he
was loser thereby, had the conscious
self-satisfaction of an independent spirit.
Perhaps, morally speaking, he was in
the right; but in those days of fawning
and f1attery, the renown be sought was
as unattainable to him as the Lord May
orship would have been.
As for his person, he was tall and
lank, with somewhat ponderous Ro-
man nose, lips that fell, by long prac-
tice, at the corners, and penthouse
brows which matched his eyes but poor
ly, for the water would often CLEAN un-
der them at tale of pity. Upon bis
head he wore, within doors, q rusty old
skull-cap, from which his natural locks
fell downwards in a thin avalanche of
silk, and upon his shoulders habitually
a cloak, unlike Wilmington, turned lit.
tie to its advantage. His knee-breeches,
witless of ornament, bore some resem-
blance to iron stove-pipes which have
known many a downpour of rain; and
his heelless shoes, long untbralled by
buckles, but too often succumbed by the
pressure of circumstances, and brought
portions of his bare feet into contact
with their mother earth.
When the world was greener to the
poor Bone, he had married a merry
hearted lass from his native village, who
for many year had faithfully and I'M
grudgingly borne the trials of poverty
by her side, and lightened the gloom Of
his existence with unhagging spirit;
but one blank night the flame of her
little life shot up brilliantly for a mo-
ment and then guttered into darkness,
though the poor child was sorely
stricken for the tired traveller she was
leaving behird. And he, simple prac.
titioner, bowed his fading head to fate,
and toiled onwalds childless alone and
sorrowful.
But one day, when he had passed his
Goth yiear, a patient Of his, an old
woman, led, and in the bounty of his
ancient heart he took q forlorn little
grandson of hers to his own home, and
swore solemnly to foster this STRIPPING
of 8 years old and bring him up as his
own son.
And he kept to his word, and for
three more years now had reared the
minute adoption with a zeal and ten
derness BETTING his noble nature. For
hours would he sit in his moldy old
study, feigning to be absorbed in some
moth eaten volume, but in reality
watching and enjoying the gambols Of
his little Godfrey as he tumbled about
the floor with a hundred infantice
whims which went direct to the sunny
heart of the observer. With his own
hands would he direct the baby's mea 8,
and, when his old housekeeper, Betsy,
had put him to bed, he would creep up
stairs for a goodnight kiss or q playful
wrestle, in which the little arms always
come off victorious. Then would he
return to his gloomy den and exercise
his wits in the resolving of some intri-
cate problem, which last habit had hap
PLY absorbed many an hour of his te-
dious life.
The good Doctor had, in truth, plan
ned and consummated no glorious addi-
tions to science by this habit of his; but
he had at least gained greater riches to
himself than wealth could bring, which
compensated in some degree for the
dreary poverty of his younger days. So
far he had logged on with a quiet pa
thence and humor, but when the parent
less baby fell to his keeping . new and
rich interest was added to his little store
of grain, by which he was thrust into an
INFESTED groove of calculation.
Yet in the meantime his patients had
no cause to complain of his inattention,
for he never permitted hobby to inter-
fere with his professional duties.
And now arose the main object of his
life-namely, to prepare way to future
success for the child of his affections,
the little wait he had drawn to shore, so
that his own death, which could not be |
50 far distant, as he thought, might not
leave this poor one to the tender mer-
cies of world he had no reason to place |
much confidence in. Hour after hour |
of the night saw him still musing by his
no nearer q solution of the |
difficulty than the previous night had
LETT him, but with brain bewildered |
by the propositions which whirled in
rapid succession through his aching
head.
Then would he rise at length with
sigh, and, trimming his lamp, creep
silently to bed, listening ever on his way
for the light bresthing that came through
The door of the room in which his baby
lay unconscious.
Now it SO happened that, returning
,ne day from visiting 3 wretched pa
lent in the neighborhood of Westmin-
ter, ne was attracted by crowd near
he Whitehall, which surrounded the
lifeless body of q young
nan, who, it appeared, had been thrown
/ ON his horse and injured to such an
extent that he lay insensible. A cry
vent round for doctor, and averse as