South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1879-06-06
DR.. Thorne's Prescription.
BY IDA ROWLAND.

There Is one thing nerer will do, and
that is, marry widower,' said Laura,
with more energy than she had display
ed before In week. the idle white fin
gers, meanwhile, beating quick tattoo
on the pane covered with rain drops, and
her head, with its bright.bronze hair.
moulding SO emphatically that the ivy.
leaves above her were all in tremble.
Nor doctor, said Aunt Prudence.
shrewdly as she glanced out Of her win
dow In time to see DIR. TEorne's buggy.
we'll spattered, with country mud, 90 a
round the corn er, and tie stately doctor,
under his umbrella. in the act of rcplac-
ing his hat on his head. Il knew girl
once
oh, spare me. Aunt Prue9 know
all about it; sue married just as she
had vowed she would not. L. does not
follow that am TO be so foolish, does
IL? ] had rather be blessed old maid
like you. if 1 could only be half as
good. than to be Mrs. Somebody number
two?'
How is it about doctors?
'They are my especial abomination.
They smell of drugs. and are given to
lecturing people, said Laura, her color
deepening under the spinster's keen
gaze, and her fingers beating a quicker
measure.
1t seems odd that you have taken such
dislike to DR.. Thorne, Laura; every
body else likes him. said that young Ia
dy's mother from her seat by the fire,
where her fingers were busily doing her
darling's mending, while her thoughts
we're planning, how she might in some
other way take every shadow of care
from her young life.
Il did not mention his name in parti-
cular mother.
We'll, knew you meant him, for you
have not liked him since called him in
TO prescribe for your headaches. BY the
way, you never showed me his last pre-
scription; noticed it was quite
lengthy
oh, /: was some nonsense about eX-
ercise and early hours quite n little
lecture, IN tact, FOR which he received no
thanks said Laura, evasively.
Then the conversation was changed
by Mrs. Lamont consulting her sister
about the pudding for dinner, while
Lauras thoughts ran on this needless
fashion:
The impudcnce OF the men. All
those fine words meant simply this, you
are lazy, goodfor-nothing girl; 20 TO
work, and you will he better Not that
| think | am anything else but one
does not care TO he reminded of such
things. | wonder If lie knows that this
dear little mother of mine has made it
the one object of her life TO anticipate
all y.wishes, and make me the ignor-
ant butterfly Of fashion that | am? And
Aunt Prue is in league with her. Dear
souls, they want to make the happy
How disappointed they would be if they
knew how restless and miserable | am
To work in this house is impossible {:
and yet | would like to be OF use to
some orc. ! don't believe am natur-
ally lazy, or this kind of life would
suit me. suppose he thinks Agnes
Bell paragon. She knows all about
housekeeping, and visits the poor Eve
rybody says she would make him n
splendid wife. Well, hope she likes
widowers-I don't!
Here the solloquy was ended by
Laura turning to tue piano and dashing
Off the most brillian: thing she knew
anything TO draw her thoughts. Pres
emily the notes grew softer, and she
heard Aunt PrHe say:
There is OUR new neighbor out at the
gate; and such understanding crea-
ture How can people he so thought
less about their appearance" glancing
over her own spotless attire.
Perhaps there is some excuse for her,
Prue, said the other sister, who always
found cloak for everyone's shortcOm-
ings. Katie says she has three little
! children. and docs her own work. a
sick baby, too, who cries half the night.
You know Katie's room is on that side
Of the house she says she often sees the
little woman walking the floor late al
night, with the baby in her arms
All habit, this walking the floor with
children. said Aunt Prudence, who
would have every child brought up by
rule as far as sleeping and eating were
concerned.
Why hayn't you been in TO see her :.
inquired Laura, wheeling suddenly a.
round on the piano-stool.
She has her hands full without seeing
strangers, answered her mother.
Then the sisters conversation drroe1
away upon other topics, while Laura fell
into n brown study that lasted about ten
minutes. when she suddenly rose. and
taking her waterproof from a closet.
said abruptly -
Il am going over there.
Where? echoed mother and aunt.
having forgotten their previous CONVEX.
sation.
Our next-door neighbours.
Are you Grey child II is morning.
and she will not have her work done
said her mother.
Your hair is in crimp- pins called
Aunt Prue, FOR tie willuI girl had by this
time reached tho gate.
Tho door-bell next door was broken. so
Laura raped but there was such n
commotion in the hall that she knew she
could not DC heard, so she opened the
door and walked in. A boy or five was