Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-08-08
DOCTOR,s STORY.

DOCTORs STORY.
1t is not so far back but that I can 10
member very well how and when ! com.
menced the practice of medicine. By
way of necessary introduction to my
story. I must say a few words Of that
time
When N. D. was tackled to my name
1 bowed at two shrines, my profession
and-my Angelina. Her name was not
Angelina, but my wife being a modest
little lady, desires she shall not be
dragged before an inquisitive public.
Let, then, the abstract Angelina repre-
sent the real woman. conceal my own.
name for similar reasons.
OF course had rival. Name, Richard
Somers; age, tWenty-siX; general appear
ance, striking and handsome; character,
very bad.
Neither my affection for this gentle
man nor his affection for me would have
started a conhagration on any river of
which know. We disliked each other
heartily from the first Being a much
handsomer man than myself, he might
have been a dangerous rival. However,
be saved me all trouble. He committed
q forgery which was discovered sooner
than he expected. He was arrested for
the offence, tried and convicted. was
one of the principal witnesses against
him. When the sentence was passed
upon him he requested a moments con-
Fersation with me. I shall never forget
he look of hatred on his face as he
hissed out: a : 5.J-3t.sl
You have ruined my love and my
life. Remember that, and fear me-
am not timid man, and attached
but little importance 20 his threat. j
thought it simply the bluster of self
defeated and disgraeed rival. uo e
Soon after, Angelina and were mar
ned, and. as the story books say, lived
happy ever afterWard.n ssla-
SO much by way of introduction now
70 my story: nrgsi I'd 5st .e.le
We had been married little over two
years. During inaf time heard moth
ing Of Somers. His sentence had been
comparatively light oRe-a year and
nix months. After mis- discharge from
prison, / neither saw or heard Of him.
For so young q man had been very
successful as a physician. Perhaps my
success was due to my strict attention to
practice. No matter how late, or dark
lndstorny might be the night, I prompt
" attended to every summons to the
bedside of suffering. % l.saoJ .aa -
One night little before the hour of
retiring the door bell rang, and shortly
after man entered the room where VIC
we're sitting. He was not prepossessing.
His hair was short and thick and the
general cast of his features viiainous.
He evidently DeiUnged to that variety
# Tow. known as the Jail bird. Never.
gheless, without hesitation, I put ON my
coat and hat, and prepared to go with
him. a ,zr i.al.3 II.
"a gentleman" /" he said, "hss broken
his leg.p .ls,l sa1l .i45
/ thought il a pity that, if he were in
any way like his messenger, he hadn't
broken his neck. / did not tell my wife
where was going, for it was distant
part of the town, and in anything but a
respectable neighbOrhood. L did not
wish to make the little woman nervous.
On our way my friend, the jail-b;rd,
was very uncommunicativey answering
nv INQUIRIES about the injured man in
surly monosyllables. He was apparently
in no haste, for he walked very slowly
more slowly, thought, than was con.
sistent with the welfare of my patient.
at last we arrived at our destination.
1t was a very ark-loOking house, in g.
very dark little street. e-;lIa-6..- -1ea- 4
Ny guide. led me up two flights 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 a broken
leg would escape2 was still more sur
prised when, on entering the room, I
found il empty! He motioned me to
chair, and, remarking he would soon
return, left the room.
For the first time / was somewhat
aierYous and suspicious. The emmy
room, the last action of my guide, his
carelessness on our way as to the health
of the supposed injured man, the /, lely
house and neighborhood, all combined
to make me suspect foul play.
stepped to the door only to find it
rocked from the outside-to the window
only to find escape impossible there. It
was many feet from the ground.
Ny suspicious were now certainties.
was trapped. None of my friends, not
even my wife knew where 1 was.
might be murdered in this den, and nv
death remain a mystery. tft
l suppose / waited about an hour be-
fore 1 heard the key turn in the door.
Then, to my dismay, half dozen men
entered.
When nature made the jail-bird who
had led me into this trap, she did not
break the mould. These gentlemen were
of the same pattern. All wore the same
hang-dOg, murderous look. One of
them raised the light in the room,
which had been burning low. With
hardly glance at me, they took seats
upon the floor and begun to play cards. |
Soon the door again opened, and
another man entered. hardly had q
hope as looked at him, for I saw the
exulting face Of my ememy-Dick
Somersl
At glance he saw recognized him.
With a malicious leer he stepped for
ward, and quoting his own words of
two years before, he said:
You have ruined my love and nv
life. Remember that, and fear meIn
Somers, said-6or my life couldn't
have called him Mr.. Somers-'T know
Yil"S @ you nave trapped me here for the
purpose OF revenRing yourself upon me.
put remember, sir, that have friends!
remember law and justiceF"
lear nothing" he answered. ere
venge, on you is dearer to me than life,
ana though for me the bottomless pit |
were yaWning, would have it."
/ saw it was useless to appeal to this
man, and 1 sullelly waited for Wis.,
seemed fate.
at his command the rufians seorcbad
me. One of them, who annesred are J''1u -
be q kind of traasn,,.n, - tII.- l-.-oN " |