The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-31
DR.. WILL9UGHBYS PATIENT.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

CARlSIMAS SIOlS1.
DR.. Willoughby went about doing
good. His powders ani his presence
both gave strength tv the weak: his
manner was tonic, and his wcr,is were
as good as balm. He be]ievec in diet, a
cheerful heart and trust III Providence;
aud with an occasional bitter drug, he
succes sfully fought many OF the saddest
ills that flesh is heir to. He did his
best in battling disease He went into
many homes where gladness was Danish
ed and sorrow set all around, and saved
life. It might be said that he had
frightened death from many back doors,
and let new life with all its sweet posi-
bilities in the front way. he certainly
lifted the veil of sorrow from the faces
of many, and Joy shone like sunlight
after the cloud.
DR.. Willoughby was young, single
and good looking, and took we'll with
the ladies. He moved in the best cir
cles-followed in the trail of fashion,
tending her victims and repairing her
rayishes. Sometimes be could do no
better than make patchwork of it, for
when fashion grapples a subject about
the waist, tortures and deforms the
body, and leads victim abroad on paper
soles, then no physician is so happy in
skill and art that he can win back to the
way of life.
Willoughby had been making a call,
professionally, on the Merangues, and,
bowing himself out, crossed the street
and went up the stoop of the house op-
posite, where the Thunderclouds lived.
There were but father and daughter in
the Thundercloud family. The widower
had made his money in tea, Burling
slip, had Chinese help and the oddities
OF the East were all about his house ; he
was q cold, reserved man, and, like
coat of mail, dignity hampered him !;
kept him from kiss or fondle of his
only daughter. She was a swarthy
burnette dark as midnight, and some
times as terrible. Her eyes were rich
with splendor and shone with lurid-
like light that could be seen a great
way. Her glossy and moist. looking
long hair, was in coil, like black
snake about the top of her head, and it
took near quarter hundred of hairpins
to hold the snake from crawling off and
hanging down her back. Is not health
advertised on Miss Thundercloud's cop
per-colored face2 Are not her arteries
flled, and is not the red tide that leaves
her heart free of effete matter? There
is, really, nothing physically wrong
with Miss Thundercloud, although her
pulse is at ninety. eight. But ambition
and purpose she has none she is un-
loved and alone. To be beautiful and
not to be loved is the secret of an ex-
cited and spirited pulse. She sent for
Willoughby, for his words would be as
balm and his presence like tonic. DR..
WilloHghby remained fifteen minutes
with the unhappy girl, in the rear draw
ing-room, where the rich damask cur.
tains shut out the bright autumn sun
light, and heavy oppressive atmos-
phere possessed the room. He was
quick to detect the trouble OF mind
which gave rise to that unrest of body,
and was altogether too honest to offer a
bitter drug as medicine for neglected
heart. So he told Miss Thundercloud
that he recommended diet, exercise, in
tercourse with friends, and the park,
from two to four, of afternoons. He
would not prescribe further just then,
but would call in day or two and note
progress. And while he stood by the
front door, preparing to depart, Miss
Thundercloud, having followed him into
the hall, he spoke of blind woman's
home in an uptown street, where many
afflicted, sightless old ladies, found a
temporary rest while waiting, after life's
dreary winter, for their promotion to
eternal springs. some were very poor,
some were Ill, and all were shut out
from the world. Willoughby threw
considerable pathos into his tones when
he said: "Miss Thundercloud, don't
you think it must be very tiresome liv-
ing 80 much in the dark? If those cur
tains in the drawing-room we're parted,
you would see to-dsy's sunlight and
that blue sky up there. But they don't
know these as we do. Please try a visit
some morning to the Home take 9
book, for they love to be read to, and
they love singing, and of all things
those dear old ladies' like to talk by the
hour to any one who will listen. Per
haps you will think we'll of my sugges
ton, and try to lift the monotony o.
being sightless, unloved and un
owned
There was a very odd case that Viii
loughby had on the west side OF the
town. An old gentleman, fond of hif
Bass ale, had developed tendency tx
enlarging of the joints. He moved in
ponderous way that was awful. On
day, pushing his chair back from hi
dining table, he did something dread
fully harassing to one Of the cords. ten
dons, muscles, or bones Of his left knee
and it was case that called for tn
knife. .Willoughby, being well up il
osteology. and knowing muscles ant
their eccentricities, had been summon
ed. The infamed party was on tn
amend, and Doctor Willoughby wa
taking his way leisurely to this patient
house to finish off repairs. It was tn
morning following his call upon tn
Merapgues. He was considerably sur
prised at the corner of fashionabl
avenue and an uptown cross street, +
find himself face to- face with Mis-
Thundercloud. The young lady was at
tired in an agreeable shade and 'shsp
Of walking suit, and her oopper.colore'