The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-10-15
AT LONG BRANCH.

III was glorious nlglL' COOL BdI
breeze blew off the ocean. that was
tossing and laundering its eternal
anthems, beneath the vivid light of the
fall July moon, that hung, a silver
globe, in the opal sky.
Doctor Willis had just come in from q
solitary walk on the sands, and bis
watch told him that it was half-past
eleven.
At four o'clock that afternoon he
had arrived at Long Branch, for weeks
rest and recreation, the very first he had
taken in five years of hard, conscientious
work.
Even now he had hesitated to leave
his patients, mostly people of the
middle classes, who could not afford
to leave their homes during the hot
weather; and had it not been for his
friend and counselor, old Doctor Palliser,
1t is doubtful whether or not he would
have gone.
"You will be down on your back, the
next thing" Doctor Palliser said,
authoritatively, one melting July night,
when all New York was painting for
breath, and at nine o'clock the tner-
mcmeter still scared, aspiringly, near
the nineties. you'll be down with a
low fever, and this wasting weather
isn't the best time for such things,
suppose you know. Pack your valise,
and give me your list OF patients, and be
off to the seashore for a week or ten
days. If can't cure your folks, can
put 'em out of the misery Of enduring
this beastly weather"
And the result was that by the two
O'Clock boat from Liberty street, the
very next day, Doctor Willis was en-
route for cooling breezes and the sound
OF the surf.
He felt he could SO lily afford the
time, or-what was even more to the
point-the expense; for Doctor Willis
had not yet arrived at the pleasant
stage Of his professional existence
where every patient represents dollar
and half each visit, and not ON the
books at that.
OF course, he had q little money. A
man is only half man who will
not save something always, no matter
how small or uncertain his income is, so
long as he has no one depending upon
him for support.
DR., Willis had long ago learned to be
self-denying and economical, yet never
stingy and mean. All the same, as no
sat there, enjoying the delicious, life
giving breezes, and thinking how hardly
he had earned the brief respite from
the sick beds and suffering babies, stuffy
rooms, and long, hot drives through
breathless streets, he was more surprised
than pleased to hear rap on his door,
and to have a servants head thrust
In.
YOU'RE a doctor, sirP"
eyes"
"Then please look at this, SIR"
He took a card, aristo cratic even in It's
appearance, and read on it the name OF
"Mrs. Gorham," to which was added,
In pencil, Room 3, and please come as
soon rs convenient"
"Youmay tell Mrs. Gorham will be
therein few minutes" he said.
He then proceeded to don the collar
necktie coat and vest he had re-
move
"If it's case OF any account, will
be able to stay with clean conscience"
he thought. half amusedly, as he raped
on the door OF No. 3, that stood slightly
njar.
A sweet. womanly voice said "Come
In, please!" and he entered the first
room of a pleasant suite,to meet n lovely
faced, elderly lady on her way toward
him.
"This is the doctor~
Doctor Willis, madam"
al am Mrs. Gorham. Please step
this way; it isa young lady in my SER
vice-my children's governess--who is
sick. Mabel, this is Doctor Willis.
Miss Vance, doctor"
She had led the way to an inner room,
where the patient lay, her eyes bright
and unnatural, her breath coming in
quick, labvred gasps-a fair, beautiful
girl, with masses of dark hair piled on
the pillow above her head, and with
the sweetost-expressioncd mouth he
ever had seen for all she was evidently
in intense suffering.