The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-04-23

Wuulu Hpl trOUnlc you, my ucur
kind brother" she wrote, "knowing, a,
! do, how poor your own prospects are
and how patiently you arc trying tt
wait for practice, did not want press oi
me and my babies so closely. IL YOU
can spare me lite ever SO little
brother, it will come as blessing, fol
my extremity is great. Forgive me fol
thus troubling you. Necessity often
prompts to acts from the thought OF
which, in brighter moments, we turn
with feeling of pain"
For many minutes after reading this
letter, Doctor Grimes sat with his eyes
upon the floor.
"My poor Maryr' he said at length
Chow much you have suffered; aud vel
more drops of bitterness are given to
your cup. Oh, that Il was in my power
to relieve you! But my hands arc
stricken down with paralysis. What
can do? Thus far, have gone in
debt instead of clearing my expenses"
lie took out his pocket book and
searched il over.
'Nothing-nothingr' he murmurcd
as he refolded il. "Ah, what curse is
there like the curse of poverty?"
lie then referred to the other letter,
the receipt of which he had almost for
gotten. Breaking the seal, he read,
with surprise, its contents, which were
as tollows:-
TO Doctor GRTMEs-DEAR SIR:
Please call, as carly as possible, al
Messrs. l. &P-'s, No.-Wall
Street, New York; where YOU will
hear something to your advantage.
l,,o IL.
the doctor, as he hurriedly perused the
letter. "Can it be possible that rela-
tive of my father, in England, has died
and left us property Yes; it must be
so. Several members of his family
there are in good circumstances. Oh,
If 1t should be thus, how timely has re-
lief come! For your sake, my dear
sister, more than for my own, will be
thankful2 But how am / to 90 to New
York? have not dollar in my pock-
ct, and will receive nothing for week
or two."
The only resource was in borrowing !:
and to this the doctor rcsorted with con.
siderable reluctance. From o gentle.
man, who had always shown an inter
est in him, he obtained five dollars.
Within an hour after the receipt of the
letter, he was on his way to the citv.
The more he pondered the matter. the
more likely did ii seem TO him that his
first conclusion was the true one.
There was an uncle of his fathers. n
miscr, rcputcd to be very rich, from
whom, some years before the family
had received letters; and il seemed not
ut all improbable that his death had oc.
Cured, and that he and his sister had
been remembered in the will. This
idea so fully possessed his mind by the
time he arrived in the city, that he was
already beginning to make, in imagina-
Il IN, sundry dispositions of the proper
~ soon to come into his hands.
"Cam see one of the gentlemen be-
longing to the firm?' asked the doctor
on entering the store of Messrs. L
"lIfre is Mr.. L." said the indi
vidual addressed, referring him TO a
middle aged, thoughtful looking man,
with something prepossessing in his
face.
The doctor bowed to Mr.. L.. and
then said-"My name is DIR. Grimes"
Mr.. L-bowed in return, remark
ing as he did So
"Will you walk in?"
The doctor was rather disappointed
at the manner of his reception, and ex-
pericnced slight depression of spirits
as he followed The merchant back into
one of the counting rooms attached to
to the store.
"Will you take chair, slr?" said
the merchant.
Both the gentlemen sat down. About
L. there was an air of expectancy
which the doctor did not fail 10 remark.
"My name is DIR. Grimes" said he
repeating his first introduction.
81 am happy to see you, DOCTOR" re-
turned L., bowling again.
81 received a letter from your house
this morning." said the victim, for
such he really was, "desiring me to
call, as you had some communication to
make that would be to my advantage"
"There's some mistake, replied the
merchant. No letter of the kind has
emanated from u.s."
care you certain?" asked the man
in voice greatly changed; and he
drew forth the letter he had received.
L--looked at the communication
and shook his head.
"There is no truth in this, sir. l re-
grct to say that you have, most proba-
bly, been made the victim of an idle and
reprchensib'e jest. To-day, You are
aware, is the first of April"
"Can it be possible!' exclaimed the
doctor, casping his hands together,
while his face became pale and over
cast with disappointment. "Who could
have been so unkind 80 cruel?'
"And is the disappointment very
greatF' said the merchant, touched
with the manner of his visitor, which
showed more pain than modification at
the cheat practiced upon him.
With an effort at self command,
Doctor Grimes regained, TO some ex-
tent, his lost composure, and, rising,
remarked, as he partly turned himself
away
"Forgive this intrusion, since ought
to haye been more on my guard"
But, an interest having been awaken
ed in the mind of Mr.. L., he would
not suffer his visitor 10 retire until hs
held more conversation with him. In
this conversation he learned, through
delicately asked questions, even more
of his real condition in life than the
lat or meant to communicate; and he
still further learned that tho mother OF
DIR. Grimes had been one of his early
friends.
"Would you be willing to take the
position OF resident physician at the
-IIospital?" finally asked Mr.. l.
"To QUO like me-" replied Doctor
Grimes, "that place would be exceed
ingly desirable. But do not suppose
| could get it,"
"Why not?"
al am stranger here"
"Can you bring testimonials as to
professional abiliiy~ asked Mr.. L.
81 can. Testimonials of the yer,
highest character"
"Bring them TO me doctor, at thu
earliest possible moment. 1 do not, in
the least doubt that my influence will
secure you the place. l believe you
have no family" ~
"None."
"That may be an objection. A fur
nished dwelling is provided for tn,
1 physician; and, believe, one with ,