Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-10-07
DR.. BLUNT's PATIENT.

namcu, SUCH was inc case WllH
DIR. Blunt, the name expressing
one of the strongest characteris-
tics. Had he been called DR..
Skillful, the same could have
been said of him with truth.
And then the expression on his
face was faithful index Of an
other equally strong point of
character, viz, great Kindness
of heart. So quick spoken was
the doctor OH ordinary occasions,
he not only abbreviated senten-
ces, but words themselves fire.
quently suffered very percep-
tible clipping.
All the village of L was
very much exercised one morn
ing by the intelligence that the
two best rooms in Mrs. Lowells
elegant house, which had been
unoccupied for year or more
because the rent was so high,
had been taken by ayoung lady
who was a real live heIress, hav-|
ing no one but herself 10 sup
port; she was going to furnish
the rooms with no end Of costly
"pieces" and lovely ornaments;
and furthermore, Lawyer Peck
ham, who had charge Of her es-
tate, said she was beauty, but
in very poor health, he believed.
So the good-natured gossIps ru-
minated how sad it was that
one couldn't have everything i'll
this world. IF you have wealth,
likely as not you have no health
with which to enjoy il, things
are pretty evenly dealt out, after
all; and SO after the manner of
newsvenders. |
Dame Rumor seems, for once,
to have heard only the facts in
the case, for in few days the
rooms were really furnished and
occupied as predicted, and Mrs.
Lowell was highly clated over
the good looks as well as afflu-
ent circumstances Of her new
boarder, though ii describing
her she had said:
"But something ails the poor
girl; she is SO nervous, my dear
but fresh looking as daisy,
and not the least mite pale or
wasted, and myl the way she
dressesr
One morning, ,as LawyerPeck-
ham was coming out of Mrs.
Lowell's house, he met DR..
Blunt going in. 1E8
"Morning, Peckham," said the
doctor, in his quick way. '
"Good morning, doctor. Guess
my client is about to become
your patient, eh!"
Eyes, yes" jerked out the
doctor, "shouldn't wonder," and
he disappeared. 0l-J1 -
A moment later DIR. Blunt
entered Miss Lacey's room. A
very fair young lady rcclined
languidly in the sumptuous
depths of "Sleepy Hollow
chair, but the quick, experience
ed eye of a medical man knew
at glance that something was
wrong, although, as s.Lowell
has said,s she was rosy and plump,
the expression of the eye was
troubled, restless and morbid.
The doctor seated himself beside
his fair patient, felt her pulse,
and then vented the remarkable
query:
"Was it me or the young doc
tor you wantedY' .et ,...r :,
"Oh, you, by all means;" said
Miss Lacey with Il smile, but
instantly the troubled look re-
turned. She added, 81 want all
the experience possible brought
to bear upon my case.
"Any parents?" queried the
doctor. /
"No, sir, my mother died of
consumption when | was very
Young; my father died when |
was a mere child?"
"Humph! Have any local
pains, suffer from headache or
nausea?" 81
"No, sir, nothing of the kind.
There seems TO be q fear of
something all the time, an upde-
fined apprehension, sometimes
[ think / may die,as mother did,
of consumption" :"
"Got any religion?"
"Why, certainly, doctor. l
should hope so. l am a church
member, and have been for years.
| / love my religion and quick
sympathetic tears affirmed the
truth of the prompt assertion.
"Ever seen Jesus Christ sick
land visited Him, or naked and
clothed Him, or ministered to
1.-The thousand and one wants of
the little ones forever repre-
Isenting theSaviour's symbolized
suferings?"
@Aias, no." sighed poor Miss
Lacey, SI have wanted for years,
but this nervous weakness units
me for anything useful or prac-
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