The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-05
DR.. Bisteury's Night -Watchman,


ting robbed and murdered one of these
days; YOU will, upon my word!"
Hardly, my boy. You ought to know
by this time that it's the province of us
doctors to kill othec people, not to be
killed ourselves" And with a thick
chuckle at his own wit, DIR. John Hun
ter Bistoury settled himself comfortably
in his chair, and began to peal his third
orange as carefully as if he were taking
off limb.
"Look here, doctor; I'm not joking
Pm not indeed! Everyone knows that
YOU are rich man; and it's got abroad
that there's room in your house which
is always shut up--the very thing to
make people think there most be some
thing very valuable slowed away there;
| and yet, after all that you 90 on living
/ in this Big house without soul near you
| except the cook and old Sam yender,
who wouldn't be worth cent in real
scrimmageW
"Well, my boy" said the doctor with
curious smile, "would it tranqua-
lize your mind if were to engage a
night watchman?" .
II should think so. That would be
just the thing"
every good. Consider it DONE"
This room, of which Harry had spoken
as being "always shut up" was stand
ing puzzle to the doctors few intinates.
Not man Of them had ever crossed its
threshold; and its master, when ques-
/. toned on the subject, answered only by
some Joking evasion. Rumor whispered
that one adventurous gentleman, rem
dered desperate by his wlfe's threat to
give him no peace till he found out
what DIR. Bistoury kept hid in that
room of his" had actually attempted a
burglarious entrance; but the attempt, il
ever made, had been unsuccessful. 1t is
needless to say that countless conject'
ures, and not few heavy bets likewise
!, were constantly made respecting the
6 contents of this Bluebeard chamber.
Against this ingenious theory there
! was only one thing to be said-the doc
: tor had never had wife to immure
= The fragrant treason against the sex wa
' the more objectionable inasmuch as hi
q had had abundant opportunities o
= changing his condition, had he bu
" chosen to avail himself of them. Tomos
- of those who questioned him on the sub
= iect, he replied that he was welded t
his profession. and that any other uniol
would be fiat bigamy; but to his frien'
10 Harry Everett, in a moment OF after
. . dinner confidence, he told'a very differ
e ent story.
"a - "My medical cousin Alice was tn
~ ~ woman who ought to have been Mr.
Il Bistoury, and an admirable fellow7pra'
- - titioner she would have been for mt
, 10 The way in which she once cut splil
! ter out Of my thumb, did equal honor t
~ - her hand and her heart; and when sh
i was only thirteen, she bought a skeleto
a a with her uncle's birthday gift Of tiv
GO 'e dollass-a fact-and articulated it in
% % manner that was really mastery. BIT
a., a. in an evil hour, she became tainted wit
a5 .d fancy for homeopathy; and after th'
~ ~ of course all was over between us. Sue
~ ~ is life!" ....... ......
~ ~ The doctors agreement to engage
!, ~ night-watchman quieted Harry's appr
~ ~ tensions for the time being; but fe
". ~ weeks later, he returned to the attac
- = once more. II say, doctor, have you g
,o ~ that night-watchman yet"
0- eyes; some time ago" 4..
"Well, he don't seem to do his dut
|et then, for I've passed this way at q
ue hours Of the night, and never seen hil
'lh Are YOU quite sure he's to be trusted
ce, "Wait and see" said the doctor ora
;so ;so ularly.
Use And Everett waited, but did not 81
ue The invisible watchman remained rs
10 visible as ever; and Harry, out of p
g 'en thence with his old friends seeming j
me m fatuation, had almost decided to ia
she some decisive step on his own authorit
.e .eo when new complication introduced
.l,e :1 self into the drama. This was nothi
rue rue less than the temporary retirement
ge' g the doctors veteran man-servant-poI
Ihe larlv known as cold .Sam"--wh'
loh .A health had begun to give way SO ma
naV festly that his master insisted on sendi
lue him into the country on three mont
leu Mieu holiday, replacing him with .anotl
aer man, who had volunteered as promp
as if he had been keeping his eye on
are ma place for a year past. The ,new-cor
a9 1ie, was a grave, smooth-faced, tacltl
ai!l man, who moved as noiselessly as a sh
oi ow, and seemed living combination
1 lal1 the two proverbial requisites of a g
anu servant, silence and obedience.
ives ives But although the doctor and
fess friends highly approved Of this mo
dr. domestic, there was one man who
not. That one was Harry Everett, '
'let' lost no time in announcing his opini
'Iu- n "Look here, doctor. don't want to
W of' always bothering you about this robt
gen. idea; but it's fact that that new fel
'gnV ~ Of YOURS is up to some mischief. l
m 1ne coming home pretty late last night, W
en- | caught sight of him standing at
garden-gate, talking to couple Of n
ape; One Of them happened to turn his
'rea to the lamp light as passed, and ! k
fed him at once for noted thief who goe
ead, the name of Badger Bill"
u le o. "Ipdeedl Are you sure Of ,that?"
l " =