The Red Cloud chief., 1881-03-10
THE DOCTORS TORY.

sonal experience, tales Of family tradi-
ton, the hundred floating memories that
are seized, in passing at such a time.
1t came 10 the Doctors turn to speak,
when We were all laughing merrily at
some Jest following a scrap OF legal ex-
perience.
The doctor is a grave, reserved man,
no. much inclined TO omen his volume
of personal recollections at any time.
But after a moments pause be told his
story:
When / was a student at Heidelberg.
having nearly completed my medical
studies. l had an adventure or expert
ence that / have never told before,
though there are others living who
know the circumstances as well as l
did.
There had been a supper in the room
of one Of the widest of our students.
Hermann Schonn, and We were all
merry making, with rather more noise
than was in strict accordance with col
lege regulations, when 4 rap at OR door
caused an instant Of profound silence TO
reign in the room.
We opened the door, Upon the thres-
hold stood n figure, tall, gaunt, and in
the last stage of entire Indebtedness.
The face that thus disturbed our
merry making was that of youth, though
hunger aud misery had made appalling
havoc there. White and parched, the
skin was tightly drawn owe the bones;
the eyes. large and black, were deeply
sunken in their sockets, and the hair
was dry and thin.
Upon the tall, wasted figure the
clothing hung loosely. while its shabby
condition confirmed the tale OF want in
the wan aspect of the emaciated figure.
Standing in the doorway, ragged and
miserable, there was yet that in the
mans voice and face that told of bet
ter days, of education, and some ac-
quaintance with the cOurtesieS and re-
finements Of good society.
ado you buy the dead ?" he asked.
IL was a shock TO hear the question
where life had been SO cXuberant for
hours. We hesitated a moment before
one of the party answered, "All medi-
cal men need bodies for dissection and
study"
81 mean that. have one to SELL"
where ?".
q will tell you If you purchase"
"But, my man." n said, impa-
ticntlv, ave do not buy bodies in this
irregular way. There might be crime
to hide"
Mo- he answered. shuddering,
"there is nothing to fear in that re-
spect. More, | will prove to YOU, when
YOU claim your purchase. that the dead
man himself desired this disposal of his
BODY"
Then, abruptly, he said, "Is there
no E%nglishman here P'
al am an E~nglishman," / answered.
"You can tell me. then, what it will
cost TO 90 to London-all the expenses,
but the cheapest means Of doing it."
l made a calculation and named the
result.
"Will you give so much for the body
1 have to sell?' the stranger asked.
Ii was a large sum, and there was
some discussion, but finally Herman
said: IF everything is right, we will
pay YOU what you ask. But there is
something suspicious in the whole bust
ness"
Il do not ask for payment until you
receive the body" was the answer.
earnestly given. Tomorrow, if you
will take this order to the address upon
it. you will be convinced that all is reg
ular. am no assassin, gentlemen"
As he spoke, he took from the breast
pocket of his shabby coat a folded pa
per.
Opening this, he wrote, in a blank
left for il, the sum l had named-suf-
ficient TO pay n persons expenses to
London, travelling second-claSS.
Handing the paper 10 me, he said:
"You will pay the money TO the person
who is in charge of the body"
With a bow that would not have dis
graced a royal reception, he was gone.
We looked into each others faces.
All the merriment was zone out, and a
vague uneaSinesS was written upon ev
cry countenance.
Foul play" Herman said; "shall
we send the police 10 the address,"
Wants to escape to England" said
another, land we have favored him.
Suppose we back out now?" l sug-
gested.
But the mystery was interesting. and
before We separated. three of us, Herr
man and myself of the number, had
agreed to 90 to the address left with us.
and find the solution.
1t was still early in the day when we
met again, and wendell our way to the
humble locality indicated. l think no
stranger could have found it. Even
Herman, a citizen, and thoroughly IA
miliar with all the streets, knew nothing
of the narrow courtway We found after
an almost endless variety of tortuous
twists and turns.
The house, when reached, proved TO
be one of the abodes of poverty in its
most naked hideousnesS.
Swarms of dirty children flocked in
the streets, and want and misery were
on every side.
Our knock was unheeded, and after
repeating it, Herman suggested that
probably one entrance did duty for
several rooms and floors occupied by
different families, and pushed the door
open.
A narrow entry led us to q room al
the back, and again we knocked. The
door was opened by a tidy woman,
who was cooking, and who, in an
swer to inquiries for Karl Urban,
sold us. ..Alas!" you will find only his
dead body"
L looked again at the order. The
signature was bold and clear.
karl Urban"
"His mother is in the room," the
woman told us. "She will let no ONT
remain with her. Her son took poison.
Ihave seen him, but his mother drives
us all away"
They were very poor?" Hermann
asked.
Starving! They were great people
once, but there was some loss. l dc
not know all. Fritz the elder son,
went TO London; but there was q quar-.
rel, and the mother stayed with Karl. ]
have heard that Fritz said his mother
could not come to him except she came
over KarIs dead body-but l do NOT
know. 1t may be it is all gossip. Blu!
the mother and Karl grew poorer and
poorer, and he could ret no work to do,
being a gentleman and not a working.
man. They sold all, little by little
Jewels, clothes, furniture. Yesterday
Karl told us his mother would go to
E,.4x -, 2-~ II - ----ll Co.