Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-07-28
THE NEW DOCTOR.


pleading tone, as if she expected to meet
storm of objections, but somewhat to
her sunrise, her aunt Martha said:
II would if were you.
CDR. Wyck, it would seem, has tried
his utmost skill for the last five years, y
sighed Esther, wearily, "and | get no
better. 1t may be DIR. Dun will know
of some new remedy"
II will write to DIR. Dun now, said
| Miss Martha. 81 will see Robert har-
ness up to drive to the town."
1t was a very brief note, merely re-
questing DR.. Dun to call upon Miss
Warren mt his earliest convenience, yet
Miss Marthas pen travelled very slowly
over the paper, and she kept her head to
one side, lest tear drop should mar the
| neat letters.
Five years before there had been no
brighter, stronger maiden in all Millvllle
than Esther warren, only child of Bates
Warren, who had made an enormous for.
tune in iron, and held Esther as the
choicest of all this earth's treasures.
At eighteen her father was killed and
she seriously crippled in railway col
lision.
Her hands and arms were strong as
ever. her brain clear, but her lower
limbs were utterly without power.
Heiress to immense wealth she was
almost prisoner in her splendid home,
subject to attacks of pain that prostrated
her for days, suffering intensely.
Books, needlework and a feeble
attempt at drawing helped to fill the
time; but it was not easy to be patient,
and Esther was not yet perfectly saint
like, although she tried to be submissive.
DIR. Dun's practice was small, and
much of his time at his own control, but
he was an enthusiast In his profession,
and gladly took much of the old doctors
gratuitous practice off his hands.
He had come to Millville as DR.. Wyck's
assistant, to take his place when he re-
tired, but the patients of the old doctor
were little shy of the new one.
"Ah-yes!" said DR.. Wyck, reading
Miss Marthas note. Little Essie War
rem! Sad case, and the doctor entered
into a long description of the case, sum
ming up in the words, utterly hopeless!
She may live for years, but she will
never walk or stand
It seemed to Herbert Dun when he
entered the beautiful room where Esther
Warren spent her long ~aklng hours,
that life even with pain, must be pleas
ant surrounded by such luxury, and the
rare exquisite beauty of Esther's face,
pale, it is true, but delicately lovely,
was jewel worthy ef exquisite setting.
There was a little flush upon the inva-
lids cheeks as the new doctor took a
chair beside her, a light of hope in her
large eyes that made his heart ache.
1t was not long before Esther Warren
under the grave professional manner,
felt the power of his sympathy, and
found herself expressing more freely
than she had ever before spoken the
hope that filed her heart, fully satisfied
when DIR. Dun said
'In a case of such long standing |
cannot express an opinion at once, Miss
Warren; but depend on me to give my
my most earnest study and care to it. )"
But if DIR. Dun could not restore
strength to Esther Warren's crippled
body it was not long before she felt her
life flooded with new strange happiness.
The hour that the new doctor spent
with her every morning gladdened the
whole day.
He was not conceited man, and
Essie seemed to him like child, so that
he was blind to the fact that he was
gaining the heart of the crippled heiress.
So when Martha invited him to spend
some chance evenings there he went.
Essie was to him patient; one who
called on his professional skill frequently
to care the most agonising suffering: and
if he could also make some of her long,
lonely hours any brighter he gladly con-
tributed his iveliest talk, his best tenor
songs, his most courteous manner to the
service.
But he never thought she loved him
until Dr. Wyck answered his application
for months holiday.
''Spare you? Why, yes, I suppose I
can get along. But I am afraid have
made muddle of sending you to Esther
Warren. Why didn't you tell me that
you were engaged?
sI waited until I could offer Annie a
home.
"You-you couldn't break your en-
gagement, I suppose. You know you
could have Esther Warren and her for
tune for asking"
ST never thought of such thing"
"Perhaps you had better consider it,