Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-12-03
A PHYSICIANS STORY.


continue the practice Of nay profession
Yet, as matter of habit, as kind o
second nature, day rarely passes with
ont finding me ut my office, MS still cal
the little dusty den away out Of hearing
OF the noise and crash of the street.
Yesterday, as was sitting there alone.
atriend came IN and gave me d long
garrulous account ut u skeleton tbat
hid been but an hour before disinterretl
in the heart of the city by some workmen
digging for the foundation Of building.
IL was the skeleton of q woman ho said.
| looked at him sharply, and satisfied
myself that he told this merely AS a
piece ofintelljgence. Heaven helped me
to keep composed think. This was
my dread secret!
"And some physicians gave 1t ~ their
opinion that this skeleton had lain Under
ground quite fifty years" he continued
| bit my lips; they were white enough
before Cunning fellows, these brother
physicians Of mine. 1t was exactly fifty
years!
'But nobody could recognize the
bones, Of course"
breathed more freely
''rhere was one remarkable thing.
however, about this singular cxhuma.
tlon. Upon the fourth bony finger of
the left hand brilliant diamond ring
WINS discovered, which sparkled aud
scintillated us clearly as though it had
not been for half II century covered by
the mold,'
The speaker did not notice at that
point how uervously | closed my left
hand. | did not care to have him see
the counterpart Of the ornament be had
described at that moments
Somewhat more than fifty years ago,
and in this very room. where | write, 1 |
concluded the long WEARY probation of !
my student life and entered singly upon |
the practice Of my profession. My sue
cess was immediate and gratifying.
Those who had been long and firmly es-
tablisbed III the city were astonished to
find themselves supplanted in day, az
1t Nere, by one they had hitherto affect
cd to despise. TO be brief, | WIS sue
cessftt] almost beyond precedent; bust.
ness and money came at my command,
and the city resounded with praises of
my skill, and the wonderful cures bad
performed.
| WINS called from bed Mt midnight mp
on one occason, and directed in the
most urgent manner 70 repair to the
house OF Judge c., The house udi-
Gated WIS the house of one of the wealth
lest aud pr0adest families OF B.. and
] obeyed the summons as soon as posi-
bic. II was with difficulty that / ascer
tanned amid the sobs and tears that greet
cd my arrived, that Helena c.. the
only and H0lized daughter of the fami-
~ and the acknowledged belle and
beauty Of the city, had been suddenly |
with violent nalady.
1t needed hut one glance at the suf
Ierer to assure me OF this. Altbouph
perfectly well an hour before. she wasi i
now nearer death than life. The dis q
Ease that had iseize6 her was one Of the d
most malignant and quickly fatal with a
Which my experience had yet made me #
'onversant she'lay perfectly notion
ess, her lips ae rigid as those of death, II
md the closest scrutiny could detect no q
aspiration; while upon each cheek II
burned single fiery spot, the sure mark I
# the destroyer. fl
"Can you save herr" was the fathers
,gonized question. D
The chances are nlnety.bine in II hun. W
red against her living an bonr." was -
he reply. "Nevertbnless. will ].ove "
othing undone.n u
Ny end was accomplished. For thirty Il
u consecutive hours sat by her bed
de, warily combating the fatal disease ,
'hich had assaulted her. when ! at last
her ont of danger felt that
mad almost wrought % miracle. This :,
'as another triumph added to nv list. "
nd the report of my fame was in every
lonth.
But this was not the only consequence =.
the occurrence. The discovery that
~ lovely and amiable patient regarded +,
lie with q warmth of emotion and orot. a
nde which only her own warm heart
,uld conceive, filed me with feetinrs
the livliest pleasure. She regarded ~
% as her benetactor, her savior-in ~ =
tort, she loved me most fervently. y"
new it long before her recovery-in n 40
indred different ways she BETRAYED il 90
and the consciousness of tho foot ,,o,. WI