Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-11-02
THE EDOCTOR's CURE.

1t was an old piece OF business al
round, and am the only person wh'
knows all about it.
To be sure, you may say there was
the lawyer who drew up the will, bu
he did not know the motive: and as to-
Mrs. Germond herself, she was the
most mystifed of all.
How have laughed to myself to heal
her, for she was quite confidential with
me.
"Why, DOCTOR" she would say, %
never saw old Mrs. Bryant in my life.
ST had heard of her, but never unit
L came to Merton.
'It is the strangest thing"
Mrs, Germond was not a native o.
Merton, but came there with an invalid
husband and two mites of children for
country air.
1, being the only physician, was soon
called In to see Mr.. Germond, who was
slowly dying of consumption, and hac
been sent from some large city to try tc
keep the feeble spark of life aglow by
country air and diet.
Mrs Germond was splendid mus il
Jan, and had obtained the position o
organist In our church from letters oi
introduction to some of our leading
members.
In the same way she started class
of scholars amongst our wealthy people
and was thus able to support her family
with comfort, if not very luxuriously.
1t was not long before my profession
al interest was as much given to Mrs. Ger.
mond as to my actual patient, and with
far greater concern, because in her case
recovery was possible; Vile with her
husband we could do no more than
smooth his passage to the grave.
She was a slender delicate looking
woman, refined in manner, gentle and
pleasant, and with the most cheerful
face to meet troubles I ever saw.
She was not pretty, but her smile was
like sunshine and her voice always sweet
and soft.
Yet, with all this sunny brightness,
sweet even temper, and gentle care fol
the invalid. Mrs. Germond was one oi
those quiet martyrs who bear the ills
attendant upon overwork and mental
strain unfinchingly.
I valnly tried to make her save her
self.
Her watchword was duty, and her
will overcame her weakness.
Prostrate one day with the agonizing
headaches of physical exhaustion, she
was out the next, busy with. her
scholars, or up all night tending hel
husband.
When hehad died she lay for days en-
tirely passive, all energy gone for the
time; her heart crushed with grief, hel
frame for once without the ruling power
to rouse it to action.
But she was not the woman to let such
grief overcome her manifest duty, and
motherlove came to rouse her.
Once more the dreary treadmill beQar
to wear her body, now still less fitted
for its burdens, and [ could only help hel
to temporary relief and strength, know
ing that perfect rest would restore to itt
natural strength one of the most per.
feet organizations I ever saw.
All, how longed tor money in those
days when I watched Mrs. Germond
treading path knew must end II
death, without the power to stop her.
For her children, as for her husband,
she toiled increasingly, and while hel
home duties were SO engrossing, she
never turned from the calls of humanity
or charity.
Many dying bed, where poverty
wore it's darkest frown, was soothed by
her gentle presence.
Many dainty dish came from hel
hands to those poorer than herself.
1t was impossible tor me to avoit
knowing all this, as the invalids of Mer
ton had no physician but myself, bu
it was in vain that I urged Mrs. Ger
1nond to spare herself.
Zone would think I was SICK" sh'
would say to me, "when I only have
cough that I have had for years, and
sometimes neuralgia. ;"
care you ever free from pain?"
'Well, no, not entirely, but it is bear
able"
And so I come to my mysterious leg
acy. I had many times told Mrs. Ger
mond that if she would give up he
scholars and obey me implicitly for si1
months she would be well.
And at last I did what we of the heal
no profession shrink most from doing