Iron County register., 1882-10-26

the top of which was stamped the address
of their London house. folded that piece
of paper and put it away in 3 pocket-b book
among my treasures, such as my dear moth :
er's frat letter to me ct school, and the flow
er that little girl of seven years old had
dropped when L. nine-year old urchin,
had fallen desperately in love with her.
There was nothing there unworthy to lie
next to the paper which Lucia DIilon>s nm
gers had touched.
Later In the day I received note from
Mr.. Dillon, begging me, il I were not too
much engaged. to come aud see him, as ne
felt very unweli. And if would do him the
great favor OF dining and spending the even
ing with them. he would be very grateful,
for he saw so few people, on account OF MS
wretched constitution.
Well, 1 went, aud spent very happy
evening. 1t was only the first OF many more,
at least during this first season. But Dit.
Dillon was COOL as his word; from the
day OF his first visit my practice slowly but
surely increased. and though there were
years OF up-h bill work, yet it is perfectly true
that sit is only the first step which is dlifi- :
cult" L had at last got chance, and 1
seized it. L worked with double energy,
because at the bottom of my soul had an
other object beside the one OF making the
five girls at home proud of me: wanted q
small, fair, blue-eyed Lucia to be proud OF
me; and 1 wanted to be able to lay at her
feet all that is best and grandest in this life.
But she was rich mans daughter, and l
was a struggling physician. j.tv4lg F
1t was not till I had freed myself OF all
debt-and though still poor man. / was
comparatively rich, for had a good and in
creasing practice-that at last / made up my
mind to ask Lucia to be my wife. should
not have had the face to do, it even then,
only young, good-for- nothing aristocrat
was perpetually coming to the house, and
knew that if Lucia, SO young, simple and in
nOcent, became the wife of that man heI
life would be miserable. The fear of this,
! and some amount Of jealousy, perhaps, made
me speak out one day. l shall never forget
Lucia's face when had said some strong,
earnest, passionate words. She put hel
| little hand once more into mine. and looked
mp with her beautiful, truthful eyes, as she
| half-sobbed.
/ "O-do you really mean it? Because
somehow, think have-loved you eve'
Ever since you gave me my first fee, my
darling" L said, as [ drew her beautiful
head on my shoulder, and-well, never mind
the rest. "We!l, Lucia" added, 81 loved
you the first moment saw you. So you see
| / loved you long before you cared for me. ,,
| But Lucia, who is just little matter OF
fact, shook her head decidedly, and said tina
| that was all nonsense.
There was still the question as to what Mr.
| Dillon would say about it, but our true love
which had had to wait so long, this time rar
smoothly. Mr.. Dillon, who still suffered
from his wretched constitution, was delight
ed at Lucia's choice, and said all kinds o
complimentary things about my rising fame
and my other qualities. And 80 we were
married, and the five girls from home wer,
bridesmaids, though they soon afterwart
married from our house under Lucia's care
And though often tell Lucia that the las
person she should have married was a pop
ular physician, considering she is never ill
yet she always shakes her pretty COLDER
head, and says, gravely:
/ ."But, perhaps, Arthur, some of the chill
dren may inherit papa's wretched constitu
tion."
Lucia and I kept that a secret till Mr.. Dillo
died. He left Lucia all his money-and s.
ends this true story of MY FIRST Fee
! 4rQOSY.