Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-10-27
dreadful. But don't mind now that vol

dreadful. But don't mind now that vol,
look so kind about it. And then would
you do me n great favor, Dr. Mortified ?
Would you mind not appearing to know
anything about il, or that came, pt ANY
tllng, because papa doesn't know | ain
ont he isu't down yet ami lac would be
50 distressed he might never come again,
and should be so sorry, ms vou suit him
exactly.
"Pruy don't call this favor" said,
as gravcly as could. 81 think you will
believe me when say tlat, without even
knowing your wishes on the subject.
should never have mentioned the--tho
lozengc."
81 don't know how to thank you Now
| must GO And then Miss Dillon put
that small gloved hand in her muff and
drew it out again, holding it out toward
me once more, and this time | felt n little
square bit of paper in my hand. Some.
how orr eyes met, and in spite Of the
gravity of shc occasion we both laughed,
feeling. | am sure, we should never again
be afraid of each other, as she said
please, DIR. Mortified, don't laugh at
me. Is this the right way to give fee,
because must tell you this is the first
time in my life l have ever had to give
one. | suppose some day 1 shall be i'll
and want a doctor, but | never, never
have wanted to go to one before And il
wasn't for myself this time, was it ? you
will bear witness-I mean, hope YOU
won't ever mention it goodbye. Now,
Brown am ready"
And just as ray Of sunshine comes
into ones room, glimmers, dances and
Eliminates the place for a time and then
suddenly disappears, so Lucia Dillon had
come and gone, and that noisy four
wheeler took off my vision of fair hair,
leaving me with n golden sovereign and n
new shilling wrapped in small hall
stamped the address of their London
house L folded that piece of paper and
put it away in pocket book among my
treasures, such as my dear mothers first
letter to me at school, and flower that n
little girl of years old had dropped
when | Il 9-year-old urchin, had allen des-
pcratcly in love with her. There was
nothing there unworthy to lie next to the
paper that Lucia Dillon's fingers had
touched
Later in the day received a note from
MIR. Dillon, begging me, if 1 were not toe
much engaged, to come and see him, as
he felt very unwell. And if l would do
him the great favor OF dining and spend.
ing the evening with them he would be
very grateful, for he saw so few people on
account of his wretched constitution.
Well, l went and spent a very happy
evening. 1t was only the first Of many
more, at least during this first season.
But Mr.. Dillon was as good as his word
from the day of his first visit my practice
slowly but surely increased, and though
there were years of uphill work, yet it is
perfectly true that see nest que lie pre-
mier pas qui coute" had at last got a
chance, and ] seized it, l worked with
double energy because at the bottom of
my soul l had another object besides the
one Of making the five girls at home
proud Of me wanted small, fair,
blue-eyed Lucia to be proud of me /; and
! wanted to be able to lay at her feet all
that is best and grandest in this life. But
she was a rich mans daughter, and was
"A struggling physician.
1t was not till | had freed myself OF all
dcbt-and though still poor man | was
comparatively rich, for had good and
increasing practice that Mt 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
arlstocrat was perpetually coming to the
house, and | knew that if Lucia, so young,
simple. and innocent became the wife of
that man, her 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, earn
est, passionate words. She put her little
hand once more into mine and looked up
with her beautiful, truthful eyes, as she
half sobbel:
"Oh.--do you really mean it Because,
somehow, think llave-loved you ever
since"
my darling, said, as drew her beauti-
full head on my shoulder and-well, never
mind the rest. well, 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 n
little matter of fact, shook her head de-
cidedly, and said that that was all nom
sense
There was still the question as to what
Mr.. Dillon would say about it, but our
true love, which had had to wait 80 long,
this time ran smoothly. Mr.. Dillon, who
still suffered from his wretched constitu-
ton, was delighted at Lucia's choice, and
said all kinds OF complimentary things
about my rising fame and my other quail
tiles, And so We were married, and the
five girls from home were bridesmaids,
though they soon afterward married from
our house under Lucia's care. And
though often tell Lucia that the last per-
son she should have married was popu-
lar physician, considering she is never ill,
yet she always shakes her pretty golden
head and says gravely:
But, perhaps, Arthur, some OF the
children may inherit papas wretched con-
stitution."
As to the story of the ginger lozenge,
Lucia and kept that secret until Mr..
Dillon died. He left Lucia all his money
and so ends this true story of my first
fee.