Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-03-08
neither took a seat nor invited me to 40

which complicate it,"
He looked up at me fiercely, and, coming
close, shook his fist in my face, saying a
the same time:
"That's nothing but curiosity! You doc
tors pretend to understand disease, and II
be able to cure it, yet you will let sou
like this lie in darkness rather than do you
best without knowing its secrets! l scorl
you all! Co."
He turned from the room, leaving mi
standing there alone. left the house WITT
the feeling that I should not re-enter 1t
Evidently my services were no longer de
sired, and was convinced that they coult
be of no great value unless / could have tht
information I had sought in vain.
What was my astoniShment that evening
to see the woman whom had always fount
by the bedside of my mysterious patlen
come into my room. She vas most re
rpectable woman, and / had been pleased
with the intelligence with which she nursec
her charge. Startled, said, "Is she worse?'
"She is the same, DOCTOR" was the reply
in quiet, even dull tone. ''There may
be no chance for her ever to be better, bu
if you knew all about her, perhaps yOl
could help her more. l have come to tel
you"
"Had you permission to do this ??
asked though 1 confess was suffering a
keen pangs of curiosity as have ever eX
perienced.
"No," was her reply; "but it is right fol
you to know. You have done more for my
young lady than any other doctor has
Perhaps you can cure her if you know
ALL"
1 told her to take seat and prepared tt
listen.
81 was nurse to my young lady's moth
er," began the woman; and when she was
married, as she was at seventeen, went tt
live with her. Oh, she was so gay ano
happy, and her husband SO proud of her
She loved every beautiful thing, and he
made her home like fairy palace. Just
before her baby was born-she that is my
young lady noW-he one morning was going
to ride. The horse was one he had JUS,
bought, and was wild creature. In some
way it became frightened and threw, my
master, so that his head struck the sharp
corner of the stone step and he was killed
"My mistress saw it all, for she was stand
ing there waiting to kiss her pretty hand tc
him as he rode away. At first we thought
he was only stunned, but the dOctors-We
had three-shook their heads from the first
and soon everybody saw there was no hope.
NV mistress was almost wild with grief and
horror A month later her baby was born
The poor little thing never laughed like
other babies.
"When she was three days old he1
mamma died, and took charge of the child
She was always gentle and sweet, but never
gay as her mamma used to be. Often she
would say to me: "Nurse, wish could be
merry like other children but everything
seems 50 sad. Why is ~
"When she was old enough told her the
story of her papa and mamma and their sad
death. Oh, how she cried, poor dear. J
remember it ALL she said, looking up
through her tears. Il have seen it all In
understand it,
Con her last birthday she was of the same
age her mamma was when she was born
The night before she was very sad, and had
made nae tell her the whole painful story OF
her parents death over again. In the
morning she had disappeared, and after
long search / found her at the house
where she was born, but which had been
closed for so many years. There she sat
my poor child, her beautiful face shadoweo
in gloom, her finger pointing to the stone
which had killed her papa. When l tried
to rouse her, I found that her reason hao
gone.
'That was three months ago, sir. The
dian, and he is very anxious that it should
never be known that she has been mad
for it would ruin her future, poor dear
So we came here and hid ourselves where
we knew nobody could find us. He made
her rooms like those at home, SO that every
thing should be familiar to her when con
sciousness should return. He won't give
her name OF his to any one, for fear of theil
being remembered when she's we'll again.
1 asked several questions of a profession
al nature, and then said there was chance
of rousing the sufferer by shock tina
heretofore / had tried to do this by keeping
her calm now, if 1 were to continue IL
charge of her case, l should try another
method.
She entreated me to do so, and to ignore
the dismissal had received from the guar
dian that morning.
"Has she," l asked, "no dear friend ? i
there not some one whose presence woulC
stir her pulses if she were well ?"
The woman hesitated, but said
eyes, she has a lover. He is not favored
by her guardian, who has other plans fo
her, but they love each other truly, ant
grief at being forbidden to see him had :
great deal to do with her illness"
"Then we must work secretly in bringing
him here, must we not?" 1 asked. evil
it defeat our purpose if we take the guar
dian into our confidence 2"
"It will not do to tell him anything" sh
said.
"Can you give me the lovers address ?"
She did so, and I saw that day or tW'
must elapse before he could reach New
York, even if l telegraphed at once.
II will continue the case little longer,
said I. eff this effort fails, 1 will resign i
tO more cO1nnetant hondSD
The woman bowed and rose to leave.
noticed that she veiled her face closely, AM
drew around her one Of those nondescrip
garments ladies call WaterprOOfs.
waited impatiently for morning thougl
many Of the intervening hours were spen
in studying recorded cases similar to thOS
of my patient.
At last the hour for my visit came. l de
cided to make it without explanation, a
though it were expected.
l found things as usual in the sickrOom
Cerberus looked surprised, but l thought re
lieved also, at my appearance: The nurs
gave no sign of any understanding betWee
us.
tried to fix the wandering eye ofmy pa
tient by a resolute look in my own, and wa
glad to see that this evidently disturbe
her.
Holding her attention in this way spok
one or two words, to which she seemed t
listen, and then broke away from the re
straint.
1t was a disadvantage not to know he
name, as the sound of it would have arres
ed her attention more than anything els'
But found that she could be held for a nt
ment at time. / changed the entire pla
of my prescriptions, and, telling the nurs
that I wanted her to call her mistress di
tinctly by name every time she gave ht
medicine or refreshment, went away.
That evening was glad to see some sligl
changes, indicating that my plan was worl
ing well.
On my rnt,,rn hOma T wrote tO the abSel