Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-04-17

lives, and when, four years later, tor
rent of war swept over the country, l
was not thinking of the Doctors Boy
when ! took Agnes Hart's hand to say
goodbye before going to the front; but
| was thinking very tenderly of Agnes
herself, and 1 believed she was
thinking in much the same strain
of me. A hundred times during the
past two years l had been on the verge of
asking her the momentous question, but
had decided to wait until my position in
the world was better assured. And now
that the country in her extremity was
calling for the best services of her sons.
would it have been fair to ask simple
girl to bind herself, even by an engage
ment, to one who might never return to
claim her pledge2 l thought not; but as
| watched her face when we were part
ing, and imagined saw what longed for
written there, I determined to ask her to
be my wife when the war was over.
Oh, the wretched years Of strife thai
followed I thought they would never
end. But at last the closing scenes had
come, and the good fortune that had fol-
lowed me through score of engagements,
bearing me unharmed while others went
down by thousands, forsook me in a meas
ure at last. was hit by a spent ball on
the knee, and moment afterward ridden
over by the charging cavalry.
ssYour case is not very serious one
said the doctor, as he bent over me while
l lay that night on blanket on the field,
where the hospital tents had not yet been
erected. ''There are others here more in
need of my seryices-this boy beside you,
for instance; l must attend to him. He
seems to be badly hurt. Let me examine
you, my lad"
''Oh, there is not much the matter with
me, sir, !" said the lad II was hit in the
side at the last fire; but it is only tri-
fling wound. You see, l was doctors
boy before joined the army, and know
something about such things"
'Indeed!" said the doctor, smiling.
''Well, We ought TO be good friends. 1
was doctors boy myself before 1 be-
came doctor. But let me look at your
wound. Phewl this is no trife. The
sooner we get you under cover the better.
You are in for siege Of a couple Of
months of it at least, my lad"
The boy was very much disheartened
at this intelligence; and the next morn
ing, when we were all under canvas, the
doctor, having finished his immediate
duties, sat by his bedside, and 1 heard
him tell his patient how when he was
doctors boy he had not learned much of
medicine; and how in making an expert
ment he had nearly dosed to death boy
little older than himself. When be
was about to leave the tent said: doc
tor, | am the boy you nearly dosed to
death. What have you been doing
through all these years?''
l had recognized him on the preceding
night, but he had not known me- and he
was astounded when I accosted him. He
had certainly improved both in appear
ance and manners, and found afterward
that he was great favorite with the
command to which he was attached. We
soon became very good friends-far bet
ter, indeed, than we had ever been in
the old days when | so candidly expressed
my opinion Of him. His success was due
simply to common-sense and industry.
On leaving DR.. Hart's service he had
hired himself to another doctor who
gave him fairer play than his former
princilsl, and he was enabled to study
medicine, attend the necessary lectures,
and finally to obtain his diploma.
At last asked him why he had left
the fye-dollar bill in the drawer when
he was leaving He laughed.
It was the only money! he said,
''that DR.. Hart ever gave me. He handed
it to me grudgingly enough, about year
before | left, and l never changed it.
You will think it, perhaps, strange
sentiment for a doctors boy; but when
was running away without giving him
any notice, thought I had forfeited all
claim to compensation for my services;
SO | returned his money. By-the-way,
how is the old doctor now?"
/ had heard of DR.. Hart since left
the village, and was able to give DR.
Dorking dor SO he was called a good
deal of information about him, and, with
the rest, told him that he was anxious
to sell his practice
"Oh, indeed" said Dorking, quietly.
''Then think I will go and buy it,
And then, in answer to my look of sur
prise, he added, 81 have saved some
money. and don't see how can employ
it better than in settling down in the old
village
As the weeks went past, my wound
did not improve, and Dorking was often
with me. The final scenes Of the war
closed without our presence. In the con-
versations we had Isuppose I told him
enough to give him some inkling of my
old affection for Agnes Hart, for l no.
ticed that as l spoke of her he grew very
thoughtful, and looked furtively at me.
My love, perhaps, was not very deep, but
it was my first love, and did not easily
die. As lay on my couch, tossing at
times from side to side, and nuttering in
a low fever, saw always that sweet
young face before me, and in the days Of
my convalescence I resolved, as soon
- no,.1J +,.a-xn1 ~ -. g.