The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-06
DIR. VANDERBILT,
CHAPTER 1.


DIR. VANDERBILT possessed a STRANGE
passion for skeletons, A sculptor could
have derived no more pleasure from
graceful statuary than did this grim
medical man from his collection of bu-
man bones. On block pedestals, against
Inc walls OF his library, stood skeletons,
with the fixed grin of eerie chill, seem
ing to look down in mockery on a life
which they had found to be so full of
dlsaappointments; and, near the doc
tors writing desk, stood an old fellow
who, in his best days, must have stood
SIX feet three in his stockings.
AT the age of fifty the doctor, still a
bachelor, fell deeply in love-or rather,
as bulwer would say, rose highly into
with plump young lady. The
peculiar fact of his becoming devoted
TO so much flesh caused much com
ment in the neighborhood, for Sallie
Sylvester, in the liberal way in which
she had been supplied with adipose It's
sue, exhibited no skeleton suggestive
ness. When the doctor, deeply impas-
stoned and forgetful of everything save
the love which had spilled warm
glow OF something all over his soul, told
Sallie OF his devotion, she lifted her
eyes, soft as the velvet on the horn of q
young deer, and said
"Doctol, do you think that you love
me quite as well as you would if were
a skeletonP'
Oh yes, he loved her with love be-
You'd the power of skeleton to inspire.
why" said he, Il love you with a
new creation of something sudden
spring into life of something which
hitherto has not existed within me-
Now, l admire fine skeleton, but do
not love-do not love-plague take the
indirectness of the language edo not
love it."
''No indirectness, my dear doctor, for
a skeleton is not necessarily masculine
or feminine
He did not observe that she called
him ''dear DOCTOR" nor, in the lingual
perplexity into which he had suddenly
been thrown, did he realize that she
had placed her head on his shoulder.
Il will admit" he went on, that |
derive much pleasure, to say nothing
of instruction Why, bless the girl"
and the arm which he had been using
as an illustrator closed around the
young ladys neck. Yes, she would
marry him. 1t made no difference if he
We're older than she-the young maple
often grew beside the old oak; She
could make his home happy-it was a
large and well-furnished house; she
would minister to every want-particu-
larry her own; young men were shallow
minded-she wanted husband whose
learning she could respect.
They were married The old house
was charming; the old furniture so
quaint and interesting. Her happiness
was complete-that is, excepting the
influence exercised by the skeletons
Whenever she entered the library a
chill crept over her, and, at night, when
the doctor was away, she could fancy
that she heard the skeletons rafting
their bones while, in loose-iointed reck-
lessness, they danced horrible Jig.
doctor" the loving wife remarked
one evening, pushing an ottoman to the
sofa where the medical gentleman lay,
''you do everything you can to make
me happy, don't you?" seating herself
and proceeding to practice the fine art
of endearment.
''Wen, yes" he replied, 81 did not
suspect that you entertained q doubt
concerning that fact"
Il sometimes do" brushing tobacco
crumbs from his shirt bosom.
"Ah, my little girl, it must be that
shadow of discomfort which sometimes
arises from lavish attention, that is for
q moment clouding your domestic
sun.
She was pleased at being called little,
for she knew that she was not. Pettish
women are fond of soft words, even
though they imply misnomer.
''0ther people may have skeletons in
their closets, but ours adorn the walls.
/ wish they were in q closet. When
you persistently refuse to remove the
horrid things, cannot help but think
that you do not love me quite so much
as you should.
''Sallie, YOU know that | am devoted
to you, and, knowing my peculiarities,
/ do not see why you should seek to de-
prive me OF a great enjoyment. | have
never known one of the skeletons to
come out of the library. They are
quiet and well behaved, quite as much
of the lady and gentleman, | am per-
suaded, as they were during life. You
need not 90 near them. This is very
large house, remember
4 know all that, but | can't help
opening the door and gazing at them,
they possess for me such an awful fasci-
nation
You'll get over that after awhile. "
N Yes, when the awful things have
frightened me to death. Sometimes.
willie am standing in the doorway, |
hear them talking to each other, and
the other evening that great tall fellow
told me that if ! did not 60 away he
would throw one of his ribs at me.
The doctor laughed. Il did not
know that you We're so weak; you ought
to be ashamed OF yourself. "
You may just laugh as much as you
please, but know that he did speak to
me. Never mind you Il be sorry one
Of these days for treating me this way.
Several nights later, when the shuff-
iing footsteps of the servants were no
longer heard in the hallway, the doctor
went into the library to work on an ar