West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-08-22
DIR. VANDERBILT.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
DR.. Yandergill possessed STRANGE
| passion for skeletons, A sculptor couId
| nave derived no more pleasure from
| graceful statuary than did this grim
medical man from his collection of hu-
man bones. On block pedestals. against
the walls of his library, stood skeletons.
/ with the fixed grin of eerie chill, seem
ing TO look down in mockery on n life
which they had found to be so full of
disappolntments; 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
h-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 rs the velvet on the horn of a
young deer, and said:
'Doctol, do you think that YOU love
me quite as well as you would if were
| a skeleton?"
Oh YES, he loved her with love be-
yond the power of skeleton to inspire.
why, said he, Il love YOU with n
new creation of something the sudden
spring into life of something which
hitherto has not existed within me.
Now, admire u fine skeleton, but | do
not love do not love-plague take the
indirectness of the language do not
love it.
''No indirectness. my dear doctor, for
n skeleton is not necessarily masculine
or feminine
He did not observe that she called
him ''dear DOCTOR" nor, i'm the lingual
perpleNity into which he had suddenly
been thrown, did he realize that she
had placed her head on his shoulder
81 will admit" he went on, that
derive much pleasure, TO say no hing
OF instruction Why, bless the girl"
| and the arm which he had been USING
a5 an illustrator closed around the
young lady's neck. Yes, she would
marry him Itmade no difference if he
were older than she-the young maple
often grew beside the old oak; the
could make his home happy-it was a
large and well-furnished house; she
would minister to every want-particu-
iarly her own; young men were shallow
minded she wanted a 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 rattlin0
their bones while, i'm loose iointed reck-
lessness, they danced a horrible liz.
Doctor" the loving wife remarked
one evening, pushing an ottoman TO the
sofa where the medical gentleman Law,
'tyou do everything YOU can 20 make
me happy, don't youP" seating herself
and proceeding TO practice the fine art
OF endearment.
"WeD, yes he replied 81 did not
suspect that You entertained doubt
concerning that fact. "
Il sometimes dor' brushing tobacco
crumbs from his shirt bosom
'Ah, my little girl, it must be that
ahadOw of discomfort which sometimes
arises from lavish attention. that is for
moment clouding your domestic
sun.
She was pleased at being called little.
for she knew that she was not Pettisb
women are fond of soft words, even
though they imply n misnomer.
'Other people may have skeletons i'm
their closets, but ours adorn The walls.
] wish they were i'm p closet. When
q i.
horrid things, / cannot help but think
that you do not love me quite so much
as YOU should"
''Sallie, YOU know that + am devoted
70 you, and, knowing my peculiarities.
] do not see why you should seek 10 de-
prive me Of a great enjoyment / have.
never known one Of the skeletons 20
come out Of the library. They are
quiet and well behaved quite as much
OF the lady and gentleman, ] am per-
suaded, as they we're during fe You
need not 60 near them. This is very
large hous', remember
II know all that, but / can't helm
opening the door and gazing at them.
they possess for me such an awful fasci-
nation.
You'll get over that after awhile. "
Yes, when the awful things have
frightened me to death Sometimes.
while ] am standing in the doorway, I
hear them talking 20 each other, and
the other evening that great TALL fellow
told me that If ] did not 90 away he
would throw one Of his ribs at me
The doctor laughed. II did not
know that You were so weak you ought
to be ashamed OF YOURSELF
"lou may lust laugh as much rs You
please, but ] know that he did speak TO
me Never mind; you u be sorry ono
of these days for treating me this way
Several nights later, when the shun-
/ ling foot teps of the servants were no
fr.. cor I.or1 tr. fI.. HmIfsrr..- tI. Il