The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-04-02
THE DOCTORS WIFE.

Ii was a dull November evening
and | had been upon M leet all
day; head and heart aching over
pain and sorrow that | could do 50
little-so very little TO aid and com
fort. For | was a Young physician
with a large practice among the very
poor, and an i@come so marrow that
/ had to pinch and save My house
was my own, dismal, tumble-down
mansion that had once held ariste-
cratic owners. But the tide of fash
ion had swept away from 1t, and J
inherited it from a long-dead uncle
and kept it because nobody wanted
to buy it. Here in the few habita-
/ bic rooms. Martha, my housekeeoer
cook. maid-oI-all work, and domes-
I tic tyrant, made my home as com
/ Portable as our very small means al
/ lowed. Whatever else of comfort
tailed me, | was always sure of q
good fire. 1t threw a red light upon
my sitting room as | entered, and !
drew oil my soaked boots, aud ven
tured to order a cup OF coffee. ! was
slipping it contentedly. and congrat-
ulating myself that | was to have a
long, pleasant evening, when an ON
inous ring at the bell startled me.
"Will you please tell the doctor,
Mrs. Rivers is took bad again?"
There was 10 help for it. The
last drops of fragrant coffee were
hastily swallowed, and with one
fond. lingering look at the rudy,
smiling CRATE, 1 was OFF again for a
half-mile tramp through the muG
and slush. | knew as | plodded
along, that my errand was a vain
one. Mrs. Rivers was dying OF an
incurable complaint. But of all my
many patients there was no one
who more strongly enlisted my
sympathy than Mrs. Rivers. Living
in a wretched attic with scarcely
food to eat, she bore in her face,
voice and manner the proof of refin-
ed culture and hign breeding. One
CT ID, little girl of about ten years,
was the companion Of her poverty,
the sole comfort OF her dying hours.
1t was pitiful to see the child, fair
and painfully slender, waiting with
womanly patience and self-control
at the bedside of her mother. ! knew
when ! entered the room, upon the
dull November night OF which |
write, that | need never again climb
those steep stairs to give my poor
aid to Mrs. Rivers. The paroxysu.
of acute pain was over, but death
had drawn its fingers over the suf-
ferer's brow, leaving his unmistaka-
ble traces there.
Mamma would not take the OPT
ate" Lima whispered to me, because
she wanted to speak to you. am
to 60 down stairs, but you will call
me as soon as you can. will you
not?n
"As soon as she wishes it, said,
taking the little scared hands in
mine. "You shall not be kept from
her dear child"
She looked up gratefully, through
a mist of unshed tears, and then
went down stairs, while | drew up
the only chair in the room, in
answer to the soft. pleading eyes
fixed upon me. While strength was
granted to her, Mrs. Rivers told me
the cad story OF her life, and gave
into my care a few relics OF better
davs, to keep for Lima. For Lima
That was the dying weman's only
sorrow, as she drew near to the land
OF shadows. |, who knew how care
fully the child bad been guarded
aud cherished amidst her rough sur
roundings, understood too well the
agony of her mothers heart at the
prospect of having her thrust into
a work house. a wild resolution
came into my heart.
Mrs. Rivers. | said, gravely and
gently. You have shown in the last
hour that you trusted roe in many
things. VIII you put one mere trust
in me?'
Have YOU not been my kind, pa
tient friend for many months ?" she
answered.
Will you, then, trust Lima to my
care while | try to find her rela-
tives? will be all brother could
be to her
A fash of JOY irradiated the wan,
dying face.
God bless YOU" she said. May
a mothers dying blessing rest ever
upon your head"
Amen" l whispered, as | went
to call the child.
Then | returned to watch until
the last, holding the slender little
figure close to my side, glad in my
inmost heart that | had long before
won Lina's affection. When the end
cane, she turned to ne with pa
tient resignation, heart-breaking TO
witness in one SO young.
Mamma said | mast be glad she
was to have no more pain. she said
wistfully, but it is very hard to be
glad without ber."
Very hard" | replied, unless
you think all the time how happy
she is now"
Ii was a deep dip into my slender
funds to provide decent burial fol