Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-03-11
A YOUNG wIDOwER's STORY.


the least consoled. l am not anxious
to attack any body of professional
mon, but do think the doctors killed
her.
was i'll myself for some time before,
and when l met her, poor girl, / had
been i'll with nervous prostration, malaria
and dyspepsia, the doctors said. Tho
heat was intense. just such n heated
term as we have had this summer, and
the brokers' Office of Ackerly, Mackle-
bury & Cords was not the coolest or
most salubrious environment. i had
the ticker in my hand, it had just
marked wabash Preferred" when l
heard the CHEEKY. musical voice of my
fellow clerk, Arthur Clark, say: "Hullo
There goes Horatio," and Twas dimly
conscious that l had tumbled into his
long arms, and up against rather
warm waistcoat which covered the best
heart in all this wicked world. Arthur
had house in an uptown street, while
l only owned weekly interest In a
second pair-back in clearinghouse;
and when / succumbed what did this
prince Of good fellows do but have me
put in an ambulance, and brought to
his fathers house, where a bed was
made up for me in the empty parlors.
His voice again was the next thing
heard.
"You see, old fellow" said Arthur,
'my mother and sisters are out of town,
and only the boys and the governor are
at home; so rs we didn't want to put
the governor out, we concluded to give
you the parlors, where he rarely comes
in summer. So you are to lie here and
get WE'LL fine breeze through when the
library door Is left open, straw mating
(rather the worse for wear), n few old
pictures, of suspected authenticity, on
the wall, gas fixtures done up in brown
paper, mirrors covered with mosquito
net, Horatio Bronson stretched on a
hastily-improvised cot, ice on head,
taken down pretty bad, doctor recon-
mends quiet, Arthur Clark, Esq, master
of tho situation. Dost like the picture?
Moths, cats and mosquitoes thrown in,
hand-organs subsidized; be still and get
well. No emotion, if you please
forbidden, my dear boy, by medical ad-
vice."
Arthur ratified on and put me grad
ually into possession of the facts. From
his lively investiture of my case, pres
emily sank off into fever and lost all
sense of time, place and circumstance.
A doctor and woman nurse became a
part OF my imperfect consciousness,
and the large, deserted parlors of city
house, with its numerous pictures, be-
came in dreamy way the horizon OF
my confused and distressed vision.
There was cattle piece in front OF
me. and large dark rcd battle by
moonlight in a heavy Venetian frame.
There was a view Of Venice, and pref
ty little copy Of Helen Froment,
Rubens' wife. There was, of course, a
Madonna della Seggiola, and Cenci,
Mr.. and Mrs. Clark had been TO Europe
about twenty years ago, when no re-
spectacle American ever dared come
home without the two last-named cop
les.
Over these pictures, and a little
group of the LAGOON in the corner, did
/ dream, and perhaps rave. Arthur,
dear old boy, used to come in and sec
me every evening. His personality
stood out distinctly, and he has told me
since (bless his hearty that / always
said: "You are doing your work and
mine, too, know you are" and that
once or twice / was weak enough 10
well-let that pass, we do not love each
other any the less.
I got to listening to the sounds al
night, and wondering what they meant
A loud, metallic thu,np on the pave.
ment, rs IL some one had thrown 9
crowbar, which occurred about once In
five minutes, amazed and puzzled me
Why should any one throw down Z
crowbar with marked periodicity
There was little tinkling bell thai
came at three o'clock, Just after tn,
clock at goth street had struck, which
was singularly puerile and foolish,
thought. Then there were queer PEG
pie who walked and stopped, and other.
who walked and didn't stop. WHY
didn't they all stop, or else walk onp
heard condolences Of young lovers
Many marital reprisal, not meant fol-
my ears, came through the CLOSED
blinds. Many group of young mer
went by with song and jest, and ther
came the long weary time from two
o'clock to four, with only tho episode o.
the crcwbar, and the bell, and the
clock, and now and then some othel
entirely incxplicable sound.
81 think we will leave his blinds oper
tonight to give him more air." said tn,
familiar voice of my nurse to Arthur
ono hot night, as my friend paid me hi
usual visit.
"Who is sheP" l whispered feebl,
to Arthur. II ! had grain of sense o.
consecutive thought loft. II always cam,
TO me when Arthur was in the room.
"One of the trained nurses from
Bellevue, old boy. A nice girl. She Il
bringing you through splendidly. How
do you feel acknowledgements rath
err high" and l sank Off into sleep o.
something, with Arthur's cool hand oil
my brow.
When l awoke the gas was turne,
up, and my nurse stood over me with |
wine-glass full of medicine.
You must take this" said she, in
mildly authoritative voice.
Hooked Mt her for the first time. Sh,
was a neat, elderly person, not at al
handsome. but large and very power
iul. IL Sccfncu 10 me NJ Jnut mOmcn
rs IL she were Boadicca, or the Maid o
Saragossa, or Miss Jcx Blake, or some
thing of that order.
As she poured down the draught
felt my whole internal economy obey
ing her. swallowed, gaspcd, breathed
because she told me to. Then she lef
me.
The blinds were open, and moonlight
streamed into my room. saw tn
clouds, and the cats; saw tho passers
by. There was balcony outside m,
windows, and several people clambere'
mp on II and looked ut me. There wa
a ncwsboy whom had offended, and
member Of the Stock Exchange whom
had failed to please. At one time tn
balcony became unploasantly crowded
and again IL was empty.
The sounds went on, and the crowba
fell with disagrccablo persistency. Jus
then a lady stepped on the balcony an
calmly entered my room.
Would you be kind enough to tel
mo what that noise Is outside asked
an n Il. IT.