Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-06-25
A DOCTORS GHOST STORY.

A DOCTORS GHOST STORY.
know you are not going to believe
my story when | tell it you. Nobody
ever did-becarse it is so unreal you
know some people only shake their
heads and smile when they hear it, the
same as if were trying to impose up
on their credulity, while others set me
down as the victim of too keen an i'm
agination. 1t makes but little differ
ence to me what they say or think
the story is true for all that. | am an
old man now-nearly seventy years
having come and gone since / first saw
the highland, with one foot in the
grave, | am sure | would not tell will
full falsehood; and, IN spite of all the
trouble L have had, my mind is as
strong to-day as it was fifty years ago,
and, in that respect, was never con-
sidered weak However, / will relate
the story:
loved Amy Merlin from the first.
Not only for her pretty brown eyes,
wayy, golden Fair, and trim little fig
ure, but for her amiable disposition and
kind heart. You might look the world
over from one end TO the other and
never find girl to compare with Amy,
either in point of beauty or sweetness
of disposition.
Amy loved me, too; she not only said
so, but her every action clearly showed
1t; and everybody in the town said |
was remarkably ortunate-being but
poor young doctor-to win the love
OF such a girl, who could have had her
pick from the best in the land, as her
father was the wealthiest man in all
the country around. / fully appreci-
ated my good fortune, and was happy
accordingly. But my happiness was
not to be of long duration, and the
course Of the love that had run SO
smooth was destined to become ex-
ceedingly rough.
About this time Ralph Clayton,
wealthy merchant of high standing,
met and lost his heart to Amy, and be-
came constant visitor at her home.
Whilst | was assured of Amy's love
and esteem, was positive that her
father held quite different opinion of
flle, and he soon made it evident that
my attentions to his daughter were dis
tasteful to him. He always welcomed
Clayton warmly and bestowed upon
him every attention, while | was treat
ey is wonderful power.
Clayton was pompous man, some
half dozen years my senior, aud on
account of my inferior financial posi-
ton in the world he always treated me
with considerable condescension. One
day as we returned together from
visit to the Merlin mansion he said to
me:
Conway, think Amy Merlin one
of the incest girls | ever met. She
would make a model wife, and | am
going to marry her. What do you
think of it."
why" | replied, while the hot
blood rushed to my face, II think she
will never be your wife, because she
loves me and is engaged to me-"
'Oh, that is nothing" he coolly an
swercd; her father approves of me,
and it is very plain desires me for a
son-in-law, but you he doesn't like at
all. Amy is a. very obedicnt and duti-
full girl, and | do not think the old
man will have any trouble at all in
gaining her consent to marry me.
"But, ~ said |, would you marry q
woman who does not love you, and
whose heart is another's?"
That, " replied he, lis small mat
tel. Love doesn't amount TO much
where there is plenty of filthy lucre.
could learn her, | believe, to esteem
me in time"
lad always disliked the man, now
fairly despised him, and it was with
mighty effort that | restrained my
self from knocking him down.
Amy had always been in the habit OF
meeting me, when | called, under a
spreading maple tree some distance
from the house So tho next day after
my conversation with Clayton | went
to see her, and she met me at the usu-
al place. After Il few commonplace
remarks told her what Ralph Clayton
had said to me.
ooh, Pauln' she exclaimed. II fer
ycntly pray that my father will not de-
sire me to marry that man, for, Paul,
/ do not love him-I cannot love him;
but if my father bids me marry him |
dare not disobey. But let us pray that
he will not make any such request
for love you. Paul-only you-and |
believe | should die if we were sepa-
rated"
While didnot exactly like the way
sho replied, could not find the heart
10 be angry with her, for | really be-
lieyed she loved me; so folded her in
my arms and warmly kissed her, and
assured her of my trust in her. ! re-
turned to the village feeling every way
but buoyant, and passed restless,
sleepleSs night.
A few days after that l received
note from old Mr. Merlin, also one
from Amy. The old man in few
words, informed me that his daughter
was soon to marry Ralph Clayton, and
babe me discontinue my attentions to
her. Amy wrote fearful little note,
returning the ring | had given her.
and saying she loved only me; but
duty and obedience to her father COM
PEELED her to renounce me and marry
Alr. Clayton; that she thought it best
never to see me again, and closed by
beseeching me 20 forgive her.
Neither of them stated when the
marriage was to take place, and took
no particular pains to find out That
night boarded train bound for a
distant town, where | intended to To-
cate and strive to forget the heartless
girl-as then thought her-who had
treated me so cruelty.
did well in my new home, and,
though the wound in my heart was
past healing, it was not so sore as at
first; time. in measure, had deaden-
ed the pain A year and more had
gone by, and in all that time had
never had any tidings of Amy. scan
ned the papers closely, but | never saw
any account of the marriage l
thought all this very strange, but could
not doubt that the marriage had been
consummated. After time | ceased
to look at the papers altogether, and
devoted myself strictly to my profess
sion.
One night as l sat alone in my Of
flee, wrapt in thoughts of the past. a
boy entered unannounccd and handed
me telegram. | lost no time IN read
ing it. and found it to be from old Mr..
Merlin, and contained these words:
Amy is very i'll and desires to see
you. Come immediately"
did not stop to think over this
strange message. / only knew my dar-
ling-mne in spite of the past-was
ill-probably dying-and wished to
see me. | never once thought of her
being another mans wife. / would GO
to her, of course. All the bitterness
had felt toward the poor little girl left
me. and the love for her that ! had
cfY,.ero1 r,-or a =, 4