Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-09-18

met In my lie many DcauIl1ul women
but never one SO lovely.
She was tall and straight with a
purely oval face, liquid brown eyes,
and a dash OF hectic in her cheeks,
which is never seen in perfect health.
She received me. as know she did
every one, gracefully, and though
there was slight embarrassment IN
her manner when | spoke of her i'll
ness, she answered my professional
inquiries without hesitation.
As for myself, laid aside all false
delicacy and questioned her plainly
as to her symptoms. Mrs. Hurd, her
nurse, remained in the room, end
adding many important little items OF
information.
When she spoke of her husband, it
was with sort of hopeless sadness
which distressed me greatly.
Not breath of suspicion against
him in her answers TO my questions,
and / felt sure that at present she
knew nothing of what Mrs. Hurd had
such serious apprehensions. | was
glad it was so, for with her fEely
strung organization, it might have
produced serious results. | made my
examination of my patient as closely
as | could. and drew my own con-
illusions. | could have sworn that
Mrs. Spencer daily swallowed arsenic
in small quantities, and the deadly
drug was telling fearfully on her con
stitution.
She said, answering nay questions,
that she had no ply stefan except her
l,..LonI II LIw.ocn1f La+
acquainted with her case, therefore
better qualified to treat her. He never
left medicine with her to take; he al
ways brought it fresh from his office
and administered it promptly.
There was little enough l could do
in sucn a case. Anxious TO do every
thing, the very circumstances of the
affair left me nearly powerless.
A charge of such nature of course
| could not make against DR.. Spen>
Ger, without the amplest proof. If /
limited suspicion, everyone would
set it down TO my professional preju-
my statement, the doctor could make
me pay dearly for such SANDER ut
tered against him.
The only dependence seemed to be
in Mrs. Hurd. To her / unbosomed
myself freely. / tod her without re-
serve that l thought DR.. Spencer was
killing his wife by slow poison, and /
besought her to constantly watch to
save the victim, and discover same
proof by which we could fasten the
guilt upon him.
She smiled grimly and promised
obedience, and | gave her powerful
antidote for the poison l suspected,
and went home perturbed and anx>
ious in mind. [ did not sleep that
night. and all the next day | was in
high fever of excitement A ring at
the bell made NE tremble-a step On
the gravel outside my office stopped
my breath, and | hardly knew what
l expected to hear. felt sure be.
fore slept | should hear something.
And now | must tell the story as
it was told me.
Dr. Spencer returned home the
morning after my visit to the Clifton
House. He looked wretchedly, the
nurse said; appeared gloomy and de-
pressed. Miss Melrose came home
and looked decorously sad over the
death of her sister Women of her
stamp always do mourn to perfection.
They never overdo or uHderdo the
thing, as women of feeling are likely
to do.
DIR. Spencer came at once to his
wife's chamber. He thought she look,
ed i'll, and prescribed cordial at once
saying he would go and fetch it.
"You are always ordering cordials
for her." said Mrs. Hurd, musingly.
"Why not take something yourself?
You look like a ghostr'
He eyed her kaenly, but replied
composedly:
Il think | will take some of the cor
dial myself, for | do not feel quite
well. Alice, dear, shall l bring it
here and drink your health2"
Mrs. Spencer smiled sadly in assent
She never disputed her husband
and he went out. Presently he re-
turned with two glasses. Both con-
tanned liquor colorless and oaorless.
Mrs. Hurd was watching him with
her heart in her throat, for she told
me that she felt the decisive moment
hal come. There was something in
the gray pallor of the doctors rigid
face that told her of a desperate pur-
pose IN the mans soul.
lie lifted the glass TO the right of
the tray and gave it to his wife.
Drink it dear" he said. Its
panacea for all evils. am also goiag
to take a glass of it" and he pointed
to the glass still on the tray
Mrs. Spencer accepted 1T and was
putting it to her lips, when Mrs. Hurd
interrupted.
IF you will bring her 4 tumbler of
water, doctor. Mrs. Spencer complains
that the cordial leaves bad taste in
her mouth, and my old bones are full
of rheumatism that it nearly kills me
to go down stairs"
The doctor turned and bent on her
a look as though he meant to read her
through. But she kept her face pas
siye. If he had any suspicious her
manner quoted them, and putting
down the glass he left the room. Then
Mrs. Hurd changed the position of the
glasses.
When he came back--and he
was gone but moment-the nurse
stood exactly where he had left her,
and Mrs. Spencer was lying back in
her chair with her eyes closed.
Again he lifted the glass; this time
it was the one intended for himself,
and placed it at the lips of his wife.
She swallowed the contents, drank
little of the water he had brought her,
and thanked him in her own sad
sweet way.
Nov for my own cordial" he said,
with affected gayety. Il indulge in
something little stronger" as he
spoke he tossed off the mixture.
1T made me stone cold to my
fingers end to see him do IL" said
Mrs. Hurd, relating the circumstances
ID me, 'but as heaven is my witness,
felt no conscience. 1 argued like
this. If it was simply cordial, it
would do no harm. If it was poison,
his blood would be on his own sinful
head"
He went to bed half an hour after
wards, complaining of fatigue. In
the morning they found him dead.
l was called 10 the post nortem ex-
animation, and we discovered in the |
stomach of the deceased a sufficient