Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-05
TUE DOCTOR's GHOST STORY
L.ouisrille Courier Journal.

YOU know soue people only shake
their heads and smile when they hear
it. the same as if l were trying TO i'm
pose upon their credulity, while others
set me down as the victim Of too keen
an Imagination. 1t makes but little
difference 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, l am sure
would not tell wilful falsehood and,
in spite of the trouble ! have had, my
mind is as strong to day as 1t was
fifty years ago, and, in that respect, l
was never considered weak. However,
/ will relate the story:
loved Amy Merlin from the first
Not only for her pretty brown eyes,
wavy, golden hair and trim little
figure, 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 on y
said so, but her every action clearly
showed it, and everybody in the town
said | was remarkably fortunate
being but a poor young doctor-to
win the love of such 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 appreciated 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 des-
tined to become exceedingly rough.
About this time Ralph Crayton, a
wealthy merchant of high standing,
met and lost his heart to Amy, and
became a constant visitor at her home.
Whilst ] was assured of Amys love
and esteem, was positive that her
father held quite different opinion
OF me, and he soon made 1T evident
that my attentions to his daughter
were distasteful to him. He always
welcomed Clayton warmly and be-
slowed upon him every attention,
while ] was treated with freezing
politeness. All, money is q wonderful
power.
Crayton was pompous man, some
half dozen years my senior, and 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 girl | ever met. She
would make model wife, and | am
going to marry her. What do you
think of it2"
"Why,"I replied, while the hot
blood rushed TO my face, Il think she
will never be your wife, because she
loves me and is engaged to me-"
"Oh, that is nothing" he coolly an
swered; cher father approves of me,
and it is very plain desires me for
son-inlaw, but you he doesn't like at
all. Amy is a very obedient and duti-
man will have any trouble at all in
gaining her consent TO marry me.
'But, said |, "would you marry a
woman who does not love you, and
whose heart is another's2"
That" replied he, ''is a small
matter. Love doesn't amount 10
much where there is plenty of filthy
lucre. / could learn her, believe,
to esteem me in time"
l had always dislked the man, now
| fairly disposed him, and it was with
a mighty effort that restrained my
self from knocking him down.
Amy had always been in the habit
of meeting me, when | called, under
spreading mr pie tree some distance
from the house. SO the uext day
after my conversation with Clayton,
/ went to see her, and she met me at
the usual place. After few common
place remarks | told her what Ralph
Clayton had said TO me-
"Oh, Paulr' she exclaimed, ~ fer~
vently pray that my father will not
desire me to marry that man, for.
Paul, | do not love him-I cannot
love him; but if my father bids me
marry hun | dare not disobey. But
let us pray that he will not make any
such rcqueSt-for love you, Paul. =
only you-and | believe | should die
if we were separated.
Whilo l did not exactly like the
way she replied, | could not find tho
heart to be angry with her, for
really believed she loved me; SO |
folded her i'll my arms and warmly
kissed her, and assured her of my
trust i'll her. | returned TO the village
feeling every way but buoyant, aud
passed a restless, sleepleSs night
A few days after that | received
note from old Mr.. Merlin, also one
from Amy. The old man in a few
words, informed me that his daughter
was soon to marry Ralph Clayton,
and babe me discontinue my atten~
tons to her Amy wrote a fearful
little note. returning the ring | had
given her, and saying she loved only
me; but duty and obedience to her
father compelled her to renounco me
and marry Mr.. Clayton; that she
thought it best never to see me again,
and closed by besecching me to for
give 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
dis ant town, where | intended to 10
cate and strive to forget the heartlcss
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 this time Lad
never had any tidings of Amy. Il
scanned the papers closely, hut
never saw any account of the mar
riaee. thought all this very strange,
but could not doubt that the marriage
had been ncosHmmated. After time
l ceased to look at the papers alto
gether, and devoted myself strictly to
my profession.
One night as l sat alone in my of
fee, wrapt in thoughts of the past, a
boy entered unannounced and handed
me a telegram. I lost no time in
reading 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"
l did not stop to think over this
strange message. only knew my
darling-mine in spite of the past
was ill-probably dying-and wished