Western Kansas world., 1885-07-11
The Doctors Story.

One evening poor physician sat in
his room in Florence wishing that some
christian soul would have pity upon bis
meagerly filled purse and fall i'll where
he should be forced to take the case In
charge. Not the smallest accident or the
most trifiing sickness had come into his
hands for weeks, and starvation was
staring him in the face. At this mo-
ment man wrapped in a dark mantle
glided into the room, addressing me-fol
/ who write am the hero of the story-by
name: Il need your assistance, DOCTOR
he said, in an agitated whisper, mot fol-
the living but for the dead. Ny sister,
who came here with me on visit to
some relatives from our home in for
eign country, has just died, and before
interring her remains in this strange
land desire, according to the custom of
our family, to carry away with me her
embalmed heart, that so much of her at
least may repose among the ashes of our
kindred. My mission is to ask if you
will assist me in this painful duty. It is
necessary that it be done at night, and
quietly, since we do not wish to start the
tongues Of the gossips, or to allow the
servants of the mouse to become aware of
ii. Here is the certificate of her death,
signed by her regular physician, and as
an earnest of my willingness to make the
visit worth your while, allow me to lay
this purse of gold upon your table,"
Seeing the glimmer of the large, bright
pieces in the flames of my expiring
lamp, could no longer hesitate. Be-
sides the straightforward manliness of
MY visitor and his evident emotion quite
won my sympathy. I followed him and
after long walk-during the latter part
of which l consented to be led blindfold-
ed-we stopped at the small side gate of
large and stately palace. Opening this,
we assembled in the dark, q winding stair
case, emerging in dimly lighted corri-
dor. Preceding me with noiseless foot
steps, the stranger touched the spring of
a secret door, which flying back revealed
a lofty chamber lighted by silver lamp
swinging between marble columns. Here
on low couch lay the body of beauti-
full young girl.
"You will excuse my personal attend
ance, DOCTOR" said my guide turning
away his face as if to conceal his tears.
"It is more than can bear, and I shall
wait without until your task is finished"
After brief examination of my sub
ject, who lay as if disposed for burial,
and noting with interest the fact of her
extreme youth and beauty, l prepared to
make an incision in the region of her
heart. Quickly, but less skillfully than
usual, plunged my long, sharp knife in
to her breast-when horror unspeaka-
ble!-the dead girl stirred, opened pair
of dark, imploring eyes, moaned once, as
the blood gushed in current over the
bed, and then lay motionless as when
had seen her first. So completely did
this circumstance unnerve me that my
hand was parslyzed. Evidently the
case had peen one of suspended anima-
ton, and the hand that might have res
cued the poor girl from the jaws of death
had but served to hurl her into them.
Dizzy and despairing, cursing the pov.
erty that had led me to accept this fatal
commission, not daring to look second
time at my victim upon her blood-stain-
ed bier, dashed my knife upon the
floor and fed. The door opened easily,
but my visitor was nowhere to be seen.
My wish now was to avoid him, and
rushed headlong down the long stone
staircase into the courtyard, into the
street, believing the stars above thous.
and watchers sat there to taunt me.
How I finally reached home I know not,
but when found my self once more in
the quiet of my poor room, everything as
had left it, books in their places, the
cat purring, my mothers picture looking
at me with q smile from the frame above
my bed, I felt as if had been wander
ing like Cain with Q mark upon my
brow during q century of woe. Throw