The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-10-08
THE DOCTORS STORY.

THE DOCTORS STORY.
at is five years, isn't it, since you
were hereP' asks the doctor, as we two
lag little behind the rest of the eques-
train party, who are winding along the
road through Mission Canon, in South
ern California.
yes" responded, land think now,
as then, that Southern California is the
garden of the earth, and Santa Barbara
the most delightful spot i'm it,"
Thanks" he replies; "of course en-
dorse such sentiments to the fullest ex-
tent"
And the people," l proceeded en-
Enthusiastically. "arc certainly unusually
entertaining; those that one likes are
charming. and those that one dislikes
generally have thrilling history as
background"
That's true" he says. by the way.
were the L,ickcys here when you leftP'
81 think SO. Weren't they family
of girls with widowed mother, who
lived just beyond the Arlingtonp"
THAT is the family. and the second
daughter, who was Miss Wilhelmina, is
that third lady yondcr i'm advance. with
the dark blue riding habit"
What lovely, pensive profile" /
exclaimed, us the lady in question turns
her head i'm response to some remark of
her escort. 1t is lovely face, with
deicatcly cut features and knot of
blonde hair on the nape of perfect
neck. The doctor enjoys my enthusiast
tic admiration to the utmost, and con-
tinues:
You shall judge whether she would
make the heroine of a thrilling romance,
when tell you her history during the
last five years"
We are walking our horses toward
the camp in the canon whittier we are
bound, and the delicious air is like
champagne. The doctor, an old friend,
has promised me new lease of physi-
cal and mental vigor if will spend a
month literally out-of-doors, and am
only too glad to join his family party
for that purpose Accordingly he has
come down to the hotel to act rs escort,
and large riding party have volun-
teered to go up to the camp for dinner
and return by moonlight. The doctor,
in consideration for the weakness that
compels me to ride slowly. has refined
up his staid little bay pony, which up
on occasion can distance all the other
horses, and we have slowly fallen be.
hind the entire gay party; so, settling
ourselves in our saddles, the doctor be-
gins:
ut was the next Autumn after you
left, that Harry Stayman's father moved
his family here. He, the old gentle
man, had patent for making paper
from the caches plant, and made an
astonishing amount of money. Harry
was good boy, not brilliant you know,
but he sent to New York for his clothes,
and duly adorned his outer man. Well
that Winter there were the usual num-
Der of hops and private theatricals
among the young people, and about
Christmas time the engagement of Viii.
helmina Luckey 10 Harry Stayman was
duly announced. So in the Spring they
were duly married, and went down to
the coast to live, as Master Harry was
to have new paper factory established
there for himself Of course the usual
number of laxative folks said she
never would have looked at him if it
hadn't been for his fathers money, and
that he would find pretty face wasn't
all woman needed to make a good
wife. But thought there was the
usual amount of affection between them.
What that is in the usual marriage
leave you to Judge"
And the doctor chuckles a little
maliciously and then more gravely con-
| tinues:
1T was about a year later that Harry.
was caught in some machinery and
found mangled and dead"
At this heave sigh and uncOn-
sciOusly quicken my horses gait to
catch glimpse of that pure, proud. wo-
manly face. The doctor, after a sufli-
GENTLY impressive pause. resumes:
1--WE were all shocked, and of course
the entire town was full of sympathy
for Wilhclmina. She came back to
Santa Barbara, but couldn't go to her
mothers house. where everything re-
minded her of Harry; SO she went to
stay little time with some friends liv.
ing near by. One day, as was riding
past. was called i'm to see Wilhelmina.
They told me that she had tainted and
that they could not revive her. ap-
piled the usual restoratives. with no CT
feet, and was completely puzzled by her
condition. At last / noticed one little
spot of blood on the left side of her
waist, and, upon having her undressed,
the mystery was explained. She had
placed a small pistol next her body and
shot herself The clothing had defect
ed her aim. and the ball had missed her
heart"
just here curve of winding road
throws out in bold relief against the
sky the 1.-THE figure and well-poised
head. To my sympathetic eyes there is
unutterablc pathOs in tho lovely, color
less face, and q sadness in the smile
that curves the beautiful lips, which
fills me with intense sympathy. l
scarcely endure the suspense necessary
for the doctor to tighten the girth to my
saddle. which is loose, and encourage
him with, 81 am SO impatient, doctor,
to know how serious it really was"
80 serious that for months thought
she could not live. ] extracted the ball
from her back after assuring her it
would not necessarily facilitate her re-
cOvery. Then she began a systematic
course of starvation. She was deter
mined to die; determined to join Harry
at Christmas. she said. We argued.
coaxed, bribcd, wheedled. all in vain,
but finally. despite herself, we brought
her out of danger and into GONZALES
cence. A curious thing about the mat
ter was that she never referred to the
shooting; never mentioned it in any
way; never looked conscious Of any
knowledge of the cause of her illness
I'VE never alluded to it in her presence
and when spoke of the ball and my
desire to extract it. it might have beer
| natural excrescence, so far rs any allu
sion to the mode of its getting in hel
back was concerned.
Curious thing now, wasn't itP
muses. the doctor. Then he rises in hi
stirrups and waves his hat l follow
his glance, and see Mr.. Doctor smiling
n welcome in the distance. ..Do looE
at that boy of mine" he adds in tone
20 auousoment. ssnOthiDp will keen hin