The Irish standard., 1886-06-12
.CHARLEY'S CASE.


had ACC uired some repute for discerning
the occult causes, of malaeies the first
step to whose remedy, in all cases, is to
discover their root, the next to strike
at it.
One afternoon a strange lady came to
my office, bearing i'll her arms wan,
strickly- y-looking child. Though accom-
panied by a servant, she seemed 10th to
trust the little sufferer to any but her own
mother,y care.
II have come, doctor'' she said, ito
consult you about my little boy. For
some months he had been declining grad
ually, and--''
The quivering lip and checked utterance
evinced the depth of the solicitude with
which my decision was awaited.
took the little invalid by the hand. He
shrank back at first, but, after q little
! coaxing, suffered me to take him on my
|; knee, and soon we were prattling together,
the best of friends.
While asking him his name, which he
said was Charley" and his age, which he
told me was Stree years." felt the little
fellows pulse and made such other obser-
vations as proper understanding Of the
case required.
Looking ups found the mothers gaze
fixed anXlOuSly on my race.
sWhat do you think doctor?" she in
qnired, TREMENDOUSLY: t'can you give me
any hope?"
II detect no symptoms Of organic dis
ease" ! replied; nothing but q general
icebleness of the system, which, / trust,
will yield readily to careful nursing and
simple tonics.'
'Then you think my child may be
saved?' she cried, eagerly.
~ have certainly every hope, madam" :"
"Bless yon doctor!' she exclaimed. the
tears yelling up beyond control. :You
see Charley's uncle, the brother Of my
poor husband, who died six months ago,
opposed. my coming here. We have al
| ready tried the first physicians of the city,
and thought it useless to go elsewhere
Pm SO glad took advantage Of his alb
Eence and came of nay own accord. left
word for him to joln Us here on his return,
and I'm sure when he finds Charley better
he will approve my course. He takes a
great interest III Charley"
I prepared & vial of medicine, which I
gave to Charley's mother, who departed
with much more cheerful look than that
with which she had entered
MY expectations were not deceived. In
few days little Charley was SO much
stronger that began to think him out of
danger, and his mothers face looked so
happy that I should scarcely have recog-
nized it as the same that had greeted me
at our first meeting.
At the end OF week + YVES waited on
by stranger, who introduced himself as
Mr. Lauder, little Charley's uncle. His
manner and speech were those Of g. gentle
man, but there was something sinister in
his expression not calculated to win at
first sight
81 am glad to ind my nephew's health
so much improved" he said, 'sand beg you
to accept my thanks. trust the change
may be permanent"
II feel every assurance it will be-" an
swered.
:sMy great fear is that the disease is
hereditary: replied Mr.. Lander, lugubri-
ously. :.rhe symptoms attending my
poor brothers last illness were precisely
the same" ...
II set Mr.. Lander down for 81 croaker,
aud filing up the vial Of medicine for
which be had come, got rid oi: my dole
full visitor us speedily as possible.
Next morning received u message that
little Charley was worse, and u request
from his mother to call without delay.
went at once to see the hotel at which
the lady was stopping, and, to my sur-
prise found the child in @ state OF even
greater prostrasion than that in which
had first seen him.
"When did this change begin?'' ] asked.
'tSoon after he began taking the last
medicine" SAID Charleys mother.
"Your child llaherits q handsome fortune
I bclieve.'
.sThe lady looked surprised, as though
wondering what that had to do with the
question in hand.
..May 1 ask to whom it would go in the
event Of his deathP" I continued.
ITO his nncle, MIR. Lender" was tho re-
ply. ssIt was provided in the will by
which the property came to my husband,
that in case he died childless or none of
his children lived to come Of age, the es
tate should go to his brother"
ssPardon my curiosity, madam" /
said, ssbut every doctor is a bit Of gossip,
you know"
.By the way" I added, carelessly,
sis there any of that last vial of medicine
ieft?"
The vial was placed in my hand. About
q third of the contents remained.
II will leave this In its place." l said,
handing Charley's mother another and
putting the first in my pocket; and, with
8 few words OF encouragement, took my
leave.
al met Mr. Lander at the door of my
Office, and asked him in. Inviting him to
be seated, and excusing myself for a
moment, passed into q rear room, which
I used as q sort Of laboratory.
'How did you leave little Charley,
doctorv' inquired Mr.. Lander, on my re-
appearance.
GAS well as I could expect to find one
who had been taking poison!" answered.
s:Poisonp' he gasped, deathly pallor
overspreading bis face.
"Here is the residue of the physic which
sent by you yesterday" continued,
producing the vial. III have subjected it
to chemical test, and find in it q strong
tincture of certain vegetable poison
which, 1t administered i'll small but re-
peated Doses will, in time, produce death,
and leave no trace of the means en-
ployed."
"What do you mean?" cried Lander,
springing to his feet and quaking with
terror.
81 mean," said s'that when gave you
this vial yesterday there was no poison In
it. There is now, and you are the only
one whom the child's death would benefit.
I am convinced of your guilt of attempted