Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-05-29
THE SURGEONS STORY.

opened the window Of my office and
looked ont upon the distant lightning, at
it, awful, red rehearsal in the inky west.
Neither rumb!ing thunder nor furious
dash Of wind nor volleys Of hail proclaim
ed the advance Of the marvellous midSum-
mcr tempest 1t came on silently, and
the lightning blades were doing their
deadly work with the flash and silence
Of steel
The area Of the storm covered less than
u mile, and the altitude of the cloud
could not have been more than half of
that distance Once overhead the
mighty cloud came to an ominous pause
before pouring forth its varied forms Of
vengeance. Then the bolts began to rush
through the air with the sibilant noise of
slly-rockcts, and the attendant peals
seemed to paralyzc the very pulse and
forever silence the heart of the listener.
One bolt descended close by, plowing in
its vivid progress oblong CULTS i'll an ap-
pie orchard, as if digging graves for its
prospective victims; and during all this
glare and din my night bell rang furious
iy.
What, :" thought l. "a summons on
aueh night as this Surely it must be
an urgent case that could not wait until
this most phenomenal of thunder tcmpcss
had passed over"
As left the rear office | could but OBJ
serve the play of the blue lightnincp
under the thresholds of the doors, like a
viper writhing in flames of blue vitriol.
SO dcafcning were the wild demon
STATIONS of nature that the messenger
could hardly make himself understood
but | learned at length that the house Of
Judge IIungcrford had been struck and
that Miss Blanche Hungcrforl had been
dangerously pro~tratcd by the shock
| rcmcmbcrcd Miss Blanche Hunger
ford, whom had met at several social
gatherings, as being very beautiful and
amiablc and a bcaming star in society.
l found her unconscious, with the fam
lily grouped about her in tears. My first
Thought was Disagreement But she
seemed too superIativcly lovely for the
blasting touch Of lightning; but she was
safe from this dread physical evil. The
binding flash and terrific thunder peal
had ov,rpowcrcd her u unconsciousncs~
In his excitement the messenger had
made an erroneous statement. Not the
house but a stately elm had been struck
and cleft in twain. Miss Blanche had
just opened the door to observe the dire
full aspect Of the hour when the bolt de
secndcd and she fell scnsclcss in the hall
way.
The scene at the bedside was a strange
and sadly Impressive one At It's foot sat
the venerable Judge lIungerfori Ex-
tremc age had impaired his once brilliant
.2rultic>. and he was now nearly an i'm,
beetle. At his side stood Mrs Hunger
ford, tail, scvcrc-faccd woman. wearing
sombcr, green goggles, while from hel
neck hung an o>tcntatiou~ medal. inii
eating. her membership of some reform
4SSoCiation
The impression this remarkable woman
made upon me is lifelong and unfading
The combination of artificial green eyes
4 perfectly erect and infexiblc attitude
narrow head, with aqulinc nose. and
certain inde>cribahlc air Of eager watch
fHlne>~ called to my mind hen eagle
erect On crag, and could compare he
u nothing else.
! was a>toniShed To sec in the mothe
Of the beautiful Blanche such an auster,
and una'trac,iyc person. but my astoni~h
ment subsidized when learned that sh
was my fair patients >tcpmother, tn
Judges second wife
After performing other duties of N,
profession l raised the suffering youn.
lady's head and proceeded TO the use 0
restoratives.
Soon the beautiful patient opened he
eyes wonderingly, murmured .'Thanl
YOU" and then suffered her noble hesl
to return to the pillow.
''Do you feel pain anywheref' wa
Whispered.