Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-07-15

the lady Of the night before. She arose
as / entered.
What must you think of me2" she
said. But no matter. Ny daughter Is
very dear to me, and l have heard Of
your skill. she is worse again. Can
you call sometime to-day, as early as
possible, at my housea"
] win be there in an hour, y said.
The old lady took out her purse.
II am an English woman" she said.
Il retain English habits. In my day the
doctor received his fees on the spot. 1t
was in ordinary cases guinea. viii
you receive itnow?"
I did not know what to say, but she
laid the gold piece on the table and de-
parted.
I eat my breakfast and made my way
to the old lady's house rang the bell.
The door was opened by the stout female
who had dismissed me the night before.
sThe doctor" said, by way of ex-
PLANTATION
"Ahp said she. 'sHas missus called
you in againa"
eyes, /" l answered.
"There's no need, I assure you, sir, :"
she said. II can't really ask you in.
There's no one i'll here. It's whim Of
missus's. Pm better judge of illness
than she. No need Of doctor"
'sBut since the lady called me 7 must
see the patient, I said.
''Beg your pardon, I've orders to admit
no one, " she answered, and shut the door
softly in my face.
I left the house, Of course, partly in
dudgeon, partly in amazement.
Could there be some plan on the part
of this old woman to keep medical assist
ance from some unhappy patient whose
death would serve her purposes?
Iasked myself this question for several
days; then I forgot the matter. Two
weeks passed by, when lo the old lady
again.
She walked into my parlor, dressed as
before, as greatly agitated, as carefully
polite.
"sir," she said, "again I trouble you.
Ny poor, poor daughter Come at once !"
Madam" answered, ut is the ply
sician's duty, as it should be his pleas
ure, to obey such calls, but you are aware
that I have been sent from your door
twice without seeing the patient9 Allow
me to ask you question: Are you the
mistress of that house2n
"Heaven knows am, said the old
lady. 81 have lived there for forty
years. Town it. lam the only person
under that roof who has the right to give
an order"
Sand the person who sent me away?"
'sMy old servant, Margaret.
ibid she do it at your order?"
mo, sir; it was piece of presump-
ton. But Margaret means well. She
loves us2"
ssThen, madam, if accompany you
shall see the patient2"
"Assuredly, sir.''
/ put on my hat again, and we went
out of the house together. At the door
of her mansion, the old lady paused.
Don't mind Margaret, "she whispered
'sShe means well. .
Then she assembled the steps.
At the last one the door was opened
to us by the woman | had twice seen be-
fore.
1.-THE doctor must see my child, Mar
garet, " said the old lady.
Margaret stepped back.
ssWalk in, sir, was all she said.
The old lady beckoned me to follow
her. I did so. She went upstairs and
opened the first door we came to. 1t was
an empty bedroom. She closed it with
sigh. The next room into which she
led me was also empty. So were all the
others. In effect we visited six apart
ments, only one Of which seemed to be
regularly occupied as sleeping apart
ment; and at last the old lady turned to
me with strange glitter in her eyes.
'sStolen,p she said; 'sstolen-some-
body has stolen my girl. Sir do you
know I think it must be Satan9
Then steady step crossed the sill.
Margaret came in an the old lady, burst
ing into tears, suffered her to lead her
away.
AsI made my way down stairs Mar
garet rcjoined me.
ssYou understand it now, " she said.
You see my mistress is not in her right
mindqs
ri do, indeed, said
ssShe had daughter once, said Mar
garct, s4and the girl-a pretty creature
Of sixteen-ran away with bad man.
She came back home one day and begged
forgiveness; her mother turned her from
the door in a fury. It was night. The
rain and hail beat down on the poor
thing, and the wind bufTetted her. There
is no knowing what happened to her
that night, but the next morning she
lay dead in the police Office. Her moth
er's address was pinned to her baby's
clothing and they brought her home.
From that awful day, sir, my mistress
who in her remorse and delirium called
in twenty doctors to bring her dead
daughter to life-has always been do
ing what she has done to you. / try to
keep the sec:et generally, but
some find it out, ana others think
odd things Of us. ! thought / would
let you know the truth. Ifshc contrives