Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-08

had been welded to his profession SneSe
MANY a year! l tried to reason myself
out of nv strange infatuation, aud con-
sumed more than one box OF prime
..Hayanas' in so doing. but to no avail.
Just as l would about decide to give
I'D nv office for other quarters, or to
have the machine removed that was the
cause of all my trouble, 4 vicious ring
would bring me with bound to
it's side, and that bewitching woice
would quickly claim me as its
own Night after night for month
| heard, at almost the same hour (be-
tween eleven and twelve), those
enhancing strains, and then week
went by, and although l sat with
eager ears and bated breath, listening,
listening, there was nothing but silence,
and if the bell rang at all, it was for me to
hear in reply to my eager hello:
Come to No. =, street" ant:
would say .'all right and get ready to
90. Or it would say: Mrs. B. s head
ache has returned. what about pow
ders?" or ''shall Judge so-and-so con-
tinue same incidence" and so forth;
but never a note from my song-blrd.
My nervous system, however, began to
assume its normal tone, and had
about decided to forget Gf possible) all
about my emusic and its unknown
possessor. l had so far succeeded in
this painful task, that was actually
whistGng one night, when, sharp and
shrill, the telephone alarm sounded,
falling on my ear like the voice of an
accusing spirit. 1 hurried to the tele-
phone, all a-thrill, fully expecting to
hear again what my heart had hum
gered FOR; instead, l caught these
words: "Come at once to 318 South
wark avenue-lady very ill. " dropped
the transmitter. cruelty disappointed.
hastily ordered nv horse, ard little
later was on my way to visit my new
patient. 1t was my first call to that
aristocratie neiShbOrhood, and my
spirits rose little at the prospect of a
good, fat fee. Doctors temperaments
are very mercurial where moneyis con-
ccrned. Arrived there. found pala-
tial residence, and, entering, all the
surroundings betokened refinement
and wealth. A colored servant ushered
me into coy library, where a stately
gray-haired woman met me. There
were traces of tears on her face, and
her voice was low and trembling, as she
gave me a brief outline of her daugh-
ter's attack. When she had finished,
she led me up broad. softly
eagpeted stairway, and into a
spacious chamber richly furnished. The
light was burning dimiy, but on the bed
l saw the form of woman tossing
restlessly about. drew near and took
the little burning hand in mine. A pair
of great, luminous, dark eyes looked
up at me from beneath a mass of tan
gled curls that strayed far over the pill
low. She was deliriOus, and murmured
incoherent words, while l counted the
throbbing. irregularpulse. The mother
stood by, with anxious eyes. while the
nurse busted herself arranging some
thing on the dressing-table. My pa
tent closed her eyes YEARLY; then,
slowly opening them, she threw one
arm restlessly above her head, opened
her lips, and-could L believe my
senses? Clear and sweet, the words
and music of the song had heard so
often over the teleph one, and had
longed so eagerly to hear again, fioated
through the room.
had found my songstress at last. She
was indeed a living, breathing woman,
and not, as l had almost Schooled N.Y.
self to believe, creature of my imagi-
nation. Her mother must have noticed
my agitation, for she stepped to my
side, and when the last notes died away
in whisper, said:
"Alice has been very much interested
in her musical studies for some time,
and has been anxious to finish them,
looking forward to an operate career.
which both her father and myself
She has been growing mel.
of late. and given to walking
in her sleep. 1t has ended in this deli
rum and our sending for you"
forgot to say that the treatment of
diseases of the brain is my speciality.
The mothers voice ended in sob.
| was longing to clasp my patient in
my arms and pour all the tender words
that were lowering on my lips into his
ears. With an effort l controlled my
self and wrote a prescription. THIS
done l handed it to the nurse, with in
to have it filled Immediately.
Then, turning to the bed, l scanned
my singers features. She was
beautiful. in spite of the fever's burn
ing touch, and my heart went out to
her.
l gave the medicine with my own
hands, and sat by her bedside for
hours, not leaving it until she had fall
en- into a slight slumber, and the first
rays of the sun were family streakinr
the east. For weeks she lowered be-
tween life and death. but finally reason
resumed its sway, and she was rapidly
So faithful had | been
in my attendance on the daughter that
Won her parents friendship and es-
TEEN. and when my fair patient had en-
tirely recovered, my professional visits
into friendly ones, and again
and again was | treated to the music of
her wonderful voice.
At last l ventured to tell her of nv
love, and was rewarded by trem-
bling yes when l asked her to be
my wife.
When we had been married nearly a
year. told Alice how and when had