Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-06-18

had acquired some .repute for discerning
the occult causes, Of .1naladies the f1rsv
step to whose remedy. in all cases, is to
discover their root, the next to strike
at it.
.s One afternoon a. strange lady came to
my office, bearing in her arms wan,
strickly-looking child. Though accom-
panied by a servant, she seemed 10th to
trust the little sufferer to any but her own
motherly care.
3 II have come, DOCTOR" she said, "to
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 little
coaSing, suffered me to tuke him on my
knee, and soon we were prattling together,
the best Of friepds:
While asking him his name, which he
said was ''Tarley," and his age, which he
told me was ''free years" felt tho little
fellows pulse and made such other obser-
Vations as a proper understanding of the
case required.
Looking up, found the mothers gaze
fixed anAiously on my face.
"What Go you think, dootori" she in
quired, TREMENDOUSLY: 'can you give the
any hope2'
Il detect no symptoms of organic dis
ease," replied; "nothing but a general
feebleness of the system, which, I trust,
will yield readily to careful nursing and
simple tonics.'
''rhen you think my child may be
sayed?" she cried, eagerly.
'Bless you. 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 l took advantage of his ab-
sence and came of my own accord. left
and pmsure when he finds Charley better
be will approve my course. He takes a
great interest in Charley"
prepared vial of medicine, which ]
gave to Charley's mother, who departed
with q much more cheerful look than that
with which she had entered
My expectations were not deceived. In
a few days little Charley was SO much
stronger that / began to think him out OF
danger, and his mothers face looked &C
happy that I should scarcely have recog
uized it as the same that had greeted me
at our first meeting.
At the end of a week / was waited on
by a stranger, who introduced himself as
Mr.. Lander, little Charley's uncle. His
manner and speech were those OF q gentle
man, but there WAS something sinister III
his expression not calculated to win al
first sight
Il am glad to find my nephew's health
50 much improved" he said, ''and beg you
to accept my thanks trust the change
may be permanent"
= feel every assurance It viii BE-" On
+ swered
'tMy great fear IS that the disease Is
hereditary" replied Mr.. Lander, lugubri
ously. '|The symptoms attending my
poor brothers last illness were precisely
the same.''
Il set MI. Lander down for creaker
and filing up the vial Of medicine fo1
which be had come, got rid of my dole
full visitor as speedily as possible.
Next morning I received message thai
little Charley was worse, and request
from his mother to call without delay.
I went at once to see the hotel at which
the lady was stopping, and, to my sur
prise, found the child in state Of ever
| greater prostration than that in which
had first seen him.
"When did this change begins", l asked
'+SOOn after he began taking the las
medicine" said Charley's mother.
"Your child inherits a-handsome fortunE
! l believe"
| 1.-THE lady looked surprised, as though
| wondering what that had to do with th
question in hand.
| '.May ask to whom it would 20 In tn
| event of his death?" continued. :.
10 his uncle, Mr.. Lander" was the re
ply. 'tIt was provided in the will b,
which the property came to my husband
that In case he died childless, or none O
his children lived to come of age, the es
tate should 60 to his brother"
| "Pardon my curiosity, madam"
said, 'but every doctor is bit of gossip
you know"
':By the way" I added, carelesslJ
leftP'
The vial was placed in my hand. Abou
third Of the contents remained.
II viii leave this in it's place" I said
handing Charley's mother another an
putting the first In my pocket; and, wit
few words Of encouragement took m
leave.
81 met Mr.. Lander at the door of M,
office, and asked him in. Inviting him t
be seated, and excusing myself for
moment, passed into rear room, whic
l used as sort of laboratory.
"How did you leave little Charley
doctorr' inquired Mr.. Lander on my ri
appearance.
GAS well rs I could expect to find on
who had been taking poisonl' answered
':Polsonr' he gasped, deathly pallo
overspreading his face.
"Here is the residue of the physic whicl
+ sent by you yesterday" I continued
producing the vial. II have subjected
to a chemical test, and find in 1t strun
tincture of q certain vegetable poiso
which, if administered in small but n
peated doses, will, in time, produce death
and leave no trace Of the means em
ploye<l"
"What do you mean2" cried Lander
springing to his feet and quaking wit
terror.
Il mean," said 'sthat when gave yo
this vial yesterday there was no poison l.
it. There is now, and you are the onl
one whom the child's death would benefit
I am convinced Of your guilt OF attempte
murder! Whether you have not con
mitted actual murder, also, I leave to you
own conscience; lfor, by your own stats
ment, you brother died in manner ind
eating the use of the same foul means, an
there was the same motive for employin
them"
/ ADO you intend to denounce me to th
1awe' he asked.
| 'such I deem to be my duty" al
swered. 49,.
/ tsome poisons are slow and some al
quickr' he exclaimed, and hastily takin
from his vest pocket 8 vial Of prussic acjf