The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-23
THE SURGEONS LOVE.

Neither rumbllng thunder nor furious
dash OF wind, nor yolleyB of hail, pro.
claimed the advance OF the marvellous
midsummer tempest. 1t came on silently
and the lightning blades were doing their
deadly work with the flash and ailence Of
steel.
The area OF the storm covered less than
a mile, and the altitude OF the cloud could
not have been more than half Of that dis.
lance. Once overhead the mighty cloud
came to an omlnous pause before pouring
forth its varied forms OF vengeance. Then
the bolts began to rush through the air
with the sibilRRt noise Of s~ky-roCkets, and
the attendant peals seemed to paralyzs
the very pulses and forever silence the
heart Of the listener. One bolt descended
close by, blowing In Its vivid progress OBJ.
long gulfs in an apple orchard, as II dix.
ging graves for lis prospective victims
aud during all Of this glare and din my
night bell rang furlOusly,
what" thought !. "a summons on
such a night as thisl Surely it must be
IN urgent case that could not wait until
this most phenomenal Of thunder tempests
had passed over"
AS l left the rear Office, | could but oh.
serve the play Of the blue lightnings I'M
der the thresholds Of the doors, like a
viper wrilhing in lanes Of blue vitrol.
So deafeniDg were the wild demOnslra.
tons OF nature that the messenger could
hardly make himself understood; but ]
learned at length that the house OF Judge
llungeiford had been struck, and that
Miss Blanche HunEertord had been dan
gerously Frustrated by the shock.
! remembered Mas Blanche Hunger.
ford, whom | had inst at several social
gatherings, as being very beautiful and
amiable, and q beamiDg star in society,
l found her Unconscious, with the
family grouped about her in tears. Ny
first thought was ditllgurement. But she
seemed too superlstively lovely for the
blasting touch Of lightning; but she was
safe from this dread-physiCal evil. The
binding flash and terrific tbundei.pea
had overpowdered her to unconscious.
ness.
In his excitement the messenger had
made an erroneous s~tatement-not the
house, but q BlRtcly elm had been struck
and Glove In twain by the CVlamitous
fluid. Miss Blanche had Just opened the
door to observe the direiul aspect OF the
hour, which the bolt descended, and she
fell Benseless in the hallway.
The scene at the bedside was a strange
and sadly impressive one. At its foot sat
the venerable Judge Hungeriord. Extreme
age hadimpairedh isonce brilliant faculties,
and he was now nearly an imbecile. Al
his side stood Mrs. Hungertord-a tall,
severe faced woman, wearing somber
green goggles, while from her neck hung
an os~tentatious medal, indicating her
membership OF some reform association.
The impression this remarkable woman
made upon me Is life long and uniadinR,
The combination Of artificial green eyes, a
perfectly erect and intlexible attitude, a
narrow head, With aquiline nose, and q
certain indesCribable air Of eager watch.
~fulnesH, called to my mind a hen eagle,
erect upon a crag, and | could compare
her to nothing else.
l was astonished to see in the mother OF
beautiful Blanche such an austere and I'M
attractive peisonj but my establishment
subsidized when l learned that she was my
fair patients step.mother, the Judges Sec
ond wife.
After performing other offices Of my pro.
%fesslon, | proceeded to the use Of restora-
tives. / poured from my spirit. flask a
spoonful Of brandy, raised her head gently
from the pillow, when the step.mothef
BWooped down upon,,me and seized my up
raised arm, as with the clutch OF a talon.
"Pardon me, physician" she said, In O
voice impressive and metallic, "but l am
conscience and oath.bound against its use ~
And she pointed gdnly to her medal Of
membership.
/ removed her hand respectfully, and
administered the stimulant.
The beautiful patient opened her eyes
wonderingly, mnrmured "Thank you n
and then | suffered her noble head TO re.
turn 10 the pillow.
"Do you feel pain anywhereH" was
whispered.
She turned her eyes in the direction OIL
her left shoulder.
l raised the lace border OF her night
robe, and 10 there on that alabaster arm,
near the shoulder, was the perfect imprint
Of Q tree.
The lightning flash had photographed
upon her fair skin the stricken elm In
mlniaturel
Chagrined at tho objections made Ia
my professional methods by the second
Mrs. Hungeriord, | left further insttuc.
tons as to the care OF the charming young
patient, and then, In the face OF the feeble
remembrance oil Judge Hungerfotd,
took my departure.
II.
In due time | heard Of Blanche Hun.
geffotd's complete convaleDCsnCe, and
must confess the agreeable tidlngs gave
me pleasure that was not altogether O pro
feSsiohal character. She was BuChA sweet
patient, and I had never forgotten the look
Of gratitude she gave me when she whlsp.
cred "1hank youl" And what Ia more de.
lighting TO a mans heart than a grateful
expression from a beautiful Woman7
An increase oil reputation opened Up q
way for me TO what | had no long and
afdently desited-a city practice.
became associated with the distingu.
ished and beloved DR.. Bartholomew, and
upon hia deceAse ] succeeded 10 llalAFge
and lucrative medical DlleptAgs,
Upon several occasions ! had conferred
with my esteemed professional brethren
upon The subjeOtoi lightning photography
and mentioning no names, out Of delicate
motives, | cited the case Of d handsome
young woman who was prostrated by the
electric fluid.
The bolt blasted q contiguous elm.treei
and The tree was perfectly and artiBtiCally
photographed upon her arm.
found that cases were not tintfequehl
where inanlmate objects had been photo
gfaphed by lightning upon animate ones
One surgeon youohed Tor Q case where .
black.oak, thunder.fiven, was photographs
ed upUn the flank Of a white horse.
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