Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-09-07
A DOCTORS GHOST STORY


lieve my story when tell it to you.
Nobody ever did-because 1t IS so
unreal: YOU know some people
only shake their heads and smile
when they hear it, the same as If l
we're trying to impose upon their
credulity, while others sset me down
as the victim of too keen an i'm
sgination. 1t makes but little diff
ference to me what they say or
think-the story is true for all that.
| am an old man nOw-nearly sew
enty years having come and gone
since | first saw the Highland
with one foot in the grave, l am
sure | would not tell a willful false
hood; and in spite of all the trouo'
10 | have had, my mind is as strong
today as it was fifty years ago,
and, in that respect, 1 was never
considered weak. However, | will
relate the story:
l loved Amy Merlin from the first.
Not only for her pretty brown eyes,
wavy, golden hair, and trim little
figure, but for her amiable disposi-
ton and kind heart. You might
look the world over from one end
to the other and never find a girl
to compare with Amy, either IN
point of beauty or sweetness of dis
position.
Amy loved me, too; she not
only said so, but her every action
clearly showed it; and everybody
in the town said 1 was remarkably
fo1tunate-being but a poor young
doctor-tO win the love of such a
girl, who could have had her pick
from the best in the land, as her
father was the wealthiest man in
all the country around. | fully ap-
preciated my good fortune, and
was happy accordingly. But my
happiness was not to be of long
duration, and the course of the
love that had run so smooth was
destined to become exceedingly
rough.
About this time Ralph Clayton,
wealthy merchant Of high stand
ing, met and lost his heart to Amy,
and became a constant visitor at
her home. Whilst | was assured
of Amy's love and esteem, | was
positive that her father held quite
a different opinion of me, and he
soon made 1t evident that my at
teDtions to his daughter we're dis
tasteful to him. He always vel
coined Clayton warmly and bestow-
ed upon him every attention, while
l was treated with freezing polite
ness. Ah, money IS a wonderful
power.
Clayton was pompous man,
some halt dozen years my senior
and on account of my inferior finan
ciaI position in the world he always
treated me with considerable con
descension. One day as we return
ed together from a visit to the
Merlin Maasion he said to me:
Conway, l think Amy Merlin
one of the incest girls 1 ever met
She would make model wife, and
am going to marry her. What &c
you think of it ?"
"Why," replied, while the hot
blood rushed to my face, 81 think
she viii never beyour wife, because
she loves me and is engaged to me-
"Oh, that is nothing" he coolly
answered cher father approves Of
me, and it is very plain desires m'
for a son.in.law, but you he dOes'n
like at all. Amy is very Obedi
cut aud dutiful girl, and | do no
think the old man will have an,
trouble at all in gaining her con
sent to marry me-"
"But," SAID /, "would you MARI.
a woman who does not love you
and whose heart is anothers ~
"That," replied he, sis a smal
matter. Love doesn't amount I
much where there is plenty of Altb
lucre. l could learn her, 1 believe
to esteem me in time.7
1 had always disliked the mar
now l fairly despised bin, and
was with mighty effort that l re
strained myself from knocking hl1
down.
Amy had always been in the hat
it OF meeting me, when called
under a spr eading maple tree som
distance from the house. SO tn
next day after my conversation
with Clayton ] went to see her
and she met me at the usual place
After a few commonplace remark
! told her what Ralph Clayton ha'
said to me.
"Oh, Paul." she exclaimed, "
fervently pray that my father vii
not desire me to marry that mar
for, Paul, do not love him-I car
not love him; but if my fathe
bids me marry him 1 dare not dii
obey. But let us pray that he wi
not make any such request-for
love you, Paul-Only you-and
believe / should die if we we're sci