Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-28
HER OPPORTUNITY.

DR.. Mary shook the snow from her
black Astrachan cap, unfastened her
cloak with quick, professional
air making the most of every
minute, drew off her arctics and sat down
before Der cheerful open fire, with dis
couraged sigh. A lady busily writing Cd
the other SIDE of the room looked up,
with pen poised in mid air ard mildly
ipterrogative arching OF the brows. She
knew all DR.. Mery's ways, and was dis
creetly silent.
The doctor sighed again, and gave the
fire an impatient poke. She knew the
nervous system, root and branch, yet had
her little tempers like any ordinary woman
without a scientific bias
eyes, [ know what you're waiting for
Eudora Blake. You are holding you pre-
cious pen 'twixt heaven and earth, like
Mahomet's coffin, waiting until my wrath
chooses to explode. l suppose have in
terrupted the thread of your love story,
but as long as you descend on me for hints
from real life, you will have to take
them as they come"
Eudora turned her eyes slowly upon
her friend.
"a little tired, aren't you, dear!" She
said meditatiyely. "You make too many
visits in one DAY. Don't let your own
vital springs run down, trying to keep
other people il repair"
She dipped her pen in the inkstand,
and scribbled a sentence or two.
"Trying to keep them in repair! Yes,
that's just the trouble" exclaimed DR..
Mary. Il might try till the day of doom
and they would go on violating one by
gienic law after another, till it makes
ones soul sick within him. What do you
suppose [ found Bridget Doian doing
this afternoon? Pat was dead drunk on
the bed, and the was washing with her
two-weeks- old baby tucked away in one
corner of the table, and breathing the
steam at the rate of 40 respiratiOns
minute. Bridget herself looked hardly
able to stand. To morrow they will send
for me post-haste to attend both mother
and child, and then systematically disc.
hey every injunction l give them. wish
it were possible to fiud one human being
whom / could truly help"
She passed her shapely hands across
her forehead, and brushed back the short,
dark hair from temples to relieve the
nervous tension.
Eudora Blake came to the fire and
spread her fingers to the blaze.
helped. You will find the right one
some day. Do you remember the SEN
tence in Little Dorritf In our course
through life we meet the people who are
coming to meet US from many strange
places and by many strange roads; and
what is set US to DO to them; and what is
set them TO do to Us will all be doHe.'"
"That Is as solemn as the tolling OF Il
funeral bell" said DR.. Mary. "What
oversha6owing things you do pick up,
Eudora! / suppose if it should be my
fate to administer a dose of poison to
patient, should do 1T in spite of all my
care aud watohfulness. 1t will all be done.
1t will all be done"
She lighted the gas and made tea for
Eudora and chocolate for herself. They
kept house together to save expense, and
for the pleasure of each others company,
taking turns at the sim pie household
duties. The romance of life had faded
out of both, and now they were sober
women with purpose.
Dr. Mary's Office was in the neighbor-
hood of Riggs court. The place had
been selected with purpose. "The rich
have physicians enough" said the doctor.
81 will minister among those who faint
by the wayside in sight of priests and
Levites."
1t must not be understood that Dr..
Mary said this In any self-religiOus or
complacent spirit. 1t was only her figur-
alive way of putting things.
Riggs court was of the CRIME, grimy.
Its morals were as far removed from i'm
maculate whitsness as were the wretched
vestments which fluttered on long lines
from window to window when Rugg' S
court had washing day. Yet DR.. Mary
did not always despair.
The day after this sketch begins, she
was walking toward her office, when her
attention was drawn to a woman stagger-
ing in front of her, and holding at inter
walls TO the area ratings of the dingy
tenements. The doctor quickened her
pace. 1t was such an old, old story; yet
her heart yearned over this poor tosse
creature. She laid her hand on the WON
ans arm and said:
s'My friend"
The woman turned upon her such q
face as Marian Erie must have shown &c
her tormentors when as she tells AurorC
Leigh:
They feared my eyes and loosed me, as
boys might
mad dog which they had tortured"
d
with fever, aud the eyes cleaned with
woeful desperate light.
"I'm not drunk. Don't think it. Tn
-only-starving
EYES," said DR.. Mary, Il know it
now
They were but few steps from the of
fee, and she supported the trembling
figure till she had seated the woman ii
the easy chair before the fire.
"Gussave Ito the,little Swedish servau
girl) run to the eating house around thu
corner for bowl of hot coffee and
quart of oyster broth as quickly as pos
sible. Take this purse. | can't wait t.
count the money"
The blue eyed, haxen-braided Nors
maiden flew to do her mistress bidding
and the doctor chafed the hands of tn
weman, who had tainted outright. Tn
food and drink restored her seant
strength. and she gazed into the doctor
face like one brought back from the grave
81 am not beggar, l eau and will pa,
you. They have kept me waiting thre
weeks for my wages at the coat and yes
store on - street, and am a strange
and can not ask for trust at the stores
The money has been honestly earned, an
is mine by every right under heaven, bu
1 can't get it till they choose to give it t
me and to others like me-"
She spoke bitterly and pulled at tn
fringe of her faded shawl.
''What reason do they give" asked d.
Mary.
NO particular reason. We think the
held it back to draw more interes
Meantime, you see for yourself"
The doctor quivered with indig nation
81 will try to get it for you. l will G