Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-10-03
A DOCTORS STORY.

painter was painting tho shutters, gar
lener digging IN the garden.
Day by day the aspect OF the place i'm
proved. Soft muslin shades shrouded the
windows; flowers blo0med where only
weeds had grown; the garden paths were
laid with gravel One night travelling
carriage was driven rapidly through the
village and in at the gate leading TO Croft
house
Whence came the vehicle2 Who its oc-
eupant2 No one knew, but everyone de
sired TO know Nothing that took place
within That dwelling uanspired outside.
In passing by one saw only hat the stand
ard roses nourished and that the grass
grew greener. What comments were
made on he mysterious and invisible i'm
habtants: What strange tales circulated.
|, the village doctor, concerned myself
little enough about the matter The Occu-
pants Of Croft house we're 40 doubt human
beings. and az such must suffer some Of
the Ills that flesh was heir to- IN that case
my services would be required. ] waited
patiently
A week went by, and one morning, be-
fore set of on my rounds, a messenger
arrived requesting me to call on Mr.. WI
ton, Of Croft house. Dressing myself
with more than ordinary care, ! crossed
the village green. was young and felt
important
/ was shown into the drawing room. 1t
was gay with summer flowers, redolent OF
their perfume On couch lay young
girl, ~ appearance almost child. She
was pale, dclicatelooking, and very love
ly. In front Of her knelt young man of
two or three and twenty-Oue of the hand
soonest young fellows had ever seen. He
held the hands Of the beautiful girl, and
they were looking into each others eyes.
AS approached he rose, bowed, and wei
coined inc with an easy grace that won my
heart
al confess expected TO find the village
doctor an older man." he said with a
frank smile, as he offered me his hand.
at is for my wife desired your attend
ance," he continued, looking ut her with
the deepest affection, una rs not strong"
Then at q sign from him, J sat down be-
side the couch OF my interesting patient
"You are very young, Mrs, Wilson" |
remarked. II was certainly rather lead
ing question.
III am ~, doctor" she answered simply.
"Wehaye been married only % few months.
We are strangers here, aud wish TO be so.
On Charlie please explain" She asked,
Turning to her husband with n faint blush.
"You can do it far better than /"
He bent over her, kissed her On the
forehead then Strengthening himself ard
looking no me, said: "Iu attending my
wife, Dr. Gray, ] must ask you to under
take a double duty We have decided to
tell You our secrct-in part--so that while
we are your patients trust we may look
upon you as our friend-one who viii as
sist us i'm Keeping our secret and In living
the entirely secluded life we desire to lead
here Wilton is an assumed name, My
father refused to acknowledge my mar
rage with the girl love. Her father
withheld ais consent TO his daughter mar
ryiug Into family too proud to receive
her. We would have waited amy reasona-
BILE time, when our parents sought to sepur-
ste MS entirely we took our lives into our
own hands We married, and hope--iu
time-to be forgiven"
They had both spoken to me with the
candor OF youth, of love, and Of inexpen-
ence 1t takes very little sometimes TO
bring a doctor into close relations with his
this interesting young couple ut once.
assured Them they need not foor being in
truded upon hy ,ht Villagers, and the only
geutiemtu's residences within calling dis
tauccs were teuautless nt that season of
the year the owners being either up in
London or travelling abroad. As to the
vicar he was "a man whose advanced age
aud inhrmtio> euectuully precluded him
from visiting more than was absolutely
necessary among his pensioners.
III you go to the churCh-a mile from
here" said l. che may or may not call up
on You. II you do not 60, ! think / may
safely say he win not consider ii neces-
sary. In that case you may probably never
meet"
Mr.. and Mrs Wilton thanked me warm
ly, pressing me TO come to see them fire.
queutly, n hich | did with eyer-iucreasing
pleasure as the beautiful romance of these
two loving hearts uufoled itself soon
discovered that Mr.. Wilton had received
a college education; also CLEANED that
'Uua' was somewhat his inferior in so
cial POSITION. aul chat since heir runa-
WAY marriage they had been travelling
abroad II was mo business OF mine TO
know more than they chose to tell /
respecte their secret, and asked no qucs-
tions
One morning my visits had become al
most daily now saw at once that there
was something wrong With Mrs Wilton,
and she saw also That perceived TO-
"Nou need not feel my pulse, doctor, it
Is my heart. she sa.d, i'm answer 20 my
looks "Nou viii find me foolsh.F weak.
8 GA f.rtf