Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-01-04
DIR. FREDERICK DORSEY.

lecture on DR.. Dorsey, delivered in
the Lutheran Church at that place in
1859. 1t is full of interesting facts
concerning the old Doctor, his meth
dds. his life and character.
On one occasion, while returning
from a professional visit at an unusual
distance from home, he was overtaken
by the darkness of the night, and, as
was most uncommon for him, became
bewildered, and finally lost his way.
After wandering for some time along
the foot of our South Mountain, chill
ed and wearied, he at length discover
ed a distant light. 1t was to him
beacon of Joy. Far otherwise was it
to the inmate of the house from which
the light emanated. 1t was to them
the signal of sorrow and distress. He
soon approached the rude and solitary
tenement, and applied for admission.
He found q woman the only inmate,
save two little affrightcd children,
who were nesting closely to their
suffering mother. She was in the
bitter pangs of childbirth, and a sim
Gle room constituted the whole ca
pacity of this humble mansion. She
attempted some remonstrance against
the admission of stranger under
circumstances so painful and delicate.
He forgot his own suterings in
those of the poor woman. In an
swer to the inquiry as to where her
husband was, she stated that he had
gone to Hagerstown "for old Doctor
Dorsey" and added, in tone of de-
spair, "but before they return shall
be dead :" her countenance showing
that she felt what Martha uttered, "if
thou hadst been here he had not died."
When the Doctor disclosed himself,
there followed a scene which no ar
lists pencil can depict! The suffering
invalid was soon relieved, and as the
morning sun took the place of the
clouds and darkness of the night, so,
in this house, did joy and gladness
follow sorrow and despair.
Many years ago, when | was small
child, there stood upon the banks of
the'Conococheague, a neat but humble
cottage, which was the habitation ola
solitary and respectable widow. Not
vestige of it now remains, and its
inmate has long since gone to her rest.
One dark and gloomy afternoon in
November. about the year 1921 or y,
a single horseman was seen to APP
proach this secluded spot. AS he drew
nigh he was recognized as DIR. Dorsey.
AS no one was sick at the time in the
neighborhood, his appearance was
unexpected and excited surprise, as it
was not his practice to make social
or formal visits.
He entered the house, and for him,
made an unusually long stay. To this
day there hangs around that visit a
melancholy mystery-there was i'm
parted, on that occasion, sad secret,
which never was revealed by him who
gave or by her who received it. Its
purport, however, may in part be i'm
agined by what followed.
A few days after, the family car
riage of the good physician might
have been seen vending the same
road, and at last stopping at the same
cottage. The Doctor alighted, and
was followed by young, well dress
ed woman, having the air and mien of
a lady. and possessing also great per-
sonal beauty. They entered the house
and after brief sojourn the
Doctor returned alone to his carriage
and drove off.
What heart can fully appreciate, or
what Imagination can picture the
weight of sorrow and shame that OPP
pressed the soul of that voluntary eX-
lie in her lonely prison.!
Days and weeks elapsed. The Doc
tor was regular in his visits. The
curiosity of the neighborhood was ex-
cited, but every effort to gain infor-
mation in regard to the mystery was
unavailing. AT last the same persons
that came in it re-entered and took
their departure. But now another
bad been ADDED to the party. An I'M
helpless infant made third,
and though innocent before God and
man, and without the stain of any sin,
was yet fleeing and hiding from
shame and the scorn of the world.
Who this unhappy woman was,
whence she came, or whittier she went,
no one in our county, save her one
friend, ever knew. The impression,
however, always was, that at Hagers-
town they separated-the mother go
ing to Virginia, the infant to Penn
sylvania.
The work of the physician was no
better performed in this instance than
was that of the philanthropist and
About the time / grew to manhood,
in the 1886 or u, / made visit with
a companion, long since departed, to
a number of our college friends in diff
ferent sections in Virginia. In our
we were introduced
into most interesting family, which
made more than an ordinary impress
sion. The lady of this hospitable
mansion carried with her serene but
air ofdignity. She SEEM
ed always pensive and sad, yet withal
there was a cheerful contentment in
her department and countenance. She
had family of young and lovely
children. Her husband was as ten
derby and attentive as possible, yet
without Ostentation. Beside their
own children there was another in
mate of the family-a handsome boy,
about sixteen years of age. He was
stated to be the son of relatives who
had lived in Pennsylvania, and that
his parents have died in destitute
when he was but an
infant, he had been adopted as one of
their own children. The looks, the
words, the intercourse which this
boy received. were those which pa
rental tenderness could only give.
Besides it was intimated that there
was a mystery attending his history
which had never been satisfactorily
cleared up-no suspicious, however,
were ever limited even, not consistent
with the outward face of things in
that family, but for myself, | confess
that before left this house my mind
had irresistibly and involuntarily
turned to the solitary cottage on the
banks of the Conococheague, and, now,
whenever L revert to this long and
buried romance in real life, how sure
[ feel that the part taken by our good
old friend in it, has secured for him
a pearl of priceless value in the crown
which he wears in the eternal world.
DIR. Dorsey was student, and con-
tinued through life faithful disciple
of DIR. Rush, the greatest physician,
perhaps, that ever lived. He was one
of the very first men in our country
who adopted etherization in cases Of
surgical operations, and even before it
had been generally used in the cities.
Upon one subject he was. however,
true and unalterable Rushite. Calomel
and blood-letting were with him the