Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-05

There was no rancor In Guichemerre's
heart. The gorde-champetre was weeping
bitterly, and it was all his old friend could
do to keep from clasping him frantically
in his arms, but a sense of professional
dignity caused him to restrain his feelings
and remark with certain hauteur:
"What you propose, my friend, is
rather delicate proceeding. | do not
know exactly how DIR. Preville will"
"Oh, do not worry about him, inter-
rupted the anxious father, she will not be
surprised, for l have already informed
him. Moreover, he will not be apt to
darken my door again.
Guichemerre, not wishing to appear too
eager, and inflated, in spite of himself, at
the turn affairs had taken, said object
ingly:
1T is rather late now for me to take
the case; have not had an opportunity
of studying the premonitory symptoms OF
the disease. The condition of your child
may have been aggravated by the course
of treatment, and you know"
"Ohl yes" interposed Berth hastily, II
understand all that, Monsieur Guiche-
merre. But we have faith in you, and you
are going to cure him for us. You will
see. Moreover" added he ingenuously, in
order to convince the apparently reluctant
health officer, "the clairvoyant told US
so. Therefore"
No need was there of further parley.
The clairvoyant vouched for his success !
So Guichemerre radiantly exclaimed:
"My friend, l shall call in fifteen min
utesr'
1t was quite necessary that his toilet
should he appropriate for the momentous
visit so he fastened to his room to con-
template in the mirror the magnificent
effect of tri-color silken sash, which he
knotted about his waist
And as he gazed, visions of the glorious
consequences of successful cure rose be-
fore his mind. Just fancy cure dying
patient who had been given up by DIR.
Previllel What a rehabilitation! He
would be Mayor !-unquestionably Mayor
and perhaps Counselor-General,i if he kept
on In two hours everybody in Saint
Leon would know the great news; there
would be universal interest in the result,
and wagers would be laid on both sides
s.He uiu cure him-He will not cure him p
Oh what triumph, if he should be sue
cessfull
"And 1 will succeedr' swore Guiche-
merre, as, carried away by his dreams of
judicial honors, he raised his right hand
before his glass.
So, with sprightly step, his heart
thrilled with hope, and his face as ruddy
and joyful as it was at twenty, he took his
way toward the house of the gdrde-cham-
petre.
Yes, indeed, little Robert was really very
i'll. Gulchemerre so affirmed, but as to
stating the nature of the disease, that was
another matter.
Guichemerre, in his distress, thought of
going to consult the clairvoyant somnam-
bulist. But this was not the first guam
Diary from which he had successfully ex-
tricated himself; so he put on a wise
expression, felt the child's futtering pulse,
looked at his tongue, passed his hand
gently over the tiny emaciated form, and
as he saw the mother weeping by his side,
he, too, wept little, in spite of himself
''Oh! we will cure him." declared he
confidently, while endeavoring to conceal
his emotion.
Then he glibly made use of a few medI-
cal terms in order to reassure the sobbing
mother.
But, mon Dieui what was he to prescribe
for that dear little fellow?
All! at that moment he would have Joy
fully given half his remaining years to
have his diplomat How he longed to be
able to cure that poor three year-old baby
who had SO often played and romped with
his own Emilel
Eyes, yes p we will cure hin" he reit-
Grated soothingly.
In order that his prescriptions might
not be criticised by the hostile druggist,
he sent them by his own servant to the
pharmacy of the neighborIng town. But
they were of no avail Then Guiche-
MERE changed his recipes, one after an
other using nearly every old formula he
had known from boyhood. There was no
virtue in any Of them.
In his trouble he had recourse to the
good God in whom he had once piously
believed, and recited devoutly, with lips
long unaccustomed to prayer, rosary to
obtain from above the recovery of little
Robert.
But his prayers were seemingly as I'M
availing as his medicines, and the poor
man could no longer conceal his despair
However, the people OF Saint-Leon fol-
lowed with intensity the phases of the
malady The entire community was in
the greatest excitement.
''He will cure him p said some.
''He will not p declared the others.
DIR. Preville. was steadily losing his
practice, On Sunday crowds collected be-
fore the house of the qarde, and most ex-
traordinary reports were circulated. Lit
tie Robert died every morning and was
resuscitated every night, according to the
wild rumors which ran through the town.
Guichemerre was in a constant state of
terror. What if he should let his little
patient die? 1t would be ruin, irremedi-
able ruin
But if he should cure him-oh what
glory!
Days passed and the condition of the
child remained unchanged. The health
officer no longer knew to what remedies
to turn. The poor man had exhausted
his small store of knowledge and the
clairvoyant was too gossiping for him to
dare to have recourse to her occult science.
Every night he wept with chagrin at
the impotence of all his efforts. Finally
he requested the parents not to remain in
the room when he came to see the little
patient. He pretended to have invented
some secret and marvellous system, the
effect of which he wished to try privately;
but, in truth, he sought only to dissimu-
late his annoyance and the ignorance
which he feared to confess.
One day-it was the I'd of January-he
was returning from the depot, where he
had been to get package, New Years
gift that a friend had sent to his little
grandchild. 1t proved to he "a splendid
locomotive of brass, which rolled, whistled,
smoked, pulled and made deafening
noise, just like real steam-engine.
Guichemerre, who was as curious as
child, notwithstanding his snowy locks
had raised the cover Of the box to exam
inc then and there the attractive toy.
Then, with his package under his arm,
he stopped at the house of the gdrde-
champetre, and, as on the preceding day, he
shut himself in the room with his little
patient Robert was awake; without speak
ing he turned his large, dark, mournful
eyes toward his visitor, who laid his box
on the table, and for want of more salutary
medicine, endeavored to chat with the
child.
"That is pretty~ said Robert softly,
noiutinp his almost TRANSPARENT finger ad-