The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-08-28
THE DOCTORS STORY.

VII.
THE DOCTORS STORY.
For the last three weeks I have been
tending an old schoolmate of mine.
His name is Will Holbrook and
he has been very low with brain
fever. He was at one time quite
we'll of, but lost every thing by
an unlucky speculation, and was forced
to accept clerkship with one of the
firms with which he had formerly done
business. A too steady application to
his duties, coupled with great depres-
sion of mind, brought on his illness
which has threatened to terminate
fatally more than once.
l noticed just before he gave up how
badly he was looking, and one evening
when he called at my Office he confided
every thing to me. The loss of every
thing he possessed was naturally a
heavy blow to him, but it was nothing
in comparison to what it had brought
with 1.-THE breaking of of his engage
ment with the woman he loved.
Her name was Nena God frey, and
they had been engaged for about year.
AS soon as her father heard of the
change in Willis affairs, he wrote to
him, giving him to understand that he
could no longer regard him as future
son-in-law. On learning. however, that
Miss Godfrey's heart was unchanged
toward him, Will determined not to
give her up, and to mako every effort in
his power to regain his ost fortune as
quickly as possible.
When he was taken sick l had him
brought to my house: and, during his
delirium, he would keep asking for
Nena; then he would imagine that she
was with him and would implore her
not to leave him. Late yesterday after
noon he became 50 much worse, and
begged so piteously for her to come to
him that l sent Miss Godfrey a tele-
gram, and about II o'clock in the morn
ing was informed that she was watt
ing for me in the Office. went to her
a. once.
She attempted to rise as entered the
room but sank back on her chair as
though completely exhausted l at
tributed this to perturbation, and
fastened to quiet her fears about Will.
She insisted upon seeing him without
delay
Will seemed to be consc GUS of her
presence the moment she knelt by his
bedside and took his hand. He became
more composed, and at last sank into
doze, still holding her hand. This
lasted until midnight, and then he
opened his eyes and l saw that he
would live. He spoke her name in
whisper, and tried to raise her hand to
his lips. She made no sound, but gave
him look Of love and tenderness that
he understood at once, and he closed his
eyes again as though her mere presence
was all he asked. After he had lost
himself, Miss Godfrey looked up at me,
and the expression on my face tod her
the glad truth. The next instant she
had tainted. lcarried her into the ad-
joining room and called my wife. She
came to my assistance at once, and,
after we had worked over Miss Godfrey
for few moments, she opened her ewes
and said, with faint smile:
II am sorry to make you so much
trouble, but l think my arm is hurt, and
that Is what made me faint. The train
on which I left R met with an &C.
cident. and guess that l have not es-
capped uninjured.
On making an examination I found
that her left wrist was sprained and
the forearm considerably bruised. Al
though suffering intense pain, the
plucky little woman had managed to
keep me in ignorance of her injuries
until she knew whether her lover would
live or die. 1 did every thing for her
that my skill suggested, and then
forced her to take some rest. A couch
was arranged for her in the room ad-
joining Willis, and although she OBJ
tanned but little sleep-she was up overy
hour to look at him and ask how no was
her condition this morning was much
better than had expected.
shortly after daylight some one rang
the office bell, and when 1 opened the
door knew instinctively that the man
Standing before me was John Godfrey.
he stepped into the Office, told me his
name, and asked If his daughter was in
the house. told him that she was,
and he requested nae to send her to him.
Whatever his feelings toward me were
he did not show them.
went to Miss Godfrey and informed
her that her father was waiting to see
her. She trembled for an instant. and
then closed her lips over her firm little
mouth and went to him without word
/ had placed her arm in sling, and the