The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-10-15

and bow. And then?-at last! Dr..
Drinks experienced that magnificent
thrill he had been waiting so long for.
His heart thumped away, just as it
ought to; his legs trembled; he felt
cold chill shiver up and down his spine;
his mouth opened and closed several
times in an aimless sort of q way; his
pulse-but, in brief, he rapidly expert
enced every symptom which attends
and indicates the existence OF the prop
er, the legitimate, the genuine love.
His happiness made him almost dizzy,
and he had to seize hold of one. of, the
chairs for support Yes, this was love;
there could not possibly be any mis-
take about It this time.
Vainly he endeavored to assume his
usual matter-of-fact, professional po-
likeness His heart beat SO he could
hardly speak.
my patient, Miss Grantley, I pre-
sumo. Would you-ah, ha-," he be-
gan. advancing towards the couch,
with the assistance of the chair backs.
(How funny his legs felt to be sure.)
''Would you-ah, ha-," he repeated,
taking Miss Grantley's proffered hand
which little courtesy had the Won
derful effect of sending a second edi-
ton of that magnificent thrill through
Drinks sensitive system.
Would you-ah, ha-" he solemnly
repeated, determined to have it out this
time, ''would you allow me to see your
pulse, and let me feel your tongue"
Now DR.. Drinks had not the slightest
intention of being amusing, but, to his
infinite disgust. he discovered as soon
as he spoke that Miss Grantley was
greatly amused. She pressed her hand
kerchief to her face and bit her lips;
but, after a moments futile struggle,
she laughed outright, and evidently
only checked herself when he looked
so furious. In consideration for his in
jured feelings, she assumed an air of
mild but preternatural seriousness.
: "1t-it-isn'tmy pulse or my tongue"
she gravely explained; Its my ankle,
sir. and only slight sprain.''
DR.. Drinks was excessively embar-
rassed. He was not altogether stupid;
but really when we consider the sud-
denness of the thing it amply excuses
the exhibition of little foolishness
and nervousness. And then to be asked
to look at and touch her ankle!-and a
very pretty little ankle it was, too!
Apologizing profusely, the doctor
carefully - very arefully-examined
the pretty little foot that just peeped
out from among the many folds of Babs'
skirts; and he vowed-to himself-that
he Vvnn16 r1 1u hnf
bondaging his fair subject forever
Babs certainly looked nice. She was
small and dainty young lady with
bonny roguish blue eyes. and wealth
of willful golden hair that frizzled over
her brow, and looked as if it had been
ruftled by many sunny summer
| breeze. DIR. Drinks noticed with keen
observant eye the curling sweep of the
long brown lashes that shaded the deli
cateiy-rounded cheek, and, for the first
time in his professional career, invalida-
| ton struck him as the most pathetic
! and attractive aspect under which he
had ever studied woman. He took a
long time bandaging that little foot
and by the time it was finished he had
quite recovered himself. His touch
! seemed to do her foot good; and Babs,
! watching the careful manipulation of
bandaging, and listening to the pleas
ant, cheerful voice assuring her that she
would be we'll again in few weeks,
felt that, strange though DR.. Drinks had
! been on his arrival, she could have no
kinder or more skillful physician. In
! deed, by the time DR. Drinks took his
departure. she had voted him ''quite
nice.>: ; =
DR. Drinks gave himself q month to
| accomplish the conquest of Miss Grant
! ley's foot and heart; but before the
third week was at an end he had real
lied that he had undervalued his
powers q surgery and fascination. The
sprain had certainly surrendered to his
skill, and, building his faith on dozen
or so of smiles and glances, he allowed
himself to entertain the agreeable be-
lief that her heart had also surrendered
to himself. He had often been told
that he might choose wife when and
where he liked. and, with consummate
conceit, he had lately thought the same
thing himself. Then, he. reasoned, why
should he not choose a wife now, and
why not at Dovecot? To DR.. Dinks'
| mind there was considerable-nay, in
disputable logic in his reasoning.
Babs always seemed glad to see him,
and she was wholly at ease with him.
Indeed, she was always so gay and
good-humored that DR.. Drinks glowed
and fourished in his own opln,on-that
opinion being that she was certainly
very much in love with him. True. she
sometimes laughed, and at such times
DR.. Drinks experienced some difficulty
in divining whether it was with him
or at him! But love Is proverbially
blind, and the doctor determined to
chance his fate. He would propose to
her!
And then he fell into a delightful
reverie, and pictured, to himself the
scene. He would kneel by that little
couch by the fireplace and would ask
her in tender phrases would she be his
wife. And then he wondered would
his darling faint, or would she sink
gracefully into his arms and whisper:
-"Dear youth, 4 will!'' And then the
consummate delightfulness of it all
overpowered DR.: Drinks, and suggestr
lively hugging the nearest armchair,
he mentally collapsed. r.
Dressing one evening with the
punctilious care born of a long bachelor
life, and with many hesitating doubts
and fears, DR.. Drinks set out on an all
important visit to Dovecot house,
visit fraught with matrimonial inten-
tions. His progress was slow. TWAS
just after the early tea Of provincial
life, and several of his friends and ac-s
quaintances were on the street, and
many were the cordial greetings he had
TO exchange with them They after
wards remarked to each other that the
doctor was certainly strange in his
manner, and they hoped he hadn't been
80, and then they paused and finished
with suggestive smile. +. ri r. Il 'zs.8