Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-09-25
MARY CLARIMONT, M. D.
her PROCESSION Is Husband and
Home to Her Now.

: When Mary Clarimont's engagement
was proclaimed to the world there en-
sued general expression of surprise.
Miss Clarimont was one-and-twenty,
q tall, imperial beauty, with dewy
black eyes, a skin as fresh as damask
roses, and dark brown hair coiled in
shining bands at the back of her head.
Moreover, Miss Clarimont had "ca-
reer" before her. She had just gradu.
atetl from Medtield Medical university,
ard taken out her diploma as an M. ID.
"And only to think of it" said Aunt
10, bursting into tears of vexation and
disappointment, that she must needs
go and ruin all her prospects by getting
engaged to Harry NARROW, down in
New York;"
vt does seem strange, Aunt 10,
when sit down and think of it," said
DIR. Mary, laughing and blushing six
months ago my profession was all
the world to me. | neither wished nor
cared for anything outside it's limits
The future was all mapped out before
me without let or hindrance; and
now"
"Humph?' growled Aunt 10. "Any
brainless idiot can get married and
keep mans house and mend his shirts
for him, but you were made for some
thing higher and more dignifed, Mary"
Mary's dew bright eyes sparkled.
Higher, Aunt Jo?'' said she. "More
dignifed? There you are. mistaken.
There is no higher or more dignifed
lot in life than that of the true wife of
noble husband"
, "Fiddlesticksl" said Aunt 10. "As
If every poor fool who was dazzled by
the glitter of a wedding ring didn't say
the same thing! You've disappointed
me, Mary Clarimont, and Pm ashamed
of you, and that is the long and short
of it,"
Dear Aunt Jo," said she, 81 shall
not let my sword and shield rust, be-
lieve me. Harry has only his own tai
ents to advance him in the world, and
it will be at least year before we
shall be ready to marry In the mean
time l shall accept the post of visiting
physician to the Aldenbury almshouse
and practice my profession, just the
same as If there were no engagement"
II wish to goodness there wasn't, I"
said Aunt 10. II tell you what, Mary
] don't fancy that smiling, smooth
tongued young man of yours, and
never shall"
Still DIR. Mary Clarimont kept her
temper
81 am sorry, Aunt Jo," she said,
pleasantly. But hope you will even
tually change your mind"
II used to keep thread and needle
store when / was young woman," re-
marked Aunt 10, dryly, land always
could tell the ring of a counterfeit half
dollar when o customer laid it on the
counter. | could then, and | can now
and ! tell you what, Mary, there's
base metal about Harry NARROW"
DR.. Mary bit her lip.
perhaps. We will not discuss the
subject further, Aunt Jo," she said,
with quiet dignity, and the old lady
said no more.
AUNT 10 is wrong" persisted the
pretty young NJ. D. to herself.
MARY is making fool Of herself!'
thought Aunt 10.
Aldenbury was pretty manufactur-
ing village, with main street shaded
by outrageous naples, west end, u
where people who had made their
fortunes lived comfortably in roomy
old houses, surrounded by velvet lawns
and terraced gardens, and an least
end" where people fought desperately
and not always successfully to keep
body and soul together on the merest
pittance.
And little way out of the village
the almshouses, built and endowed by
certain smuggling sea captain
whose conscience had pricked him dur
ing his latter days, raised their gray
stone gables to the sky and made
q picturesque background to the land
scape
DIR. Mary Clarimont made something
of sensation at Aldenbury. Up tc
this time all the resident NJ. DIS haC
been stuffy old gentlemen with wigs Of
pert young ones with eyeglasses.
A beautiful young lady who wrote
prescriptions and compounded pills anC
potions was novelty in the town, anc
by no means disagreeable one. PEG
pie rather liked the idea, once they haC
convinced themselves that the lady doc
tor understood herself and her pa
tients.
And the poor old people at the aims
house grew to love Dr. Mary and lister
with eager ears for the sound of he
carriage wheels over the blue grave
drive which led up to the portico.
1t was brilliant December day whel
the young physician stood in the neat
ly-carpeted reception-room drawing OF
her fur gloves previous to entering he
neat phaeton once again, while she re
iterated to the white-capped m nd SOM
directions concerning old Ann Mud
getts rheumatism, when the matrol
hurried in.
"Oh, beg your pardon, Dr. Clari
mont" said she, 'but clean forgot tn
new old woman"
The new old woman" repeated Dr.
Mary, with smile.
THAT is" exclaimed Mrs. Cunning
am, "she only came last night;
quiet old soul, half blind, and quit
bad with the asthma. Perhaps You
better just see her before you go. Sh
brought card of admission from d.
Merton, the New York clergyman, VIII
is one of our directors, you know. An
she seems a decent body enough"
SO DIR. Mary went cheerfully int
the little brick-paved room with II
white pallet bed, cushioned roclin
chair and neatly-draped casemen
where sat poor. little, shriveled'u
woman wrapped in faded shawl
She looked timidly up as DR. Mar