The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-08-05
A "HEALER. p"

IL
A lady lay on a lounge in beauti-
full mornlng-room. There were soft,
silken pillows arranged about her; and
although it was a balmy spring morn
ing and the breeze which came through
the open window was soft and warm,
she had thick eiderdown quilt thrown
over her. Her eyes were heavy, but
she could not sleep. Night after night
she had lain during the long hours
wide awake.
Physicians had pronounced her mall
ady ''insomnia," but had done little to
relieve it. Drugs had brought her re-
lief for time but they soon lost their
effect. She had tried them all -
bromides, sulfonal, that queer drug
with a name like one of Ouida's nov
els choral. morphine-but she had an
honest horror Of narcotics and she
feared to trust herself with them.
And now her husband had brought
her new doctor-a shabby, little old
man who had no great name nor even
a particular school. In fact, he called
himself "healer," and you or would
have branded him ''quack."
The lady glanced up as the two men
entered the room, and she was con-
scious of wondering where on earth
her husband had picked the man up.
Even that was something; she had not
had enough interest of late even to
wonder about anything.
Her husband approached her: MY
dear, l am bringing you DR., -er-Dr.
-" The little man interrupted
"Oh, never mind; just call me doc
tor" and the lady actually raised her
languid head to look at the doctor"
He was bright-eyed old man with q
great name of gray hair thrown back
from his forehead, and a long white
beard falling over his breast. His
clothes were old and threadbare, and
his boots rusty and red at the toes. In
one hand he carried a carefully brush
ed hat of an ancient style, and in the
other huge bunch of great, fragrant
lilac blossoms.
He sat down in the chair offered
him, facing his patient, and her hus-
band seated himself near. anXiously
watching the doctors" face.
The old man made a few remarks
about the weather, glancing out at the
budding trees on the avenue, then he
turned to his patient.
He did not feel her pulse nor ex-
anime her tongue-he looked steadily
at her pale face with its hollow cheeks
and great dark circles about the eyes,
then he nodded his head emphatically.
"Umi yes-worn-out, nervous; too
much gayety last winter, perhaps; in
somnia, can't sleep at all. Well! we'll!
that's badr' muttered he. Then he
leaned back in his chair, closed his
eyes, and seemed in deep thought.
Suddenly he started up. Madam,
| am something of mind-reader, and
l am going to tell you what the odor
of these old-fashioned flowers has
brought to your mInd."
The lady had been looking at the
bunch of lilacs, but when he spoke she
turned toward the old man with half
amused smile; and in SOFT low voice
he went on.
You are thinking of fjust'such a soft,
warm spring day as this, | won't say
how many years ago, but you are now
metally subtracting eight years from
your present age to find the number
of years between then and now, for
you were years old upon that bright
spring morning"
The lady looked up with amazement,
but she bowed and said: Yes, you
are right"
'Of course 1 am," said he cheerily;
81 always am. Now, your father had
| promised to take you for weeks
visit to your grandmother's, and you
were to 20 on your birthday; but when
your birthday came your father found
| that there was some business which he
could not leave, and your mother was
expecting company. and so they let
you go alone"
The lady raised up a little from her
pillows and fixed her eyes upon the
sdoctor's" face. The man went on in
the same soft tones. 1T was your first
Journey alone, wasn't it? Yes; and
YOU were very proud to sit alone in
the seat and to throw kisses to your
father and mother as the train moved
out. 1t was not far TO your grand
mothers, but it seemed ages to you
before you got to the little red depot
and saw your grandfather standing on
the platform. The conductor carried
your satchel out and you walked behind
him very straight and dignified. When
grandfather found that you'd come
alone he said Bless met didn't heP
And YOU felt that somehow it was q
compliment. Then he said how you'd
grown; and Mr.. Smith, the station
master, said You don't mean to tell
me this is Johns little gall Well!
wellr and that seemed complimentary
too.
"Grandpa let you drive old Pete
after you had turned the corner didn't
he? And when grandma saw you com
ing and you called out to her that yor
had come alone she said Bless mel, too
..After you had kissed grandma
YOU ran to change your dress and pu
on your long-sleeved pinafore, just al
YOU had promised your mother; then
YOU went to see if you couldn't hell
grandma get dinner, but she said sheo
rather YOU ran out of doors-so yor
went out into the backyard.
That backyard of grandma's; wa
there ever such a delightful place
There was the smokehouse first of all
lust the right size for playhouse
only grandma always kept it locked
You watched to see when she took thu
KEY down from the nail in the kitchen
then YOU followed her and saw he
take down a great glossy brown han
and cut off the smooth, pink slice
from its heart,
"Then you ran to see grandpa star
the leach. The leach was only bar
rel of ashes set upon a sloping plat
form, but it was very mysterious t
you, and you nearly broke your nee
climbing on the fence so that yo'
could peek in and find out what mad
the pail of water which grandfathe
poured in at the top of the barre
change to the dark brown liquid whic
fell drip-drip into the stone jar below
Then you ran out under the cherr
trees to see the chickens. Some wer