The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-05
The Doctors Story.

The woman physician came into her friends
room with an unusually serious expression upon
her strong face says the New York World.
II want to tell you a story" she said. as she
dropped into chair and pulled off her gloves
lit the story Of a woman for whom there
was no room in this world. There are more OF
them than we realize Even when she was
born her father was disappointed because she
was not boy. and just as soon as she began to
toddle she learned TO keep her baby feet turned
from HIM, TO creep into the dark corners when
she saw him coming and TO remain out OF sight
as much as possible
'Her mother was q weak woman. Any
strength of character she might have had in
her youth had boon crushed by her husband
long before the baby came. The child inner
tied this weakness and there was nothing in
the home atmosphere to develop her or make
her realize that she was a human being with
cropping soul Of her own She grew up an IN
attractive girl. with coloriess hair and eyes and
character, and with an acute sense of her own
sudacity In daring to live when there was no
excuse for her existence.
Il actually believe that she had never known
the love and friendship of any human being.
She felt the need Of it, am sure and fancy
that sometimes she looked out of her shell at
certain people and imagined that she would
like 10 know them. But she was back again
before they even realized IL at she had glanced
out
''Of course the mother died Ccheerfuliy
enough, be it said and then the father, and
equally OF course this girl was thrown on the
world without penny. She was made for just
that sort OF thing. Any man or woman ofex-
perience could have seen that 1t would come TO
pass" .s-
The doctors voice was growing hard. She re-
allied this, stopped moment aud then con-
tinued gently:
We'll. some distant uncles and aunus put
their heads together and decided that they must
take her in. That they didn't want her goes
without saying, but they were the sort of peo-
pie who talk great deal about duty; then, too,
they fancied that she might be made useful
with the children.
''She came. but she was not useful TO the
children, They turned from her as naturally
and instinctively as their elders did ! think they
laughed at her gaunt figure and peculiar ways
II there was one vulnerable spot left in her these
children touched It whom they Knocked her. But
she only grew colder and quieter and little
more humorous from their point OF view.
about two months ago abe fell ill, and some
sparks of Imagination, which must have been
smod ering in all those years, famed up. She
decided that she would not live, and she fought
against recovery grimly and doggedly. ! no
ticed her peculiar position. her absolute loneli-
ness, and tried to like her, but could not.
think she saw the effort, and in her way felt
grateful. She used to watch me rather closely.
and at times imagined that she was almost
amused by my gentleness and my evident inter-
est in her. She had reached the point when an
effort of this sort struck her as unique
She died this afternoon, and was with her.
NV dear, she had at least one happy day in her
life, and 1t began this morning, when told her
that the end was near. Her facet wish
could tell you how it looked when she realized
that she was going so soon She smiled and
nestled her head down into the pillow with the
gesture Of q tired but happy child. And when
she caught me looking at her, as | did CON
stantly, for this thing fascinated me, she smiled
again, contentedly and once she took my hand
as it was smoothing her pillow, and held it
moment. II was probably the most demon
strative act Of her life few moments later
heard peculiar little noise and turned back to
her. She lay there chuckling actually
chuckling to herself. felt the blood grow
cold in my veins for a moment, but l
remembered that this woman was dying and
that IN all the world there was no human being
who would feel even pang to hear that she had
gone Then her enjoyment of the situation
seemed less CHASTITY. She suffered toward the
last, but she endured that as erimly as she had
endured life. She was fully conscious, took
everything gave her and lay quietly with her
eyes fastened on some object out OF the win
dow The aunts. who wandered restlessly in
and out, faucied that she was looking heaven
ward. She was not. She was watching the
great clock in the church steeple opposite
suddenly she turned, buried her face In the
palm OF her hand, closed her eyes and went to
sleep-glad enough am sure that she need
never awaken"
The doctor rose and came behind her friends
chair.
Forgive me for telling you about this, e" she
said softly, but am full of the subject, and
tired and a little unstrung. need a walk and
cool gown, aud-perhapS-e renewed supply
OF confidence in human nature"