Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-06-02
DIR. WEDMORE.

Inc provincial young man has never
possessed any attractions for me. and il
IS certain that if had not gone up north
to stay with Daisy Drysdale, should
never have known so well such strik-
ing specimen of the type as DR.. We'd
more. He was not a bad fellow, but oh,
he was SO pleased with himself! Your
provincial, indeed, is rarely modest; in
the limited circle of country town society
a young man is pursued with too much
pertinacity and ardor to have any doubts
in his own mind as to his personal desir-
ability and manifold charms.
DIR. Wedmore was stoutish younp
man of thirty-two, with nondescript fea-
lures and slow, portentous manner.
lie had large and increasing practice
in the suburb of Northaw, where his
medical skill was in constant request
among the spinsters and widows of that
somewhat damp and chilly neighbor-
hood. So highly esteemed were his SER
vices In the sickroom that these ladies
would send for him at all hours of the
day or night, until the good doctor in
self defense took to sending his red
fragrant malades imaginaires.
Daisy Drysdale's husband was mann
facturer in Mudchester, and, like other
manufacturers, he lived as far away
from the factory chimneys of that thriv-
ing city as possible. So his brand new
red brick mansion lay on the other side
OF the suburb of Northaw, and the So
ciety of Northaw supplied nearly all
Mrs. Drysdale's intellectual recreation.
Poor Daisy! How she missed London
and the Upper Bohemial She had a
genius for giving little dinners, but of
what use was that, seeing the component
elements of which her parties were to
be henceforth composed? Still she was
not to be baffled, and Mrs. Drysdale con-
stantly entertained. The night after I
arrived one of these dinners was given
in my honor, and was sent down to
the dining room with DIR. Wedmore.
shall not easily forget that night.
Accustomed to the manifestly insincere
gushings of London young men, l was
astonished at the naive manner in which
this country Esculapius tried in vain to
hide his sudden admiration. 1t came
out in every word and look. 1t was a
case of Glove at first sight" on the part
of DIR. Wedmore. Before left the din
ner table he had offered to lend me a
horse, proposed that he should drive me
to meet ten miles off and expressed a
wish that l should know his three sis
ters.
But the next time l saw him my head
was tied up in a flannel shawl and my
throat was so swollen l could hardly
speak. The doctor had been called in
professionally. The climate of Mud
chester had been too much for me, and
l was down with malignant sore
throat.
he came twice, to work patent in
haler and paint my throat with some
mysterious compound. He constantly
changed ne treatment; it was as if he
could never do enough. He even used
to bring me howers-and who ever
heard of a doctor taking his patient
flowers? Daisy was convulsed with
amusement. She said that when she
was i'll she sometimes used to have to
times before he appeared, he was SO
busy
At the end of week was better,
and in ten days l was quite well. l
really felt very grateful, for l knew
that the doctor had saved me by his
constant care from dangerous illness.
wonder if he took my gratitude for
something stronger? Anyway, as I
told Christina when she scolded me for
the whole affair, it was not my fault.
l hadn't fallen in love with DIR. We'd
all.
The thing came quickly to crisis.
We were all invited to spend an evening
at the doctors house. In the north they
have mysterious meal called "high |
tea" which is apparently source of no
little comfort and even of self righteous
ness. 1t enables the partakers thereof
to allude witheringly to the habit of |
"late dinners INDUCED in by the inhab-
itants of the south. And so, if you are
invited out in Northaw, be sure you will |
be regaled ON tea and cold chicken (fear-
full mixture), on hot cakes, jam, mar
malade and currant buns To this even
ing meal, then, we were hidden by DIR.
Wedmore.
He lived alone with his sisters, who
were curiously like him. They were all |
with nondescript features and
had slow and somewhat pompous man.
ners. To see all four of them together
inclined one to indecent mirth. 1t was
to be more worthy, more dull
and more self satisfied. The Misses
Wedmore were considered to have a
pretty taste for art; they painted every
thing within reach with sprawling red
roses or startling white daisies, and the
doctor was of opinion that his sisters ar
tistic talent was of the first order. Miss
Ada, too, sang songs by Pinsuti and Mil
ton Wellings. The doctor liked Miss
Ada's vocal efforts; while Miss Emily
was literary, she assiduously read Miss
Edna Lyall and Rider Haggard, and of
5hese authors we discoursed solemnly
until "tea" was announced.
The air was full of ominous portents.
The doctors manner, when he invited
ne for the second time to partake Of
,old chicken or pressed uror mo with