Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-10-28

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own regrets. At eighteen, Lottie was
beautiful, pure blonde, tall, graceful
and refined to the very tips of her aristo-
cratic little fingers. For years the loving
pupil of a devoted teacher, her acquire
ments were rather masculine, but few
women choosing the course Of study she
had pursued. Her music was her one
recreation, and that she never had been
taught. She played and sang by ear
alone, but she had wonderful talent and
power.
"With all her knowledge Of languages,
i of deep research into many abstru'e
studies, she was no bookworm. Mrs.
Clifford had trained her in all womanly
arts, of sewing and housekeeping, and
she was essentially womauly in disposi-
tion and tastes.
"Now, it did not please me to have
this lovely, winsOme girl, at the very
portals of womanhood, shut up in a
gloomy house, a mile from any other
4 residence, the companion of an imbeclle
woman and the servants. You noticed
the beauty of the house and grounds, to-
day. Ten years ago it was the most dark
and lonely abode you can imagine. Tall
trees surrounded the house on all sides.
shutting out all sunlight; the garden
was mere tangle of weeds and flowers,
growing IS they would; the furniture was
old and gloomy, and the only new things
in the house were some of the books and
the grand piano.
"And there Lottie lived, devoting her
time to the care of feeble, imbecile
cripple, whose only spark of reason
seemed to be love for the girl. She
would listen while Lottie Gang or played,
beating time with her poor feeble hand,
noddng and smiling; she would play
backgammon, with frightful disregard
for all rule, but never exhausting Lot
ties patience. Much of the time she
slept, and then Lottie studied.
- sFor, she said to me, 'of course
cannot stay here always, and | want to
fit myself TO teach
"We seldom coaxed her out, because,
although she was cheerful and patient,
she rrieved for her adopted uncle as for
a father, and her deep mourning was an
excuse for declining all invitations.
Being an old bachelor, in a boarding
house, could offer her no hospitality.
But she was fond OF me, called me
'Uncle Robert, and l had not neglected
nv will as my old friend had done,
though she had no claim upon me.
"Paul Rayne had been six months
dead when DR.. Gardiner came to Poole
vile. He brought letters from Herman
Rayne to me aud to old Doctor Wilcox,
our only medical authority before he
came. Doctor Wilcox was delighted
with him. Although not thirty, he was
a doctor of the kind that are born, not
made, and soon proved his skill in some
obstinate chronic cases.
- Il shall retire now, Montgomery,
the doctor said to me, rubbing his hands
together. Il could not make up my
mind to do it before, but Doctor Gar
diner will more than fill my place. Why,
think of it Itook him over to see Miss
Henderson to-day, and he has already
told me of a continuance that will eO-
able her to walk little. There cannot
be much done for her, poor thing, but
he can relieve some of her suferings.
"And soon foun1 Doctor Wilcox
was right. New scientific discoveries
had thrown some light upon the injuries
the poor old lady had received, aud Doc
tor Gardiner installed himself as family
physician.
Gas there were two Miss Hendersons,
and one of them by no means an invalid,
appointed myself dragonin-chief, and
watched Doctor Gardiner closely. But
nv heart warmed to him, he was so cor
dial, so gentlemanly and 50 devoted to
his patients. Every case was as care
fully tended as if it was the only one,
aud patients were friends from the be-
ginning. His purse was open for all
distress, aud could never calculate the
charity he exercised, both professionally
and privately.
'It did not surprise me that Lottie soon
began to brighten up when the doctor
paid his daily visit to her aunt. Although
Mrs. Clifford was perfect Mrs. Grundy
for propriety, always being in attend
ance, the Young hearts, it was evident,
were mutually attracted, and | began to
build castles in the air for ing favorite.
"It was springtime when Doctor Gar
diner came to PoolevilIe, and during the
summer be most certainly made the bur
den of life far more endurable to poor
Miss Henderson, while Lottie's pale
cheeks bloomed anew in the added air
and exercise she obtained in attending
her aunt on the walks and long drives
the doctor ordered for her.
''But, 10 the winter, long-stand'ng
lung complaint, from which Miss Hen
derson suffered, developed into consump-
ton, and there was no hope she would
see another summer. She failed very
gradually, very painlessly. Even |, who