Middletown transcript., 1892-12-08
THE DOCTORS LAST SHOT.
BY MRS. A. W. CURTIS.
\ 4 RS. SMITH and Mrs. Brown

M Rs. SMITH and Mrs. Brow
u were having very comfort
able afternoon together. Mrs. Smith
who was an invalid, or thought her
self one, which is just as bad, was re-
clining in an easy-chair, and Mrs
Brown, who had run in with her knit
ting work just to see how she was
had been persuaded to spend the res
fthe day with her friend.
" Yes, Mrs. Brown, | consider i
providential. That poor niece of mine
was left an orphan on the cold charit-
les of the world, and as | was the only
friend she had, she came right here, oi
course. Well, here / am in such
delicate health, needing Constant at
tention, and / couldn't expect my
own girls, poor dears, to be fussiDg
around their sick mother ali the time.
| want them to enjoy themselves while
they can. This poor thing needed a
home, and / gave it to her at once. l
said. of course, child, come right here
and live with us. You can make
yourself useful, no doubt, and it'll all
be right" She's been here six months
now. and has been a wonderful help
to me. keep her busy from day
light until dark to keep her mind off
her troubles, you know, and nights
when can't sleep its's dreadful handy
to have her where she can rub my
back, soak my feet, batbe my head,
and read me to Sleep"
do you pay Ter wages 2"
Bless me, no! She said some
thing about it one day as il she ex-
pected to be paid for her work, but |
told her we couldn't think of hiring
our own blood relations to work for
US. I told her to just be easy aboui
that, whenever she needed anything
we'd see about it. She gave me a
kind of queer smile that | didn't
quite understood or like; but, on The
whole, she is wonderful quiet and
gentle like, and | consider it a real
Providence"
Where is she now 7"
Il sent her down to the back pasture
to get some blackberries for my tea.
thought may be I'd relish them if
they were fresh.
Down in the back pasture she was,
the poor niece, Meta LaDgdon, but not
picking blackberries. She was sitting
on. a mossy log among the bushes, cry
ing as if her heart would break. 1t did
her good it cooled the fierce fever 10
her heart, and she finally grew quiet
and slipped softly down upon her
knees and prayed long and earnestly
for patience and wisdom and help from
her heavenly Father. Then she
caught up her pail and rose to COM
mence her task. But it so happened
that Doctor Chester, who was spend
ing q few weeks in that delightful
country place, was out hunting that
day. A fine, plump partridge flew
up from the bushes just at that
moment, and the doctor fired. To
his astonishment the bird escaped, but
a shrill scream and heavy fall beyond
the bushes made him throw his gun
and bag and rush furiously through
the sharp briars, never needing th'
rents they made in his fine hunting
suit or the cruel scratches upon his
face and hands.
There lay the game he had brought
down, in the shape of young girl
who was in dead faint or killed for
aught he knew. he quickly loosened
her dress and dashed water in her
face from the full canteen which ne
happened to have. and finally forced
a few drops Of brandy between her
lips. At length she opened her eyes,
TO bis great relief. and tried to rlse'
but a sharp cry of pain showed there
was something more serious Than a
mere fright.
What is it, where are you hurt Z
MY arm" she exclaimed.
He tore the faded calico sleeve open
to the shoulder, and sure enough the
soft, white arm, was covered with
blood and seemed to be riddled with
shot.
"Dear, dear, what have | done :
be exclaimed, hastily tying bis own
and her handkerchief tightly around
it. There's no time for apologies OF
explanations. thought 1 was shoot
ing partridge. and in some unac-
countable way | have shot you. NOW
tell me where you live SO | can gel
YOU home as soon as possible. | an
a physician, and we'll soon have the
poor arm all right again"
"My home is just over the hill;
can walk if you will help me little.
With a set, resolute face, and lIp'
tightly closed to keep back the moan'
Of pain, Meta walked hastily towards
home leaning upon his arm. Bu'
just as they reached the gate she faint
ed again, and taking her in his arms
he bore her rapidly to the house, ant