Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-05-12
DR.. WEDMORE.


is certain that if had not gone up north
to stay with Daisy Drysdale, I should
never have known SO well such strik-
ing specimen of the type as DIR. We'd
more. He was not bad fellow, but oh,
he was SO pleased with himselfl Your
provincial, indeed, is rarely modest; in
the limited circle Of country town society
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.
DR.. Wedmore was a stoutish young
man of thirty-two, with nondescript fea-
lures and slow, portentous manner.
He 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
haired assistant to some of his more
fragrant malades imaginaires.
Daisy Drysdale's husband was manu-
facturer in Mudchester, and, like other
manufacturers, he lived as far away
from the factory chimneys Of that thirty
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 Bohemia 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 composed7 Still she was
not to be baffled, and Mrs. Drysdale con
stantly entertained. The night after
arrived one of these dinners was given
in my honor, and | was sent down to
the dining room with Dr. Wedmore.
shall not easily forget that night.
Accustomed to the manifestly insincere
gushings of London young men, 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 ''love at first sight" on the part
Of DR.. Wedmore. Before | left the din
ner table be had offered to lend me a
horse. proposed that he should drive me
to a meet ten miles off and expressed a
wish that l should know his three sis
ters.
But the next time saw him my head
was tied up in a flannel shawl and my
throat was so swollen | could hardly
speak. The doctor had been called in
professionally. The climate of Mud
chester had been too much for me, and
I was down with malignant sore
throat.
The doctor came every day, and once
he came twice. to work patent in
haler and paint my throat with some
mysterious compound. He constantly
changed the treatment; it was as if he
could never do enough. He even used
to bring me flowers-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
send for DR.. Wedmore two OF three
times before he appeared, he was 50
busy.
At the end of week | was better,
and in ten days | was quite well. !
really felt very grateful, for l knew
that the doctor had saved me by his
constant care from dangerous illness.
I wonder if he took my gratitude for
something stronger? Anyway, as ]
told Christina when she scolded me for
the whole affair, it was not my fault.
hadn't fallen in love with DR.. We'd
more-that's 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 nc
little comfort and even of self righteous.
ness. 1t enables the partakers thereof
to allude witheringly to the habit OF
'.late dinner" indulged 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 DR.
Wedmorc
He lived alone with his sisters, who
were curiously like him. They were ali
stoutish, 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
impossible to be more worthy. more dull
and more self satisfied. The Misses
Wedmore were considered to haye 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 assidnously read Miss
Edna Lyall and Rider Haggard, and Of
these authors we discoursed solemnly
until sstea" was announced.
The air was full of ominous portents.
The doctors manner, when he invited
me for the second time to partake OF
cold chicken or pressed urar me with
nortnerA noap1Tznty Ine curranJ CAKE,
while a humbly conquering expression
was in his eyes when they rested upor
me. 1t was with ssintention," as the
French say, that he showed me the pho
tograph album, full of aunts and cous