The record-union., 1893-09-02

Z
mai when opportunity offered, which
was not seldom.
The good people of the village had
never quite understood the means by
which DR.. Sharp had become possessed
OF the much coveted animal, try as they
might and did, to worm out the secret.
w hlIe time had treated the little doctor
kindly it had worked wonders in the
personal appearance of young DR.. Green.
From an awkward, ungainly lumbery
boy he had been transformed into
broad-shouldered. supple, active man.
lie had lost the awkward swing i'll his
walk acquired on the plantation; his
hands and feet appeared only common
place; his face was covered by strictly
| professional whisker, and his hair even
L fear because of generous applications
OF bears grease-had finally consented
TO lie down, and peacefully accept the
soothing rest it had so long and reso-
lntely sscorned. Had you or 1, or DR..
! Sharp, have passed DR.. Green upon the
street, there might have been an inde-
| Unable something about him that ap
peared familiar, yet we should never,
/ by any remote chance, have set him
! down as the same person we had so often
met and laughed at in the office of the
/ latter, three years ago.
! The professional career of DR.. Green
had been one in which conscientious
hard work had formed the principal in
gredient, but by that means success had
been his, and many an elder practitioner
was known to envy the large practice
and excessive good luck OF the young
physician.
After these years of toll the young
doctor thought seriously of taking holi
day in which to visit the home OF his
youth, and about this time happened that
which changed his fleeting fancy into
stern reality.
Yellow fever broke out in the State and
| throughout all the sunny Southland the
sound of mourning was heard. Death,
grim and gaunt, stalked through the land
and stood by each mans door. Quite
often it entered there, and, without warn
ing, plucked from his heart-tree it's faireSt
flower. Seemingly phial of wrath had
been poured out by an indiscriminate
hand, upon the land of perpetual summer,
sweeping its fairest daughters and brav-
| est sons as chatf before the whirlwind.
The rumbling cart passed through city
and village at the dead of night, stopping
only at the door behind which death had
marked a victim, and then onward with
its hideous freight to where the grave
digger, himself stricken, leaned upon
his spade and raved OF mountains of cool
ing ice and OF the wife and babes await
ing his return. Shadows fitted from
house to house bearing cooling draughts,
and soft hands smoothed the caprices and
feVerlSh tancleS from burning broWS un-
til the sufferer slept or died.
Skilled nurses and physicians, angels
of mercy, entered the stricken districts
from the more fortunate highlands, and
did all possible to alleviate the suffering
of the living or bury those already dead.
The news flashed over the wires and in
the far away cities and villages of the
North meetings were called. committees
appointed and contributions of both
nurses and money flowed in freely, the
| bounty of sympathetic North poured
into the lap OF a suffering South, dire
calamity thus binding those sections in
closer kindred bonds than could a thou
sand years of war.
The altitude of the village III which DIR.
Green's shingle 1oated TO the breeze was
such that the dread destroyer could not
ascend, and he, with his brother practi-
TONERS, hurried from his now home to
offer his services where they would be of
most benefit. Naturally he turned his
face toward the home of his youth, where
the fever stalked III all its hideous ma
Hgnant strength, and where assistance
was needed even more than in the larger
cities.
At the end of his third days ride he
drew near the old village which con-
tanned so much to be remembered by
him. He rode slowly along thinking,
probably, of the changes that had taken
tie smiling lips, ,dimpled cheeks and laugh
ing eyes, or the inimitable grace of some
maiden left behind whose very thought
was prayer for his safe return; probably
of those he was soon to meet; OF those
who were dying; of those dead, or, per-
chance, if he himself might not fall an
early victim to the 'scourge of the
South"
He was reused from his reverie by a
clatter of hoofs from behind, and a mo-
ment later fine, black horse came along
side, whose rider at once drew rein. 1t
needed no second glance to recognize
both horse and rider. 1t was Dr.. Sharp
and his mount was the black horse.
The horse appeared none the worse for
wear; but, alas for the little doctor as
much could not be said. The weary
week of vigil, just past, had robbed him
Of all sleep, and with his sleep had gone
tjs appetite. Dark lines were traced be-
Re2th his eyes and ugly burrows were be-
ing plowed through his plump, round
face.
DR.. Green's first impulse was to grasp
the hand of his old preceptor, and, after
wringing that member to his hearts con-
tent, inq quire for the latest news from the
village, but he checked his desire upon see
ing no spark of recognition light UP the
little DOCTORS face.
From your general appearance and
professional bearing l am led to conclude
you are physician" said DIR. Sharp
opening the conversation in his usual
voluble and cheerful manner.
81 am, sir" returned DR.. Green, "aud
l have no need to ask the same question
of you, as your avocation is as readily
proclaimed by those saddle-bags as is
that of a local politician by the size and
angle of the smile he wears"
II am truly glad to see you, DR.. -"
Jones, sir. DR.. Jones, at your serv-
ice."
"Ah, yes! Thank you'll 1 am truly
glad to meet and welcome you, DR.. Jones,
and | must consider your arrival a genu-
inc Godsend to our community. L am
the principal physician in these parts,
and for the past week have known no
such thing as sleep. Day and night, sir.
trated, and l feel that it would not be out
of order should | be the next TO fall vic
tim to the dread malady."
"Ah! DIR. -"
''Sharp, sir. DR.. Sharp, physician and
surgeonv'
You are a brave man, DR.. Sharp, and
| though you may not be aware OF the
truth, l am constrained to tell it you
gratis. The fever is already in your
veins. see 1t in your eyes. Indeed it
has already commenced its ravages.
Does not your skin appear parched and
crisp? Is not your tongue rough and
your extremities hot and dry, and have
you not soreness in your chest and a
whirling, ringing sound in your ears?'
We'll" ;" replied DR.. Sharp, not pausing
to reason that such symptoms would
naturally follow excessive loss of sleep
and continuous horseback exercise.
well, L must admit that you have de-
scribed my condition to a IT, but are YOU
hot