The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-30
A Gnge Of Love.

Generally known in his native town OF
pergarnos young MIR. DICK, was d
s,,,lIfuI and successful physician. we'll
liked and respected by his feilo~-clu-
gans with one exception; but. oh, what
a mighty test OF the rule that eAceP-
ton was oo, ard
"Dr pick" was tall. slender, erect ana
renIetc with nervous energy. his iCe
u.as pleasant and sympathetic. and his
hrnvn ewes more expressive than lnsehu-
ous for they were near-sighied. III the
sto,,-roon he was intent and solicitous,
IKE a thorough bred hound on the scent
hut I'm his recreations he was apt to be
vae1le and distraught. as If his mental
acuteness also required the adjustment
~ his professional spectac1es PROBABLY
the amiable failings resulting from THIS
absence of mind were more potent aluo
10 his popularity than his ability coulu
have been had IL been aggressive, lot
we laugh most with theifriend at Whom
we oftenest laugh.
Outside OF such trivial eccentricites'
"Dr. Dick" had no detriments. he was
bachelor alone In the world. unrestrain-
cd either By the demands or the Jeal-
oueies of relatives and hampered neither
nv debt nor vice. His future was "A
broad. rich meadow, growing more OK
pnnslve and fertile as ne advanced. what
wonder that many an anxious matron OF
Pergamos believed that she possessed just
the one eve lamb fitted 10 gambol ON
such a greenI
Now. Dr. Dick at heart was ardent
and romantic: his dreams Of love were
universal EXCEPT that tame sort which
comes when one beckons. Hence the
mute proifers of such well-trained brows-
ht-h m indeed.
his reyeries at present sufiiced for reality.
When he smoked at night in his easy
chair before the CHEEKY fire, he could sec
rho tender eyes OF his ideal in the glow,
and could well nigh feel the stroke or
ber lille hand in the hearts soothing
vibrations. Such imaginary companion
| ship was very grateful after the labors
and worries Of the day, and then' py
| the time his pipe was exhausted ana
| the embers were teaching the melancholy
of all fervor. how exceedingly sleepy he
| had become.
| Then his recreations, though dimly
! shared. were keenly appreciated by Dr.
| Dick. There was the club. Of which ne
| was a founder, and a perpetual mem
| Der Of the House Committee It's list al
| orded as many different types Of com
radeship as It did Of good fellows. Be
| sides. every month or so he was called on
| important business TO the metropolis
which exigency. In truth. consisted OF
his yearning for some old college frlends'
there divergently engaged In clamoennS
Parnassus. and Of their yearning for
MIN
II happened, one day Of such pleasur-
able outing. that Dr.. Dick came dsshing
down the stairs OF his hotel In tremend-
be always behind time and never to give
in 10 the fact. In q word, he was ever
doggedly chasing the train OF an engage
ment out from its station. He was now
on his way to a bachelor dinner, which
was TO adjourn for digestion 10 the inca
ire AS he reached the bottom step. plung-
ino, his hands the while into various pock-
cts in search Of what he had forgotten,
no discovered that that inevitable some
thing was his handkerchief. As the eleva-
tor was old-fashioned, and hence more
suave than brisk. he abandoned its wah-
Hing inertia to the impish children haunt
ing the different hoOrs. and GREATNESS.
vet determined. turned about ana spec up
again toward his room. As II his Dhysi-
cal gaze was also fixed. he saw noth'n@
save his impatiently waiting friends.
Alas for the prOverbial leisure OF haste.
< X,
SWING around the angie OF a corridor.
he ran fun against a young girl hurryinG
from the opposite direction: with such
force. too. that despite his confusion he
was constrained 10 recall his professional
skill For an instant the maiden lay
half unconscious in his arms. While ne
frantically endeavored 10 count pulse.
TO the f1utterins OF which his own heart
responded. Then she recovered sense and
possession at once and shaking away
his grasp stood q little apart, gazing
mockingly upon him as he strove TO eX-
press the thousand apologies which he so
poignantly felt. All, how could one be
collected before such pretty stranger.
with such merry gray eyes. so filled with
light with such tantalizlng lips. seemingly
repea ting his words. and with swaying.
graceful form. so admirably nodded by
her dark blue gown? Poor DIR. Dick pant
ed and stammered. nor did his fair adver
sary's fluent ripple Of blithe laughter lend
him its fuency.
"Pray think no more about II. doctor"
at length she said. IL feel highly honored.
I'm sure, to have been attended by so
distinguished a physician. For you must
be successful, you know: you have such
a pushing way" and again she laughed
and then fitted down the corridor. leaving
a haunting echo OF merriment behind her.
And an hour later this jocund unknown
was on her way with her parents 20 her
Western home. where. doubtless, she re-
ceived the homage due 10 her beauty,
met and married the Prince Charming,
and lived happily forever after.
But This was not the future that Or.
Dick had arranged for her rs he hurried
TO his appointment no. indeed. for al
ready had his romantic fancy named him
as the guardian OF II. Yes. IL had come.
that great. mysterious love. which had
SO often fascinated him with half-slimpses
In the hearth's chiaro-oscuro: at a single
wave OF its magic wand his eyes had
opened and seen: IN one enhancing in
slant he had passed from existing into
iiving.~ 49,
81 shall find her" he soliloquized.
know | shall. There Is mystic magnet
ic influence which will guide me more
accurately than the needle turns TO the
pole At last. at last. have found my
fater Poor young doctor so foolish In
thy sapience: through experience tnou
shalt learn that one does not md ones