The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-15
THE DOCTORS PROPHECY

OUT Ms arms.
"My poor friend" sighed the doctor.
The sick man stared aghast.
"Pull yourself together" he contin.
ued. You are man who can stand
the truth"
"What do you mean"
"Your symptoms are those OF the
Mona"
"0f what%
"a curious plague. When the state
OF lethargy is over, the patient has
three lucid hours. at the end Of which
he dies suddenly"
"Whewp
"Now, look here, keep your spirits
up, like the plucky fellow you are.
After all is said and done, life is not
worth living for. Good-bye-good-bye,
my poor friend-good.bye" :.
Ten minutes later the Comte had
risen. Clad in his flannel smoking
jacket, he was putting the last touc hes
to his toilet. The doctor had with
drawn, that his friend might have time
to settle his worldly affairs.
When he had done brushing his mus.
tache and smoothing his finger nails,
Raymond chose one Of his driest cigars
and lit it, while casting sorrowful lock
at the others, those which he was not to
smoke. Then he threw himself on his
divan and began to reflect.
However brave he might be, however
fearless OF death, Comte de Villemers
soon came to the conclusion that his
case was a peculiarly aggravating one.
The day before, so soon as he was Ia
ken with feyeF-he had made up his
mind to prepare for the worst-he had
sent for his lawyer and for priest and
DESTROYED all his letters. Then he had
laid down his giddy head and fallen
asleep with the conviction that he
would not awake again before doeuls-
day.
But now he was like condemned
man who, after having made sure OF
reprieye, found himself suddenly on the
way to the scaGold.
Outside the CHEEKY atmosphere OF a
bright June day, the Champs Elysees
were alive with continuing stream OF
smart carriages; everything spoke Of
happiness and health he himself had
never felt so fit; and he was asked to
believe that tomorrow there would be
nothing left OF all this-so far as he was
concerned-but mournful crowd OF
friends, trip in slow joltIng hearse,
and tho mumbling OF priest before an
open grave.
Tomorrow the JOYS and friendly ties
of his whole lif would be gone forever!
While he was finishing his cigar, re-
clining listlessly on the cushions OF his
diyan, Raymond saw all his life fit past
him as in a dream. Nearly forgotten
episodes OF his childhood cropped up
as il they were quite recent; then. in
rapid succession, his mind dwelt on the
many times he had fallen in love be-
tween fifteen and twenty-five; until he
came to the first month OF his married
life.
How full OF unmitigated ythoie days
had been! Raymond remembered the
the minutest events OF his honeymoon
or moons, spent in fun and frolic, with
pleasant excursions, verging on bache'
ior's dissipation, and freaks which
made lively gossip for fashionable folk.
Delighted beyond measure by the ad-
miration which his wife excited where
ever he took her, he was more madly IN
love after his marriage than before. lie
would have been jealous If the mere
possibility OF such thing had been ser.
iously entertained by either OF them.
And all this passionate love had been
brought to an end by scandalous sep
aration, owing to blunder on his part
and a rash escapade OF the little com.
Jesse.
By mutual consent they had separ-
ated, Yet, strange to say, their love for
each other had continued. So far as
the world was concerned, their relations
were restricted to icy bows whenever
thew met on the boulevards, but thor
protested indifference for each other
scarcely deceived their common friends.
The idea of dying without having
seen once more the woman no loved
above all others appeared .preposterouss
to the comte. Studied obstinacy and
stern resolve seemed to be altogether
out OF place when brought face to face
with everlasting separation.
What risk did he run now IN attempt
ing a reconciliation, even il 1t were not
10 succeed?
RAYMOND sprangto his feet, and, scat
| ing himself before his writing desk,
scribbed hurriedly a short telegram,
and sent it of by his valet.
He looked at his watch; he had two
hours more to live-the countess would
have time to come.
Would she come? Would she be
touched by note Containing dying
mans farewell? Or, IN the relentless
dignity OF offended woman, would abe
refuse to forgive, even under these
solemn circumstances?
The anguish OF uncertainty, added to
the moral torture. made Raymond
vince despite all his nerve and resoln-
tion 10 Ia ke his inevitable fate coolly.
With something very like terror he
eved the fleeting minutes which sep
narrated him from eternity.
Another hour flew away while no was
getting ready to die, stopping now and
then to muse with melancholy on his
nast life. Ho wrote TO his mother n
very long letter, full OF "reminiscences OF
his early life, and as he did so, tears
came to his eyes.
Suddenly Raymond started at the
sound Of tho electric bell. After a
few seconds OF wild expectation the
door was opened aud the servant
ushorcd in: 80
"AIme. Ia Comtesse de Villemore"
Hs roso from his seat, very pale.
"Odettew hc exclaimed. :,
But tho young woman remained stand
ing on tho threshold, her features con-
traCtod with anger.
"This is q shameless trick, sir"