Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-06-22
THE DOCTOR'S GHOST.

shingle In Twenty second street and walt
cd for patients. My first was an invalid
Of some years suffering, who had recently
started south from hcr bone in Vermont
with the intention Of passing the winter
and spring in Florida.
She hnd been seized with hemorrhago
when she reached New York and WAS
forced to remain at the Hotel Bartholdi. /
was sent for by the hotel clerk, with whom
had slight acquaintance. l saw at n
glance that the patient was victim Of
consumption, and that il had reached tho
last stages.
After getting her what help could pro-
fessionally l offered some personal advice
told the maid, who seemed To be more u
companion than servant, that the chances
Of recovery wcro very small and If Mrs
Stone wished TO die among friends she
ought TO return ut once to Brattleboro. l
continued To visit her during the week she
remained in the city, and when she started
TO leave for home she seemed greatly af-
fectcd.
Doctor, you have been very kind to
me, were her words rs | recall them
now. If did not know that l am dy-
ing woman, would DO tempted to make q
confession. "
MY curiosity is aroused, Mrs. Stone.
Is there any secret that is worrying your"
Not that, was her reply. She hest
tated, looked into my face with an appeal
ing glance, and putting both hands to her
eyes burst into tears
was puzzled and almost disconnected.
"You have such n strange influence over
me, 1" she finally said between her sobs. -
have tried to resist il, but / cannot. / feel
as If / could be willcd by you to do any
thing. If you look toward the table for
any bottle or instrument, feel an irresist-
ible power moving mo to reach out and
get 1t for you.
1T 1t nervousness. my dear woman, /
said. You are weak and historical. You
need rest" With that l bade her goodby.
But before l left she begged from me q
small gold ring " hick l wore upon my lit
tie finger, with the promise that she would
return it. She wanted a keepsake and
would be certain TO send 1t back If the end
came. If not, she hoped TO SEQ me again
next summer ut her Vermont home.
Weeks passed, and l got reports from
time to time from the maid, who wrote me
that Mrs. Stone was sinking rapidly. Of
ten, the nurse said, she would call my
name while in delrium.
Winter passed, and the cold, raw winds
Of March came. On the night Of the 18th
I retired late, after n sick call on the east
side, which had fairly worn me out l had
scarcely dozed off when / heard my name
called l reused myself, but heard moth
ing. Again l was almost unconscious
when ! heard distinctly: "Oh, doctor,
please come! Doctor Doctorp'
At the same moment l saw vision as
distinctly Us ! sec tho desk before me now
as l write. 1t was the interior of sick
room, with bed, couch, tables, chairs and
pictures clearly outlined In the bed l saw
the form ard fecc Of Mrs, stone. At her
side stood the nurse who had been with
her in New York. Mrs Stone was in the
throes Of IA hemorrhagc. / noted each OBJ
ject in the room as distinctly as II l were
making list of the pieces of furniture
While l was yet gazing at the scene, l felt
q chilly breath of air upon my face. Grad
ually the outline Of the picture faded and
only the figure of Mrs. Stone remained
within sight. She seemed 70 come nearer
and felt an icy GOODNESS as she reached
for my right hand and tried 70 put some
thing in it. / then saw that she was try
ing to place the gold ring had given her
upon my little finger. Suddenly she van
ishcd l awokc trembling and III cold
NONaiNA iACN o-it'iNN va WV va
canny feeling, and ! still saw the sick
room before my eyes. / rose, and taking
pencil made n careful sketch of what I
had seen, locating every object in the
room. After noting the time, l returned
To bed and slept till morning.
AS l slipped my coffee in the hotel cafe
the next morning l received a telegram
announcing the death Of Mrs. Stone some
time during tho previous night.
went TO the funeral. When the last
words had been said and the cmaciated
body laid away, l returned with the nurse
to the house where my patient had breath
ed her last. l found that the room where
she died was IN exact counterpart of the
one / had seen in my vision. Livery ar
ticle of furniture was placed just as | had
seen it in my dream, yet | had never been
there before the day Of the funeral.
asked the nurse the hour that death
came.
1t was exactly 1855. " she said.
That was the hour heard my name
called.
Did Mrs. Stone ask for mcf' l in
quired with slight trcmor in my voice.
Indeed she did. she begged us to send
for you, and her last words were:
50 Oh doctor, please GOMEZ Doctorl
Doctor! New York Press,