Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-02-15
SHEPHERDSTOWN w. VA. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15 1894

came, and with that thought she cooled
her bushes
Nellie was twenty when Jack Green
came back to Chester again. And now
he came as physician, just through
his studies, and anxious to build up a
practice. Soon his fame grew His
patients were among the poor at first,
and he cured them; and then richer
people heard of it and sent for HIM.
But, while he took all the patients that
came, he never gave up his practice
among those who most needed him.
His praise was in all their mouths.
There had never been any doctor like
this one.
Nelly was Miss Hunt now-for Ber-
tha had gone away from her into the
next country-and Nelly's grief had
made her gentle heart yet more gentle,
and her helpful spirit yet more help
ful.
Toward night, one summer day, she
had gone to see an old woman who
had been her nurse once, and had
found her very ill-quite too i'll to be
left alone, and certainly in need of a
physician. So Nelly tore leaf from
her memorandum book, and wrote on
it few lines, begging DR.. Green to
come at once, and then called to the
first passer-by AMI entreated him to
take it to the doctor.
1t was scarcely half an hour before
DR. Green cane in quietly and grave
". He attended to his patient with
that careful consideration which made
all those poor souls whom he visited
adore him. Then he turned to Nelly.
"Who will stay with her tonight?
he asked, for indeed she hardly ought
to be left alone
u shall stay" was the quiet an
swer.
Then come to the door with me,
please, and let me give You your di-
rections."
Nelly followed and stood there, in
the soft summer dusk--a pretty pic
ture-with the wild-rose flush dawning
in her cheeks and a new light kim
ding her blue eyes. She listened care
fully to all his injunctions and then
turned as if to go. But he put out a
hand to detain her.
"How very much ! owe to you, he
said.
"You, how? And a deep, deep
crimson dyed Nelly's face and throat.
In that moment she thought of her
"bumptious" valentine, which had not
crossed her mind before for long
time.
He looked at her with a smile in
his eyes, but with face that preserv-
ed all its respectful gravity. He took
a red leather case out of his pocket,
and from the case he took the very
old valentine, which Nelly remembered
so well. Then he produced the brief
note she had written that afternoon;
and still there was light enough left
in the day to read them by, as he held
them side by side.
Your hand has matured somewhat
since this valentine was written, he
remarked, quietly; "but some ofthese
letters should know anywhere. No
one could deceive me-
II did not suppose you had kept
that foolish thing" Nellie said, with
a pitiful little culver in her voice, as
if she were just on the point of burst
ing into tears. 81 am so ashamed.
DR.. Jack looked at her moment
as she stood there in the waning light
lovely, graceful girl, from whom any
man might be proud to win even a
passing interest. So this was the
woman, the thought of whom he had
carried in his heart for years! If he
had ever done any good thing he
was paid for it in the satisfaction o
that hour.
"Are you sorry" he asked, slowly
"that you have helped one man to b'
his best self? Those words Of your
were to me like the voice Of my In
most soul. Since then this paper ha
never left me, nor have l ever ceasec
to strive to be worthy of the esteem
of my unknown valentine. If ever
have been generous instead of selfish
brave instead of cowardly, strong in
stead of weak, it has been because
have remembered the words WRITER
here, and meant to live IN their spirit
Are you sorry for that? or do you be
grudge me the dear pleasure Of thank
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